Dental Care in Dogs and Cats IVPet Type Dog Issue General Health Veterinary Dental Care
- It is often necessary for animals to undergo veterinary treatment on their teeth.
- There are several reasons why an animal might need this;
- Tartar build-up - thisis often so thick that it cannot be removed by chews or brushing
- The tooth roots have become rotten, so the teeth are painful and infected
- Some animals have very sensitive mouths and even moderate build-ups of plaque can cause painful, swollen gums, and the best way to remove plaque is by veterinary dentistry
- Some young dogs, especially the toy breeds, do not shed their baby teeth. These need to be removed by the vet as they are a perfect place for plaque and tartar accumulate.
- Your vet will be able to quickly examine your pets teeth and decide if any treatment is necessary
- If your pet has a dental at the vets, they will need to undergo a General Anaesthetic. Your vet will talk you through the procedure, and advise you on the best approach.
- Dentals are often performed on older animals and general anaesthetics can carry higher risks in older pets. Your vet will do all they can to keep it as safe as possible, and may suggest blood tests or intravenous fluids to support your pet though the procedure.
- During a dental operation, a vet may perform several tasks;
- Extractions - your vet will remove any teeth that might be painful, have exposed or rotten roots or significant 'gum regression' - this is where the gum has died back from around the tooth causing it to loosen or the root to be exposed.
- X-rays - vets may x-ray your pets jaw and see the tooth roots, this will allow them to decide if teeth need to be removed or not.
- Scaling - plaque and tartar are removed with an ultrasonic scaler.
- Polishing - once the teeth have been scaled, they are then polished. This smoothes any small scratches on the teeth surface that may allow plaque to take purchase.
- There are now several referral veterinary dentists in the UK who are able to perform more complex procedures such as root canals and placing crowns.
These pictures show the same dog before and after dental work under a general anaesthetic. You can see the tartar has been removed and some teeth have been extracted. The remaining teeth have also been scaled and polished. |
