Our teeth are important for eating, chewing, and communicating. We brush our teeth and stay away from acidic drinks and foods just to care for our oral health. But not only do we need to think about oral health for ourselves, it is also important for us to think about it for our pets. Anasazi is here to help with all your veterinary needs, including dental care in the east valley.
Veterinary Dentistry
Veterinary dentistry is an important aspect of your pets overall health, and a great part of their preventative care plans. The services that are a part of dentistry for pets includes:
- Cleaning
- Fillings
- Tooth Adjustment
- Extraction of Teeth
- Repair of Broken Teeth
There are other areas of dental care that are also provided. The initial oral exam for your pet will help determine if there are obvious dental problems. Radiographs will be needed during the exam to determine the health of your pet’s jaw and the roots of their teeth, which are located below the gumline. Most oral diseases are found where you are not able to see them, below the gumline, so it is important to check that area regularly through x-rays. Your knowledgeable veterinarian will be able to give you more specific steps in the process to care for your pet.
Oral Health
Yearly check ups for your pet’s oral care is ideal to ensure that nothing occurs without being caught early enough for treatment. Dental issues with your pet can actually be caused by other health concerns. Some signs to pay attention to that could be caused by other health concerns include:
- Broken or loose teeth
- Extra teeth or baby teeth that did not fall out
- Bad breath
- Pain in or around the mouth
- Abnormal chewing, drooling
- Discolored teeth
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Swelling around the mouth
When there are dental problems, it can cause changes in the behaviors of your pet, as they can become more irritable or act differently than normal. These behavior changes are important to pay attention to as it may be a sign that there is something wrong. It is important for your pet that you stay on top of their oral care to ensure they are well taken care of and we here at Anasazi want to help provide the best care possible!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (7/20/2017) Rennett Stowe (Flickr)