Dental health experts estimate that around 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will show signs of dental disease by the age of 3 without proper care. Poor dental health can cause not only tooth loss and bleeding gums, but also cause more serious illnesses like heart disease. We recommend regular dental cleanings to prevent this from happening.

For humans, a regular dental cleaning is easy.  We can simply go to the dentist, sit down in the chair, and sit back and have our teeth cleaned. No animal would sit still enough for a professional to clean his or her teeth, so the process is a little more difficult.

First, we must sedate your dog or cat. We use anesthesia just like we do with surgery. Before administering anesthesia, our certified technicians pre-test the blood for liver and kidney health. We also check an EKG to determine proper heart function. Once the pet is sedated, our technicians perform a full set of dental X-rays using digital radiography equipment. These X-rays tell us the overall health of the pet’s oral cavity. We look for broken teeth, bone loss, and root loss. If the mouth is healthy, then we move on to the actual cleaning. All of our technicians have special training in dentistry and use the same tools that your dentist does to clean your teeth. After the cleaning, one of our veterinarians inspects the teeth and gums for damage and periodontal disease. If discovered, problems can be treated on the spot to avoid having to put your pet under anesthesia again. To finish up, we polish the teeth and apply OraVet gel to slow tartar formation.

Our veterinarians recommend home tooth maintenance after the cleaning is finished. We have a variety of products to help your home care like tooth brushes, toothpaste, and special food.