Valleyvet

Dentistry

Just like humans, pets’ teeth need looking after too! The health of their teeth and gum’s has a significant impact on their overall quality of life.

Dental disease begins with a build up of bacteria in your pet’s mouth. Bacteria, combined with saliva and food debris, can cause plaque to accumulate on the tooth. As calcium salts are deposited, plaque turns to tartar (brown or yellow material starting near the gum line of the tooth). Without proper preventive or therapeutic care, plaque and tartar build-up leads to periodontal disease, which affects the tissues and structures supporting the teeth. Periodontal disease can cause oral pain, tooth loss and even heart or kidney problems.

Common signs of dental disease include:

If your pet is showing any of these signs of dental disease please book an appointment to see one of our friendly veterinarians. Early assessment and action can save your pet’s teeth!

At Valley Veterinary Surgery, we offer the highest quality dental care available, utilizing state of the art dental equipment, similar to what you would find at a human dentist.

How can I prevent dental disease?

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:
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.

What does a professional dental clean involve?

It is the same as a scale and polish done by a dentist for us. However, unlike us, our pets won’t sit still or open their mouth to allow a comprehensive cleaning of their teeth. For this reason our pets need to have a general anaesthetic for a professional dental clean.Your pet will need to be assessed by one of our veterinarians. The degree of dental disease will be assessed to determine if extractions, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories will be required. The assessment may also include a physical exam, blood tests and urine tests to ensure they are healthy prior to having an anaesthetic. Once anaesthetised, we can give the teeth a thorough cleaning using our specialised dental equipment. When your pet goes home we will also discuss methods of reducing dental disease in the future. You will be amazed at the appearance and smell of you pets mouth after a dental!

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