Pet Dentistry

Neglect of your pet’s oral hygiene and dental care can result in plaque accumulation and unhealthy populations of bacteria in your pet’s mouth.
A failure to treat pet dentistry as a priority can also lead to:

proper dental care is essential for the health of yourpet Bad breath
Tartar and plaque buildup
Red gums, better known as gingivitis
Sore, painful gums and teeth
Excessive drooling
Poor digestion and abnormal eating habits
Lack of energy
Damage to internal organs

Pet Dentistry is a major component of preventative medicine when it comes to caring for your pet. The Centre Street Animal Hospital is one of Thornhill’s premium pet dentistry exam locations who can assist owners in developing pet dentistry knowledge and practices.

Knowing the signs of tooth decay not only helps your pet’s smile, but also enhances their long term health and well-being! Even if obvious signs are not present, your pet’s health can be affected by unhealthy teeth and gums. Regular dog and cat dental cleanings are just a first step.

If dental disease is left untreated, bacteria can enter your pet’s bloodstream; a subsequent bacterial infection can cause damage to your pet’s internal organs, such as their heart, kidney and liver. Because there are varying stages of gingivitis, it is important that you visit us for a dental exam. During the exam, a veterinarian can identify the presence of gingivitis and, based on the stage of progression, create a treatment plan specific to your pet.

 

There are two critical components of your pet’s veterinary dental care:

ORAL EXAMINATION 

Your vet will examine your pet’s mouth for signs of dental disease. An exam will also identify any abnormalities, such as misaligned or retained baby teeth. Additionally, the vet will evaluate the accumulation of plaque and tartar, gingivitis/periodontal disease, and oral tumors.

DENTAL CLEANING 

Pre-anesthetic blood screen: Blood tests are done to ensure that your pet is healthy before administering anesthetic, although complications resulting from modern anesthetic are rare. This also sets a baseline for your pet’s health to be included in his or her file. If your pet becomes sick in the future as a result of illness or pre-existing conditions, more blood work is run and the results are compared to the pre-anesthetic blood screen. It also informs us of any effect to the organs that previous poor dental hygiene has caused, so as to better inform the pet dentistry approach in the future.

Full scaling and polishing: We scale teeth to remove all tartar both above and below the gum line. In dentistry, it’s not just what you can see that can harm your pet – it’s also what you can’t see.

Fluoride application: Fluoride strengthens the enamel of your pet’s teeth.

Procedure precautions: Prior to the procedure, and along with a pre-anesthetic blood screen, we will perform a full physical exam. During the procedure, we monitor all vitals using modern instruments that track pulse, ECG, blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and blood pressure. IV fluids are administered for all patients.

Nail trim: We provide a nail trim as a courtesy while your pet is sleeping, which is very beneficial since many pets fuss when having their nails trimmed.

Hospitalization: Our hospitalization services are included for pets undergoing dental procedures.

Our assurance to you: Immediately after the procedure, when your pet is in the recovery room, we will call you with an update. A recheck appointment is also included with your pet’s dental care.

AFTER THE PROCEDURE

Visit us in Thornhill today for a pet dentistry exam, or bring your dog or cat in for a scheduled cleaning. Pet dentistry must be taken seriously – and it starts with you!