Senior Pet Month: Dental Care

Dental Care is important for every pet, but it's especially important for your Senior pet.

Venus (7rs), getting her teeth cleaned

THE RUN DOWN:
Over time, plaque on the teeth becomes tartar, which causes gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to bone disease and bone loss at the gum line and may result in infections. In serious cases, these infections and bone loss can lead to organ dysfunction and disease.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU - THE OWNER?
We recommend that if you have any concerns about your pet's mouth (bad breath, struggling to chew, etc.) that you schedule an exam with us. We'll be able to give you a treatment plan for whatever the issue is. Please brush your pet's teeth regularly. If you have a pet that won't tolerate it, or you would like to learn how to brush, we can help you with that, too.

Lobo (13y), has some bone-loss on this molar.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEM - THE PET?
Simply due to age, senior pets are more likely to have issues with dental disease. If we help them with cleanings and regular brushing, they will be more comfortable, and less likely to have problems. Before we anesthetize your senior pet for a cleaning, we require lab testing to determine how your pet's organs are functioning and rule out any underlying disease.

After the infected tooth is removed, we place sutures

WHAT DOES A PET'S DENTAL CLEANING INCLUDE?

The same as a human dental cleaning, except that your pet needs to be under full anesthesia. We scale and polish the teeth, provide a fluoride treatment, check for abnormalities, probe the gum line to check for bone loss, take x-rays, and remove teeth that are causing issues. We take note of any problem areas, and alert you to them.

IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR SENIOR PET'S DENTAL HEALTH, PLEASE CALL AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY - WE WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST YOU IN CARING FOR YOUR PET.

Lombard Animal Hospital

503-285-2337