11/14/2024
We are sharing this very informative article on dental disease and why thorough dental care under anesthesia is the only proper way to assess all teeth, get dental X-rays to be able to look at roots, and remove problem fractures or infected teeth causing pain and jaw bone infection.
The first sign is often a strong or bad odor from the mouth. As things progress, there may be drooling, bloody saliva or reluctance to eat hard food.
Dogs have 42 adult teeth, many more than humans. We know that daily tooth brushing can be extremely challenging to do with how busy our lives are, and may not be a possibility (we as people in the veterinary profession often cannot achieve these goals with our own pets, so we are very realistic about the reality of this)..
February is national dental month and we will be giving 10% off or $250 off a dental procedure , whichever is greater.
We truly want to help our patients at all times, so we are putting it as valid starting now. We don’t want people to have to wait until February, as our biggest concern is for our loving patients as they are truly beloved furry companions.
Please take a moment to read below.
Having the “anesthesia free dental” is really a waste of money and only makes us feel better as we do not SEE the tartar as much. However , we know all too well that the part of the tooth is just the tip of the iceberg, as most of the disease issues start below the gum line and require ultrasonic scaling and polishing and probing below the gum line, and also requires digital dental X-rays (same as in human dentist offices) to truly see what is going on.
Most sincerely
Dr. Brandwajn and the staff at All 4 paws veterinary hospital
Caring for your pet’s teeth may require anesthesia
By Micki McCabe 1 day ago
Micki McCabeCONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Nov. 13, 2024) — It is easy to take our pets’ dental health for granted. When dogs and cats are young, we don’t see buildup of plaque and its eventual end-product of tartar (calculus), which is basically calcified bacteria on their teeth.
Since your pet isn’t regularly brushing its teeth like we do, of course, there is no way to prevent this from occurring over time. Way back when your pet was a baby, you might have been instructed to get them used to allowing you to brush their teeth. But then, it was important that you actually brushed those teeth regularly, whether with a soft children’s toothbrush or a pet toothbrush (like a finger puppet with a brush at the end). You can also purchase dental wipes that help remove plaque before it solidifies as calculus on their teeth.
Another concern is retained deciduous canine teeth in puppies, which can prevent adult canine teeth from coming in at the correct angle. In this scenario, the adult canine (fang) tooth doesn’t push the baby canine tooth out of the way to cause it to fall out naturally, so they look a little like a baby shark with two “rows” of canine teeth.
I recommend removing these cute, very sharp baby canines so the adult canine tooth can come in and land in the right place.
Fractures
It is easy to miss important dental disease without anesthesia. (Photo by Antek on Unsplash.com)
Fractured teeth are another problem in veterinary dental health. Dogs, in particular, love to chew, and oftentimes they chew hard substances like bone, antler and other hard toys. Fractured teeth can lead to tooth root abscesses and exposed nerve roots, both of which can be quite painful and unhealthy for your pet. Swelling under one eye is often an indicator of a tooth root abscess in a molar or premolar.
Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint periodontal (dental) disease as a cause of your pet’s discomfort. You might notice bad breath or see them chewing on one side of their mouth if they have a sore tooth. You could even see a little blood on food and toys or in their water bowl. Changes in appetite and weight can also be an indicator.
Heather Donovan
An awake oral exam may not clearly show your veterinarian the problem, so your vet must sometimes back into the suspicion of periodontal pain and disease after ruling out other issues. Periodontal disease can even lead to health problems with the heart, kidneys and other organs, especially as our pets age.
Anesthesia
Not surprisingly, there comes a time in most dogs’ and cats’ lives that they will require a periodontal cleaning with anesthesia. Generally, our pets will not safely allow an awake exam and cleaning that gets under the gum tissue. Under anesthesia, the vet can also gently probe to see if they have pockets of decay around the teeth.
It is easy to miss important dental disease without anesthesia. Under anesthesia, your veterinarian can also take dental radiographs (X-rays) and perform safe and comfortable cleaning and probing around all your pet’s teeth. For more advanced dental work, board-certified veterinary dentists have a higher expertise for root canals, pulpotomies and other procedures that might help in more severe situations.
Anesthesia is its own issue, especially as our pets age and have other illnesses that might make anesthesia riskier than in a young, otherwise healthy animal. Anesthesia requires monitoring by a skilled staff, and your veterinary office should be well trained in this area.
State Farm Tim McGallian
Bottom line, dental disease is easy to overlook and taking care of your pet’s teeth should not take a back seat in their overall care. Your pet will thank you for it.
Check with your veterinarian or research online at places like www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pet-dental-care.
Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery
Email questions and comments to [email protected].
Dental health is an important part of a pet's overall health. A pet's teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by a veterinarian.
