At Centre Street Animal Hospital, your pet’s health and the ongoing love of having a pet in your family are our top priorities.

Every year our clinic recognizes National Dental Health Month by offering a promotion on your pet’s dental health.

Dental Health

In last month’s blog post, we discussed the importance of dental health for your pets.

Just as a quick reminder, we take this matter seriously because neglecting your pet’s oral hygiene and dental care can result in plaque accumulation and unhealthy populations of bacteria in your pet’s mouth This can lead to:

  • Bad breath
  • Tartar and plaque buildup
  • Red gums better known as gingivitis
  • Sore, painful gums and teeth
  • Excessive salivation
  • Poor digestion and abnormal eating habits
  • Lack of energy
  • Possible damage to internal organs

Due to the fact that there are varying stages of gingivitis, it is important that you visit us for a dental exam. During the exam we can identify the presence of gingivitis and, based on the stage of progression, create a plan specific to your pet’s needs.

If these conditions go untreated, bacteria can enter your pet’s bloodstream and reach your pet’s vital organs. A bacterial infection can then cause damage to internal organs like the heart, kidney and liver.

The Importance of Annual Check-Up

We recommend that your pet have a dental exam every year.

Bringing your pet for a check-up every 12 months may seem frequent, especially since humans see the dentist every 6 months, but it’s important to remember that animals age differently than we do. For every year that passes for a human, your dog is aging about 4-7 years, depending on the breed. An annual check-up every for your dog is the same as a 4-7 year check-up for a human. When we consider it like that, we realize that a year is a long time. A lot can change over that period.

“ … But My Pet Isn’t Complaining … ”

People sometimes say that a dental exam feels unnecessary because their pet is showing no signs of discomfort or pain. Truthfully, outspoken reactions to pain are more common in humans than they are in animals. Your pets were born as survivors. Their instinct is to hide the pain and keep pushing forward in happiness. Please remember – just because they seem happy, that doesn’t mean they are not experiencing any discomfort.

The Pet Dental Cleaning Process 

The main procedure we will perform during the annual check-up is the dental cleaning. You can watch this video on our dental cleaning process:

 Screen Shot 2014-01-29 at 4.44.43 PM

 

As you will see in the video, we take the time and effort to make your pet calm and relaxed before the procedure. While your pet is comfortably under anesthesia, we also use the opportunity to do the things that require a delicate touch. For example, we routinely give your pet a nail trim at no additional charge.

We can also arrange to do other procedures that may be more difficult while your animals are awake, such as deep ear cleanings, anal gland expressions and micro-chipping. It’s our pleasure to do so – it just makes life easier to help your pet when there is no risk of stress or discomfort.

Our Campaign for Dental Health

To see our 2014 promotion for dental health, please visit our webpage here.

Dental health month is a limited time offer, so please book your appointment early.

We care deeply about your pet’s health, and we look forward to working with you to ensure a long and happy life through this important aspect to your pet.