Bryants Road Vet – Personalised, professional care for your pets

Dental health checks for your pet

Just like in people, dental health plays a crucial role in our pet’s overall well-being.

Dental disease is one of the most common health issues diagnosed by vets. The Australian Veterinary Association estimates that over 80% of adult dogs and 70% of adult cats are affected by some form of dental disease.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to help. The best way to get on top of dental disease before it progresses is through regular dental health checks for your cat or dog.

What is dental disease?

Dental disease is caused by the build-up of plaque on your pet’s teeth and gums. If left untreated, it can lead to pain and infection, and potentially serious illness which can have a significant impact on your pet’s life and even become life-threatening.

How often should my pet have a dental health check?

Pets should get their teeth checked at least once a year, ideally as part of their annual health check-up. However, there are also signs to look out for that indicate that your cat or dog may need a dental check sooner than their regular schedule. This includes:

  • Bad breath
  • Red, swollen or bleeding gums
  • Inability to chew, or favouring one side of the mouth when chewing
  • Yellowish/brown or brown crust on the teeth near the gum line
  • Drooling
  • Tooth loss

What does a dental health check include?

A dental health check includes a comprehensive examination of your pet’s overall oral health.

At Bryants Road Vet, we follow four key steps in our dental health checks:

  1. Discussion about behavioural changes – before we look at your pet’s teeth, we will ask you about any changes to their behaviour, such as if they are having trouble eating, are drooling more often, or if their breath has become smelly.
  2. Assessment of overall oral health – we start off our examination by looking inside your pet’s mouth, taking our time to thoroughly check for any signs of plaque, tartar build-up or any other dental issues.
  3. Examination of gums – the next step is to closely examine your pet’s gums. Here we are looking for signs of inflammation, bleeding or any other abnormalities.
  4. Checking each tooth – lastly, we will check each tooth for signs of decay, along with any loose or cracked teeth.

Once we complete the check-up, we will advise if your cat or dog’s teeth require professional cleaning or any further treatment.

If our vet has any concerns about your pet’s teeth during the dental examination, they may also recommend dental X-rays to see if there is any trouble hiding under the gum lines. This can be particularly common in dental disease in cats. If we see any issues under the gumline we can treat this through an appropriate dental procedure, such as teeth extractions.

We will also discuss some practical tips on how you can look after your pet’s teeth at home.

Teeth cleaning and extractions

Sometimes even with your best efforts at preventative care, your cat or dog may require some level of dental procedure performed by your vet; particularly as they age. This may be a professional scale and polish, tooth extraction, or some other form of oral surgery.

Teeth cleaning is the most common dental procedure performed by vets. It’s a short procedure, but does require general anaesthesia. During the procedure, your pet’s teeth are thoroughly examined before any cleaning commences. Firstly, tartar is removed from their teeth, before being cleaned above and below the gum line, with the final step being a polish.

If your pet’s tooth is broken, infected or rotten, then tooth extraction is often required. This is a last resort and will only be performed if the tooth cannot be salvaged. We can perform extractions in our clinic as day surgery, with your pet sent home with pain relief, and onto a soft diet for the next two weeks.

Has your pet had a dental check recently?

If it’s been a while since your pet has had a dental check-up, or is displaying any signs of dental disease, then it’s important they get their teeth checked by a vet. Dental disease can lead to tooth loss, constant pain, and in advanced cases, organ damage.

During your pet’s annual check-up, we will perform a thorough dental examination to check their overall oral health. We offer free dental checks for your cat or dog if it doesn’t require a full consult with a physical exam.

To book an annual check-up or dental examination for your cat or dog, give us a call on 07 3801 1744, book online or drop into our vet clinic at 141 Bryants Road, Loganholme.