PET DENTISTRY

Bad breath, tartar and sore gums are not simply part of getting older.

Dental disease can be painful, can affect the way your pet eats and, if it progresses, may lead to infection and the need for more extensive treatment.

At Latrobe Vets, we are big believers in getting on top of dental problems earlier.

Rather than waiting until your pet has a very unhealthy mouth, loose teeth or obvious pain, we would rather identify dental disease sooner and help you manage it while there are still more options available.

Cats are remarkably good at disguising discomfort.

They can also develop dental disease below the gum line, which means the full extent of the problem may not be obvious simply by looking into their mouth while they are awake.

A cat may still be eating while experiencing significant oral pain.

Subtle changes such as eating more slowly, preferring softer food, chewing differently or becoming less interested in food can all be worth mentioning.

This is one of the reasons regular dental checks are important, even when your cat does not appear obviously uncomfortable.

Dental disease often progresses gradually.

Plaque develops, tartar builds up and inflammation can develop around the gums. Over time, disease can extend beneath the gum line and affect the structures supporting the teeth.

By the time a pet has severe bad breath, visibly loose teeth or difficulty eating, the dental disease may already be advanced.

Our preference is to intervene before we reach that stage.

Earlier professional cleaning can help remove plaque and tartar, assess the health of the teeth properly and give your home dental care a much better chance of working.

As Madeline explained in the meeting, brushing, dental treats and other home-care products are much more effective when they are starting with a clean mouth rather than trying to work against established dental disease.

A tooth can look relatively normal above the gum line while disease is developing underneath.

Digital dental X-rays give us much more information about the roots, surrounding bone and areas that cannot be properly assessed by looking alone.

If we identify something during your pet's dental procedure that we believe needs further investigation, we will contact you and explain what we have found.

The team also discussed taking photos where helpful, so owners can better understand what is happening inside their pet's mouth and why additional treatment may be recommended.

Sometimes, a dental procedure reveals teeth that are painful, damaged or too diseased to remain comfortably in the mouth.

If an extraction is recommended, it is because leaving that tooth in place is likely to cause ongoing pain or infection.

Our aim is not to remove teeth unnecessarily.

It is to leave your pet with a healthier and more comfortable mouth.

Many owners worry about how their pet will cope after an extraction, but dogs and cats generally adapt remarkably well once painful teeth are removed.

Dental procedures require general anaesthesia, which means the same attention to patient safety applies as it does during surgery.

Our team closely monitors patients while they are under anaesthetic and throughout recovery.

IV fluids and pre-anaesthetic blood testing may also be recommended depending on your pet's age, health and individual risk factors.

This is particularly important because dental patients are often older and may have other health conditions that need to be considered when planning anaesthesia.

The standard we work towards is the same one our vets would want for their own pets.