What do you think would happen if you never brushed your teeth? Can you imagine having morning breath 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Just the thought of what can occur is enough to disgust most people. So why should our pets be any different? Dental care is just as important to our pets as it is to us and can even have some serious health risks if teeth go without any regular care.

Dental disease can lead to health issues with the heart, liver, and kidneys, and can affect the entire body through the bloodstream. In fact, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats over three years of age suffer from some form of dental disease, making it the most common pet health issue among our pet population.

In spite of these disturbing facts, many pet owners are not aware of the importance of dental care to their pet’s health. How can we combat this destructive disease? Our best defenses against periodontal disease in pets are daily home dental care along with routine dental exams and professional cleanings. This is very important, especially for our pets that already have the contributing factors of older age and being of a certain breed.

We perform full mouth x-rays, thorough cleanings (including the area beneath the gums that you can’t see or access at home), needed extractions and protective polishing. Any extractions have a second x-ray taken to ensure that the entire tooth root is removed. Antibiotics and pain medications are dispensed if needed by the patient.

If your pet has brown/yellow teeth, crust around the gum line, bleeding gums, change in chewing habits, excessive drooling, facial swelling, bad breath or is having difficulty eating, please call us at 269-793-7387 today to learn more and schedule your pet’s dental cleaning.