The topic for my first column was easy to pick, since February is Pet Dental Health Month. Now I know there are some of you sitting on the couch petting your dog and pushing his little nose away because his breath is awful. He is the prime candidate for dental cleaning. However, there are many more pets that could benefit from dental cleaning. You shouldn’t wait until you can’t stand to be in the same room as the pet!
In the last 10 years veterinary dentistry has made drastic improvements and prevention has become the goal.
Just like with people, plaque builds up to become tartar and leads to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Cats even get cavities. Dental disease affects the quality of your pet’s life and their overall health. It always amazes me how many people tell me that their pet seems young again after having dentistry.
Your veterinarian will let you know when your pet needs a dental cleaning; dental examination is an important part of the annual physical exam. Of course dental cleaning is more complicated for your pets then for humans. Dogs and cats just don’t understand they need to keep their mouth open and it’s difficult to get them to rinse and spit. Therefore, in order to do a good cleaning, your pet must be put under anesthesia. I know, many of you are saying, “I’d love to have Fluffy’s teeth cleaned, but I’m afraid of anesthesia.” While there is always a risk to anesthesia, recent advances have decreased that risk significantly. Pre operative blood work helps the vet know if there are any internal problems that may affect the anesthetic safety. I.V. catheter and fluid therapy during the procedure adds a level of safety and improves recovery. Veterinary Anesthetic monitoring systems monitor the same parameters that human monitors report. Gas anesthesia not only is much safer then the older injectable anesthetics, the tracheal tube used to deliver the anesthesia protects your pet’s airway from debris going into the airways during the procedure.
A complete dental treatment for your pet includes cleaning above and below the gumline, polishing and some clinics will apply a sealant. A licensed veterinary technician has special training to perform the cleaning and they are the veterinary world’s equivalent of a dental hygienist. At most clinics a licensed tech will perform the cleaning and charting of the teeth. After the cleaning the veterinarian will evaluate the teeth and decide and if x-rays, root planning, extractions or periodontal treatment may be necessary. Dental x-rays have been a large reason for advances in veterinary dental care. X-rays of the teeth can help evaluation of a tooth can be saved or must be extracted and makes extraction easier.
After the procedure is done, pain medication and antibiotic therapy may be sent home depending on what procedures are performed. Home care can include regular brushing, weekly sealant application and dental diets. Remember, just like us, if you don’t do any home dental care on your pet, plaque and tartar will build up and more frequent cleanings will be needed.
I hope this article helps you decide to peek at your pet’s teeth and even call your vet and schedule a dental exam or better yet a dental cleaning.
Thank you for reading this article, I hope to continue writing regular articles. If you have any ideas for articles or questions, I’ll do my best to answer them as I am able, mcaviness@wildernessvet.com
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