During the month of September, we are having our Bi-Annual Dental Awareness Month. We are offering a $50 discount for all dentals done in September, as well as 7% off all dental care products. Having a needed dental procedure performed on your pet can greatly reduce the risk of other diseases that are caused by poor dental disease. Sever dental tartar will damage your pets’ gums and teeth and result in a bacterial infection that can spread throughout their body via the bloodstream. This infection can damage the kidneys, liver, and heart.
Signs that your pet may have severe dental disease are bad breath, excessive drooling, loose teeth or teeth that are covered in tartar or discolored, bleeding from the mouth, and/or loss of appetite. Our goal is to prevent your pets’ dental disease from ever reaching this point. Many of the changes become irreversible and result in tooth loss.
Dental cleanings can usually just be done once a year, but some pets need it every six months. During the dental, your pet will be put under full anesthesia with monitoring by a trained technician. That same technician will clean all the plaque and tartar buildup on your pets’ teeth, going just under the gum line to get a good, thorough cleaning. The doctor will then do a complete examination of all the teeth, possibly doing dental x-rays, to insure all teeth are healthy. If the doctor finds any teeth that are broken or diseased, they will extract those teeth. Once the doctor has finished their assessment, the technician will polish the teeth. Antibiotics and pain medications are often sent home with pets, especially those that have had extractions.
Once your pets’ teeth are all clean, it’s good to start on a dental regimen at home to help control plaque and tartar build up. Brushing their teeth at least once a day will always be the best option, if your pet will allow it. There is special toothpaste designed for dogs and cats that we carry and comes in a variety of flavors. We also carry different types of toothbrushes for the different size mouths of dogs and cats.
There are other options also, just in case your furry friend does not like having their teeth brushed. We carry specialized dental chews called CET Chews for dogs that have an enzyme coating that helps destroy the plaque build-up on your dogs’ teeth as they are chewing on it. For cats, we have a chew called Perio Plus Feline Bites. These bites are designed to control plaque and support healthy gums. We also carry, for dogs and cats, a powder called Perio Support Pro. This powder, once sprinkled on your pets’ normal food, helps fight plaque build-up as well as support healthy gums and helps maintain fresh breath. Lastly, for both dogs and cats, we have a special diet called Hill’s T/d. The kibble in this food in much larger than normal kibble so, as they are chewing, it helps to take away some of that plaque accumulation.
Don’t forget to schedule your pets’ dental cleaning during the month of September to get the $50 discount! Call us at 210-697-8581 to schedule or if you have any further questions! Hope to see you soon!