Preventing Dental Disease with Teeth Cleanings for Dogs and Cats in Tampa, FL
Dental care is much more important to your pet’s health than you may realize! With many adult dogs and cats living with dental disease and other oral health problems, it is absolutely essential to make regular teeth cleanings and routine treatment at home fixtures in your pet’s overall care. At Partners Animal Hospital Tampa, we see firsthand the remarkable benefits of maintaining excellent dental hygiene in pets, which include better overall health and a potentially longer life. Our vet team can provide professional teeth cleanings for dogs and cats, high-quality dental care products, and clear guidance to help pet owners give their companions the very best care.
A healthy mouth improves your pet’s chances for a healthier, happier life. Contact us today to schedule an oral exam.
What is Dental Disease, and What are the Signs?
Dental disease can be a subtle adversary for dogs and cats. Often, the clinical signs of infection are not apparent until the condition has become a major hindrance for your pet. Luckily, dental disease is preventable, as it can only develop if plaque and tartar are left to accumulate above and below your pet’s gum line without intervention. Uncomfortable oral infection occurs when bacteria secreted by the buildup on your pet’s teeth seeps under the gum line and attacks the tissues surrounding the teeth. This leads to inflamed, painful gums, bad breath, and potential loose teeth.
Your pet could be suffering from dental disease if they show any of these signs. At the very least, you should schedule an oral exam so we can determine what kind of treatment your pet needs.
- Drooling
- Bad breath
- Having trouble chewing food; dropping food
- Rubbing or pawing at face and mouth
- Behaving abnormally (sleeping more, avoiding people, ignoring toys)
The Importance of Teeth Cleanings for Dogs and Cats
Dogs and cats can both be prone to plaque and tartar buildup, and be at risk for dental disease. Partners Animal Hospital Tampa strongly recommends routine teeth cleanings to remove buildup, fortify the tooth enamel, and check for subgingival (below the gum line) pockets, oral abscesses, and other issues. Keeping these problems at bay improves your pet’s health and quality of life.
Our hospital is dedicated to making teeth cleaning procedures as safe and comfortable as possible for our patients. This involves performing all teeth cleanings with the pet under anesthesia to ensure the most comprehensive treatment, which typically includes:
- A complete oral examination with your pet under anesthesia
- Full-mouth dental X-rays to screen for underlying problems
- Cleaning your pet’s teeth with state-of-the-art dental scaling tools to remove stubborn tartar above and below the gum line
- Polishing and smoothing the tooth enamel to make it more resistant to future buildup
- If necessary, we can also perform tooth extractions to remove severely damaged teeth*
*Tooth extractions are always accompanied by aggressive pain management to ease your pet’s recovery.
Why You Should Brush Your Pet’s Teeth
Teeth brushing is just as important for dogs and cats as it is for us! It reduces the number of teeth cleanings your pet will need throughout their life, and goes a longer way towards preventing plaque and tartar buildup. We recommend starting your dog or cat on teeth brushing when they are quite young, so they can get used to the process. Our team will be glad to help you if you’re having any trouble, and we can also offer other dental care products to enhance your companion’s dental care.