Dental health for your pet is important to their overall health. Dental problems can cause and can be caused by other health problems. Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked annually by a veterinarian to look for early signs of an issue and to keep your pet as healthy as possible. At Westside Veterinary Center, an animal hospital on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, our veterinarians specialize in pet dentistry.
Understand Pet Dentistry
Pet dentistry includes cleanings, adjustments, filing, extraction, or repair of your pet’s teeth. All aspects of oral health care are explored.
A pet dentistry exam starts with an oral exam of the mouth. X-rays can be used in order to evaluate a pet’s jaw health and the tooth roots below the gumline. Many dental diseases occur below the gumline, so oftentimes a thorough cleaning and evaluation are performed by our veterinarians while under anesthesia. This is because it allows us to perform these important services to your pet without pain or stress on your animal.
A dental cleaning includes scaling, which removes dental plaque and tartar as well as polishing. While a veterinarian should check your pets’ teeth once a year, you as a pet owner should look for signs of problems. Some things you can look for include: broken or loose teeth, bad breath, discolored teeth, abnormal chewing or drooling, reduced appetite, pain in or around the mouth, bleeding, or swelling.
Causes of Pet Dental Issues
Pets can develop many serious dental issues, including broken teeth and roots, periodontal disease, cysts or tumors, misalignment of the teeth and bite, a broken jaw, palate defects, and abscesses.
Periodontal disease is the most common pet issue. Early detection and treatment are both important as advanced periodontal disease can cause severe issues and even pain for your pet. It can cause not only pain in the teeth and gums for your pet but also throughout its body into its kidneys, liver, and heart. Treatment of periodontal disease involves thorough cleanings and x-rays to determine the severity of the disease.
Prevention of oral disease in pets means that frequent removal of plaque and tartar must occur. Daily brushing is the best way to prevent oral disease, but even brushing a few days a week is effective too. Our veterinarians can teach you how to properly brush your animal’s teeth at home.
Schedule an Appointment with one of our Veterinarians at Westside Vet Center on Manhattans Upper West Side Today
Our veterinarians at Westside Veterinary Center can help you with any pet dentistry issues. We pride ourselves on ensuring our pet patients have the best possible oral health as possible. To schedule an appointment today with our veterinarians, call our office at (212) 580-1800.