Dental Care is vital to the overall health of any pet. Dental disease can lead to many issues such as gingivitis, abscesses, septic infections which can travel through the bloodstream to affect the heart, liver and kidneys. Many dogs and cats over the age of 3years suffer from some form of dental disease, making it the most common pet health concern among our pets.

We see many cases where a pet has come in for a general checkup but upon an assessment we have noticed sore gums, broken teeth and infected mouths. Pets often don’t show pain and their issues will then go unnoticed by their ‘pet parents’. Many pet owners are not aware of the importance of dental care and hygiene to their pets health. Regular inspections, dental chews, dental care food, daily brushing and just like us a scale and polish each year go a very long way to improving your pet’s dental hygiene. Some common signs to keep an eye out for, indicating that your pet could have dental disease include:

• Change in behaviour

• Inflamed and/or red gums

• Change in chewing or eating habits

• Bad breath

• Yellow/brown tartar build up on teeth or around the gum line

• Pawing at the face or mouth

• Excessive drooling

• Pain when touching near the mouth

• Bleeding from the gums

Your pets Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) is much like humans, but unlike us, your pets won’t sit still or open their mouth for the procedure to take place, therefore, your pets will need to have a general anaesthetic to complete the treatment. Included in most, and the care your pet may require during a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment are:

• Full examination

• Fluid therapy

• Blood tests

• Anaesthetic

• Dental radiographs

• Scaling

• Extractions

• Polishing

• Home Care

Dental disease, if left untreated, can become not only painful for your pet but more costly to the pet parent the longer you leave it. Early assessment and treatment can save your pet’s teeth!