DENTAL HEALTH
Problems associated with periodontal disease include oral pain, tooth loss, difficulty eating, weight loss, and more serious complications such as abcessation and infection in the oral cavity and elsewhere in the body. This can especially be problematic in older animals. These animals are often immune-suppressed and therefore less capable of clearing the bacteria from their bloodstream that enter through the inflamed gum tissue. Additionally, older animals are those which suffer the highest incidence of dental problems. We perform a complete oral exam on your pet as part of the annual physical exam. At that time, we make recommendations regarding the oral care that your pet requires, and in what time frame the procedure should be completed. For several reasons, dental prophylaxis is done under general anesthesia. In addition to the benefit of being able to physically perform the procedures, this method of anesthesia protects your pet from inhaling aerosolized bacteria, which could cause pneumonia. Many clients express concern regarding the anesthesia that is required. Although no anesthetic event is risk free, we have several measures in place which evaluate your pet for undue risk. Specifically, we offer pre-anesthetic blood screens to assess your pets overall health, and help determine what type and dosage of anesthetics to use. We monitor the cardiac rhythm and blood oxygenation status of anesthetized pets on a routine basis. We may prescribe antibiotics before, during, and/or after the procedure. In some cases, usually when there is underlying illness, animals will be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids before and after the procedure. Of course, the vast majority of animals anesthetized for dental work do not require aggressive peri-operative treatment, but it is available and provided as needed. Of course, there are many things you can do to prevent dental disease in your pet. Toothbrushes, enzymatic toothpastes, special diets and "chewies" are readily available at Bath-Brunswick Veterinary Associates. Our doctors are available by appointment to consult with you regarding your pets dental needs, whether they be preventative or restorative.
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Many
pet owners don't realize that dogs and cats develop tartar and
periodontal disease just like humans do. Unfortunately, even the
best animal trainers have yet to figure out how to teach our pets
to brush and floss daily. Just like humans, different animals develop
tartar and oral disease at different rates. Because of this, some
animals may need dental cleaning, or other dental work annually,
whereas other animals may only require cleaning once or twice in
their lifetimes. 