Dental Care For Dogs, Cats & Exotic Pets

Healthy teeth and gums play an important role in your pet’s overall health.  At Windcrest Animal Hospital, our veterinarians and licensed technicians provide professional dental cleanings for maintenance of oral health and to help slow the progression of disease in pet’s with periodontal disease.

Dental Care & Cleaning for Dogs & Cats:

1. An oral exam and assessment is done using a dental probe/explorer to measure periodontal pockets and check for abnormalities.  The findings are recorded on a dental chart, which becomes a part of the patient’s medical history.
2. Dental radiographs are taken to help the doctor evaluate what cannot be seen just by looking in the pet’s mouth.  Radiographs reveal tooth root abnormalities (i.e. degree of bone loss, infection, & other abnormal changes) and help the doctor determine diagnosis and treatment plan.
3. An ultrasonic scaler, hand scaler, and curette are used to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth above and below the gumline.
4. Polishing is done after scaling in order to smooth the uneven surface created on the tooth from scaling. Polishing is an important step in the dental process because it helps to slow the reformation of plaque and tartar back on the teeth after the dental procedure.
5. Finally, fluoride is applied to the teeth at the end of the procedure because it has antimicrobial properties, slows the reformation of plaque back on the teeth, and strengthens enamel.

When accumulation of plaque and dental tartar with gingivitis or only mild periodontitis (bone loss around the tooth) is found, professional dental cleaning alone typically treats the issue effectively. In addition to preventative dental care, we can also do tooth extractions and other procedures if necessary. If our veterinary dentist finds abnormalities that require specialized attention, we will call you prior to doing additional procedures.

Regardless of the extent of your pet’s dental care needs, we’ll give you detailed recommendations for your dog’s or cat’s daily home oral hygiene.

Dental Care for Exotic Pets:

Dental care for exotic pets includes a thorough oral exam under general anesthesia with the aid of an endoscope.  (This section under construction.)

Contact us today to schedule your pet’s dental cleaning. Our caring team of veterinarians, specialists, nurses, and support staff are here to help you keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy—and to give you something to smile about! And remember, we also provide care to maintain your pets health and treat them with the best modalities and technology available when they’re ill or injured.