Pet Dental Services
Dental care for dogs and cats is a rapidly growing area of veterinary medicine. At Kedron Veterinary Clinic in Brisbane, we recognise how important dental care can be. Over the past 25 years, we have seen a greater awareness of the significance of pet dental care to the overall health of your beloved pets.
Why is Pet Dental Care Important?
Just like humans, our pets’ teeth need looking after too and many pet parents are unaware of how to do this. The health of their teeth and gums has a significant impact on their overall quality of life. Imagine how your mouth would feel, and smell, if you never brushed your teeth.
Poor dental care can lead to periodontal disease – a build-up of bacteria in your pet’s mouth which may result in gingivitis and infection. Without proper preventive or therapeutic dental care, plaque and tartar build-up affect the gums, tissues and structures supporting the teeth. This can cause oral pain, tooth loss and even heart or kidney problems if the infection spreads into the blood stream.
Does My Pet Have Dental Disease?
Common signs of dental disease include:
- Yellow-brown tartar around the gum line
- Inflamed, red gums
- Bad breath
- Change in eating or chewing habits (because their mouth becomes sore)
- Pawing at the face or mouth
- Excessive drooling
- Pain or bleeding when you touch the gums or mouth
If your pet is showing any of these signs of dental disease, please book an appointment to see one of our vets for a FREE dental health check. Early action can save your pet’s teeth.
Our Pet Dental Services
Check-up and Assessment
At Kedron Veterinary Clinic, our veterinarians will start by assessing your pet’s teeth and gums at your complimentary appointment. If your pet has dental disease, the degree will be assessed to determine if extractions, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are required. Sometimes we do need to remove a few teeth, however having a few less should not negatively impact the life of your pet.
Affordable Dental Cleaning
Comprehensive dental cleaning for pets is the same as a scale and polish for humans. However, unlike us, our pets won’t sit still or open their mouth to allow a comprehensive cleaning of their teeth, which is why they will need to have a general anaesthetic. A physical exam, blood tests, and urine tests to ensure your pet is healthy for this procedure may be required. Once anaesthetised, we can give the teeth a thorough cleaning using our specialised dental equipment and use a fine probe to explore the gums for any deeper problems unseen with the eye. Just think of us as your friendly local pet dentist!
Pet Dental Home Care
After the dental cleaning, our vets and nurses will discuss dental aftercare with you. Long-term control and prevention of dental disease requires regular home care. The best way to begin this is to accustom your pet from an early age.
Dental home care may include:
- Brushing teeth daily – just like us!This is the best form of dental hygiene. Pet toothbrushes and toothpaste are now available. Please do not use human toothpaste formulas on your pet as they are not designed to be swallowed and may be toxic.
- Feed pets raw meaty bones or special dental diets.This can help to reduce the accumulation of tartar as they chew on the hard surfaces.
- Use dental toys, enzymatic chews, or teeth cleaning biscuits such as prozym and greenies, all of which may help keep the teeth clean and breath smelling fresh. These work using friction to scrape away the plaque while being eaten.
- Regular and frequent attention to your pet’s teeth may avoid the need for a professional dental clean under anaesthetic, and will also improve your pet’s overall health.
If you have any questions about dental care or professional cleaning please do not hesitate to contact us today.