Rainbow Animal Hospital
Does your best friend have bad breath?
Despite what many pet owners may believe, “dog breath” is not just a nuisance – it’s a sign of an unhealthy mouth. Bad breath is caused by bacteria. Over time, bacteria lead to plaque and tartar buildup on your pet’s teeth. The result is bad breath, reddened gums, and other common signs of dental disease. As dental disease progresses, other signs can include drooling, discomfort while chewing, and loose or missing teeth. Even if you’re using treats and chews to help control tartar, these are frequently not enough to keep dental disease in check.
Ask us about the best ways to control plaque and help protect your pet from dental disease.
Dental hygiene is an important part of your pet's health, because dental disease can be associated with other serious health problems such as heart disease and kidney disease. But how do you know if your pet has a healthy mouth? Let us examine your pet’s teeth and gums to help determine if there are any dental issues you should know about. After a brief visual examination, we may recommend a more detailed examination (which requires sedation), a dental cleaning, or options for at-home dental care.
A visual exam prior to anesthesia, while helpful, can only show the doctor so much. Once a patient is under anesthesia, we can better evaluate the nature of the teeth by probing every tooth individually and performing full mouth dental radiographs. Giving a thorough evaluation before anesthesia is not possible due to patients not being able to tolerate physical necessities in doing so. Dental radiographs will evaluate beneath the gum line where many periodontal problems will be recognized as bone loss. Because dental radiographs are not possible when awake, it is difficult to give an accurate estimate until patient is under anesthesia. The doctor will need to be able to contact you promptly over the phone to discuss findings and give results of the exam and radiographs.
Even if you think your pet’s teeth and gums are fine, we can offer expert advice to help you keep them that way! Dental health shouldn’t be taken for granted. Fortunately, many dental problems can be managed through at-home care and by bringing your pet to us for regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings.
We want your pet to live a long, healthy life, and we understand that maintaining a healthy mouth is part of that. Your pet’s health is important to us, so let us help you with this commitment.
