Missoula Veterinary Dentistry & Oral Surgery

02/03/2025

We love our Golden Retrievers! According to the American Kennel Club Golden Retrievers are consistently in the top 5 most popular dog breeds around the world, and it's no secret why. Golden Retrievers are serious workers when it comes to hunting and field work, as guide dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue and obedience work. Their love of water is only overshadowed by their love of food and if a golden has found their way into your life no one will love you as much as they will. Loyal and dependable this breed can go from searching for survivors after a disaster to chilling at home on the couch next to their favorite person. Their playful and affectionate personality is part of their universal appeal. If you have a Golden Retriever at home give them a hug for us.

01/23/2025

This little Dumpling was referred to Dr. Block for a COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment). Dr. Block also extracted 4 teeth due to advanced periodontitis (stage 4 periodontal disease). Dumpling was a perfect patient and we are so pleased to be part of her health care team.

01/17/2025

With the extreme cold weather heading our way, it's important to know how cold is too cold for outdoor activities with our canine friends. Just because it's too cold for a walk it doesn't mean you can't have fun with your dog or cat. Check out our blog post on our website from January 3rd for some great ideas to keep your dog and cat entertained when it's too cold to be outside. Keep in mind cats and dogs can get frostbite and hypothermia if they're exposed to temperatures of 32*F or less for extended periods of time.

01/16/2025

Tipper was referred to Dr. Block for imaging to determine what was causing swelling on the right side of her face. With the help of Elliot (our Cone Beam CT) Dr. Block was able to see retained tooth material from a previous extraction attempt of the right maxillary canine tooth. Dr. Block was able to surgically debride the infected bone and soft tissue associated with the retained tooth material. The infection had broken through the bone, both into the oral cavity as well as the nasal cavity. While she was here, we also did a COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment), and sweet Tipper left with a brighter, more comfortable smile. Tipper is a perfect example of why post-extraction x-rays are so important and why we do them with every procedure.

01/09/2025

Sweet Vinnie was referred to Dr. Block for a COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment) and a fractured upper fourth premolar. Dr. Block extracted his fractured premolar, identified 3 additional teeth that required extraction due to severe periodontal disease (stage 4), and extracted an incisor that was causing some issues with its neighbors due to crowding Vinnie's teeth were then hand scaled, ultrasonically scaled, polished, and charted. Vinnie was a perfect patient and won the entire staff over with his charming personality.

01/08/2025

01/06/2025

Deacon came in today for his coronation! This sweet boy had root canal therapy performed on his lower canine tooth in August. His caregiver decided to protect her investment with a crown, not just any crown though. This super sweet boy needed an extra special crown. Deacon had his Blurple crown (made by ) cemented on today!

01/02/2025

Keep you and your pet safe while traveling with these helpful tips:
🚗Prepare your pet for a road trip. If they aren't used to being in the vehicle, taking them out for a few short car rides while gradually lengthening the time spent in the vehicle can help them get used to traveling.
🐈Make sure you have copies of Rabies certificates and any medical records you may need in case of emergency.
🐶Keep your pet confined in a well-ventilated crate or buckle them up in a crash tested pet safety belt. Secure your pets crate so it doesn't move in case of an abrupt stop.
🐩Don't let your pet ride with their head out the window.
🐈‍⬛Pack a pet-friendly travel kit. Bring bowls, leash, waste bags, grooming supplies, medications, a pet first aid kit, and a list of Emergency Veterinary Hospitals along the route you're taking. A favorite toy and blanket that smells like home can help ease any homesickness.
🫗Pack plenty of water from home or opt for water bottled water. Drinking water from an unfamiliar area can cause stomach discomfort.
📿Make sure microchip and tag information is current and be sure your pet is wearing their collar.
🐾Never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle in the summer or winter. In warm weather a car can become a furnace and in cold weather it can become a refrigerator.

12/26/2024

Otter was referred to Dr. Block for a fractured and infected upper right deciduous third premolar tooth. Otter's CB-CT showed all other dentition and structures appeared normal for his age and stage of development while the 3-D reconstruction showed a healing, right maxillary non-displaced fracture on the buccal bone surface. Otter was a perfect patient for his procedure and was back to his normal puppy self by the next day. We are so pleased we were able to help this sweet boy have a more comfortable smile.

12/23/2024

These hard chew bones, antlers and compressed rawhide toys are great at breaking teeth. Tennis balls are covered in fuzz that acts like sandpaper when your dog chews on them, gradually wearing the teeth down which can lead to dental issues. It's best to leave these items at the store and stick to toys that will provide the dopamine rush of chewing without the pain and expense of breaking teeth.

12/23/2024

We love these toys by Goughnuts (black ball, ring and stick), Kong (rings, balls and classic) Chuckit (assorted balls and stick), Playology (dental chew ball and squeaky bounce ball toy) and West Paw (hurley and jive ball). The Veggiedent chews by Virbac are a great alternative to compressed rawhide and are VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved. You don't have to buy one of these specific toys for your dog but the general rule for dog toys is they should be soft enough to indent with your finger nail and/or hit your (or your partner's) kneecap without pain.

12/01/2024

If you love Cats as much as we do, you know how good these fangtastic felines are at hiding signs and symptoms of pain from their human caregivers. According to the Cornell University Feline Health Center, 50-90% of cats older than 4 years of age suffer from some form of dental disease. Fortunately the most common forms of these diseases are preventable or treatable with appropriate dental care and monitoring.
The most common dental issues in cats include: tartar and plaque build up, gingivitis, periodontitis, stomatitis and tooth resorption. Symptoms of dental issues in cats are:excessive drooling, blood-tinged saliva, halitosis (bad breath), pawing at the face/mouth, shaking head, jaw or teeth chattering, dropping food, difficulty swallowing, decreased or lack of appetite, refusal of dry food or swallowing dry food whole, preferring wet or moist food, weight loss, loose teeth or tooth loss and yellow/brown tartar on the teeth. If you are seeing any of these signs or symptoms in your cat give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our Board Certified Veterinary Dentists.

11/21/2024

November is Pet Diabetes Awareness Month so we had to spotlight our diabetic friend Brody. Sweet Brody was referred to Dr. Block for a COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment) and fractured left and right maxillary fourth premolars. Dr. Block extracted 19 teeth that were severely affected by stage 4 periodontal disease and 5 of his teeth were treated with advanced periodontal therapy. His remaining teeth were cleaned and polished and Brody left with a brighter more comfortable smile.
🐶Pet Diabetes Awareness Month aims to raise awareness of pet diabetes and educate pet owners about the condition. Diabetes is when a pet's body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the insulin isn't effective. This prevents food from being converted into energy, resulting in excess sugar in the bloodstream. Symptoms of diabetes include: excessive thirst or urination, weight loss, increased hunger, cataracts (which make the lens of the eye appear white), blindness, weakness or lethargy and poor skin or coat quality.

11/14/2024

According to available data, oral tumors account for approximately 6-7% of all canine cancers and 3% of all feline cancers, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most common malignant tumor in both species, though dogs are more frequently diagnosed than cats. Signs of oral cancer can include facial swelling, difficulty eating, increased salivation or drooling, bloody discharge, pawing at the face or mouth, halitosis,reluctance to be touched on the head or face, and visible masses in the mouth. Unfortunately due to their location, oral cancers are often detected late in the disease progression leading to a potentially poor prognosis. If you suspect your cat or dog are experiencing any symptoms of an oral mass, give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our Board Certified Veterinary Dentists.