Dentistry

Is bad breath making it difficult to get close to your pet?

Contrary to popular belief, foul breath isn’t something that pet parents must simply learn to live with. In fact, it’s likely a sign that your pet is suffering from dental disease. 

Without proper care, your companion’s mouth can attract bacteria, which can eventually spread through the bloodstream and cause a number of other health problems. Left untreated, dental disease can even shorten your pet’s life. 

Some of the common signs of dental disease in companion animals include:

• Bad breath
• Excessive drooling
• Dropping food 
• Sudden disinterest in chew toys
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen or painful face
• Pawing at the mouth
• Yellow, broken, loose or missing teeth
• Gums that are red, swollen or bleeding

If your pet is exhibiting any of these signs, it’s time to schedule a dental checkup. We’ll identify the problem and address it quickly, improving the prognosis for your pet. We’ll also show you strategies you can use at home to help keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy and disease-free year-round. 

Fortunately, with the right support, this can all be prevented.

The professional dentistry services at Winchester Veterinary Clinic include both routine, preventative care as well as advanced treatment for existing oral conditions. 

You deserve to enjoy lots of close snuggles with your pet. The comprehensive dental services at Winchester Veterinary Clinic can help get you there!

Diagnosing the Problem

The first step to diagnosing a problem, should one exist, is a thorough oral exam for your pet during your appointment. This can help to identify the outward and obvious signs of your pet’s dental disease.

Just like you, your pet needs to have routine and prophylactic dental cleanings and oral evaluations.  For your pet, this requires full anesthesia.  During your pet’s comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT), full mouth xrays will be done to evaluate any unseen dental disease that may exist below the gum line.  Your pet will have their teeth cleaned and polished.  Any dental disease will also be treated.

Developing a Treatment Plan

During your pet’s COHAT, your pet’s teeth will be cleaned, polished and have fluoride applied.

If your pet has established or newly diagnosed dental disease, the dental xrays taken during the COHAT will help to determine the necessary course of action.  Treatment options include:

• Root planing and doxyrobe application
• Bone grafting substrate placement
• Surgical extractions
• Crown amputation
• Deciduous (baby) tooth extraction
• Root canal with crown application (referral treatment)

The professional dentistry services at Winchester Veterinary Clinic include both routine, preventative care as well as advanced treatment for existing oral conditions.   You deserve to enjoy lots of close snuggles with your pet. The comprehensive dental services at Winchester Veterinary Clinic can help get you there!