Dog Dental Care

Maintaining oral health is equally important for dogs as it is for humans.

Dental health is a key component of our pet’s health and should be regularly monitored by both owners and veterinarians. Dental disease affects the majority of animals over the age of 3 years old. Your veterinarian can help you decide how often your pet needs a dental cleaning, and if need be, extract teeth that are no longer healthy. The earlier dental disease is detected, the sooner your pet gets back to having a happy healthy mouth. Animals will continue to eat despite advanced dental disease so one can’t use appetite alone as an indicator of oral pain.

What types of canine dental care services are offered at your clinic?

At Mill Bay Veterinary Hospital, we offer comprehensive dental cleanings, using our ultrasonic scaler, hand scalers, and polisher. These instruments remove tartar and calculus above and below the gum line and then smooth the surface of the teeth making it harder for tartar to build up again. Our veterinarians are trained to remove any teeth that are no longer healthy, due to fractures, gingival recession, mobility, etc. We also offer dental radiology to identify any issues that cannot be seen at or above the gum line. Periodontal disease is the most common reason for extractions of teeth. It happens below the gum line and may not be detected by looking at the crowns of the teeth alone

How often should I brush my dog’s teeth?

Just like us, our pets need to have their teeth brushed daily. Brushing every day reduces the rate at which tartar builds up and can extend the amount of time between each dental cleaning. To help your pet become fond of this daily routine, you can purchase flavoured toothpaste. Feeding a dental diet or using a water additive can also reduce tartar formation.

Why is oral and dental health important?

Keeping our pets’ mouths clean and in good condition is not always an easy task, however, it is very important for their overall health. Having dental problems can lead to our pets going off their food, being lethargic, and developing infections. Having a regular routine for brushing is the best defence against dental disease. Please ask our knowledgeable staff for a demonstration or a brushing hand out to take home.

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