Pets need dental care too! Many pets suffer the same dental problems as people including gingivitis and periodontal disease. These conditions put them at risk for loose teeth as well as heart and kidney problems. We recommend biweekly brushing at home to limit plaque and tartar build up, but often pets need a thorough cleaning. Ultrasonic scaling is performed under a general anesthesia both on the surface of the tooth and up under the gum line.
Dental cleanings at pet grooming spas only get the most obvious tarter on the surface and often cause even more problems. When bacteria gets into the gums it can cause bone loss around the tooth. This leads to loose teeth that may need to be extracted. We only extract teeth when medically necessary and try to help owners understand that having missing teeth is far better than having sore, painful infected teeth! In fact, most pets eat afterwards with no problems at all. We follow our cleaning with a polishing to smooth the enamel and slow the accumulation of tartar.