**First Time Only
Pet Dental and Cleaning in Miami, FL
Often the most overlooked element for dog and cat care is oral health. Given a choice, pet parents would do anything necessary to promote overall optimum health for the furry companion in an effort to extend their life and ensure it is of the highest quality.
Many are unaware that poor dental care can lead to general health consequences, including the potential for cancer risks, heart disease, diabetes, and other severe defects leading to a lowered life expectancy.
Aside from these concerns, bad teeth and gums hurt, leading to discomfort for the animal, making it difficult to eat, and overall causing stress.
What can a pet parent do? Well, it’s quite simple. Your dog or cat must undergo a regimented dental and teeth cleaning routine.
The pet’s veterinarian could assist in instructing you how to handle the animal to avoid making the daily experience traumatic.
You will need to use a professional service like Bright N Shine where trained experts navigate the animal through the process with little to no stress and an outcome depicting clinically adequate results as you would see the dentist for a checkup once or twice each year. Let’s look more in-depth at pet dental care and why it’s an essential aspect of overall pet care.
Pet Dental Services
Pet dental services for dogs and cats include exams, x-rays, cleaning and polishing, and the potential for surgeries. Professionals providing these services also instruct pet parents on home oral hygiene.
It’s essential to ensure you follow through after the animal has an expert checkup and cleaning in the same way you follow dental wellness.
You’ll be handling the day-to-day care and need to do so confidently, so the animal feels safe and secure through the process and thoroughly for the best results.
Pet Dental Care
A professional should check dogs’ and cats’ oral health at least annually for early detection of problems. These checkups can involve every element of oral healthcare, with the possibility of surgery, extractions, and adjustments.
The first step involves an oral exam with the potential for x-rays for further assessment of the roots and the bones since disease usually occurs below the gumline. The animal will receive dental cleaning and polishing, where plaque and tartar will be removed via scaling.
Pet Teeth Cleaning
A dog and, especially, a cat are not proponents of opening their mouths so a kind stranger can clean the tartar and plaque off their teeth. In many cases, professionals will incorporate some anesthesia to keep the animal safe and still, so the airway remains protected.
The trained expert will remain in contact with you if they detect any issue that needs handling while the animal is in their care. Additional procedures can be readily taken during the cleaning process, including x-rays and extractions.
Significant bits of tartar are usually the first to go with the cleaning process. These are multicolored materials that build up on the teeth. Once these are removed, there is an assessment to determine potential infections or diseases. It’s unusual to see cavities with a domestic animal.
A scaling device is then used to eliminate areas of plaque. Going below the gum line is vital to prevent continued disease since the material is primarily composed of bacteria.
The next step is to polish the teeth and use fluoride treatment. It’s critical to smooth out the surface to decrease the potential for future accumulation of tartar and plaque. A sealant is then applied to bond with the teeth to reduce the chance of dental disease.
Dog/cat teeth cleaning without anesthesia
Pet teeth cleaning without anesthesia involves removing the tartar and plaque from the teeth without sedation. In this variation of cleaning, the dog or cat needs to be physically restrained for the process so the provider can gain access to work on its mouth.
Because the animal is awake, the provider might not go below the gum line where the persistent disease is thriving. Still, it depends on the professional and how the process is handled.
Faq's
FAQ #1: Is dog dental cleaning worth it
It is worth it to clean your dog’s teeth since they develop plaque and tartar on the surfaces and under the gumline in the same way humans do. The bacteria can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Regular dental cleaning under anesthesia, especially below the gum line, to prevent ongoing disease is vital.
Not only should your dog see a professional for deep cleaning roughly once each year, preferably every six months, but you should handle daily oral hygiene to encourage mouth and overall general health and an extended lifespan.
FAQ #2: Is dental work really necessary for dogs
Most veterinarians recommend at least annual exams for dogs using general anesthesia for the visit for the animal’s overall safety. In some cases, with the cleaning, other procedures become necessary, like extractions or the need for an x-ray.
When the vet can check the dog’s oral health at least once every year, the oral cavity can be assessed, as can the teeth, gums, and bones beginning at roughly age six, especially for smaller breeds. The little dogs tend to deal with overcrowding.
Plus, mush faces on pugs, bulldogs, and comparable facial-structured dogs tend to have deformed permanent teeth giving tartar and plaque more areas to hide out.
The roots with their teeth also tend to be misshapen, leading to disease, and some contend with misaligned jaws in the tiny dogs.
Large dogs use their teeth for robust chewing habits, tending to break their teeth but otherwise have fewer dental issues compared to the little ones. The primary concern for all dogs is periodontal disease, rampant in all dogs, making it vital that you take your dogs regularly for dental checkups.
FAQ #3: Can dogs have dental work without anesthesia
Yes, dogs can have dental work without anesthesia. Some professionals prefer to avoid anesthesia if the animal is medically compromised. Typically, the expert will use blunt instruments to clean above and below the gumline in an effort to remove the bacteria and then rinse the materials away.
The professional will do an initial assessment to capture the animal’s demeanor and see signs of a major defect or extensive buildup before determining if the animal is a good candidate for non-anesthetized cleaning.
The non-anesthetic cleaning is kept brief, and the pets are kept as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure to ensure no stress or trauma.
FAQ # 4: Do cats really need dental cleaning
Many cat parents have the common misperception that cats are at minimal risk for health issues due to their propensity to stay indoors. Oral health diseases are sadly a common occurrence for felines.
In the same way, as in dogs and humans, plaque and tartar buildup on a kitty’s teeth create the potential for infection and inflammation. Once exposed to the bloodstream, these infections can travel to the animal’s organs, resulting in overall general health problems.
A cat should have regimental professional dental care and daily oral hygiene the same way as a dog and a human. Periodontal disease is not limited to dogs; it’s a common disease suffered among cats.
If you notice a foul odor with the feline’s breath, perhaps lapses in grooming habits or chewing preferences on one side, it’s time to check up.
Need Pet Dental and Cleaning
There you have it. Essentially, dogs’ and cats’ oral health mimics that of the human condition and needs to be cared for roughly the same. This February is “Pet Dental Health Month.”
Reach out to your preferred professional expert for an appointment with your furry companion. Start the process sooner rather than too late and contact us for an appointment.