Keeping Your Cat or Dog Healthy Starts With Good Dental Care

Skipping a morning brushing is not healthy for your own teeth, but did you know the same is true of forgoing regular cleanings for your pet’s teeth? The importance of keeping your pet’s teeth clean is great enough that you should always make pet dental care a priority — even when your life gets busy or you are in a hurry.

Why Pet Dental Care is Vital

Most owners are conscientious about bringing their pets to see a veterinarian for their annual exams. However, fewer owners are aware of the reasons why proper pet dental care is crucial: avoiding infection and the large veterinary bills that accompany preventable dental catastrophes.

The most common dental problem cats and dogs face is periodontal disease. As bacteria attach to the animal’s teeth, they form a film of plaque. Once the bacteria die, calcium in the animal’s saliva can cause them to harden into tartar.

Plaque continues to collect. After it hardens, food and chew toys can no longer remove it. It will spread if not removed by cleaning the teeth and gums. The eventual result is often gingivitis, an inflammation that causes the pet’s gums to become swollen and bleed.

If infection sets it, it can spread to internal organs. At an advanced stage, periodontal disease destroys tissue, and the animal could end up losing the tooth and becoming very ill. When a bacterial infection originating in the mouth gets into the blood stream, your cat or dog could have heart problems or other serious ailments.

One noticeable sign of a dental problem in your pet is extremely bad breath. Other signs that it’s time for a professional cleaning include a reluctance to eat or approach hard food, the presence of red and swollen gums, teeth that look brown, and frequent rubbing or pawing at the face or mouth.

Necessary dental care for your pet is a combination of good home care and yearly checks by our medical center staff. Home care should include daily pet teeth cleaning, and some pets enjoy and profit from healthy chewables. Our staff will be happy to recommend the best choices for your pet.

Dental Services for Louisville Pets

Our Audubon Animal Medical Center staff considers good dental health for your pet a top priority. Our Louisville veterinarian will carefully evaluate any dental needs during your pet’s annual exam and will recommend pet teeth cleaning or gum cleaning when necessary.

A yearly checkup is also the perfect time for a veterinarian to look for any problems related to pet baby teeth, extra teeth, tumors and cracked teeth. While the initial exam usually occurs while a pet is awake, a short-lasting anesthetic might be required for a more thorough evaluation or other dental procedures.

We offer dental treatment packages that include comprehensive services such as pre-anesthesia blood work, anesthesia, and dental cleaning and polishing.