Dentistry

Routine dentistry - be it preventative or addressing advanced periodontal disease both medically and surgically, Katherine Vet Care is well-equipped to cover it all. 

As bacteria, food and saliva build up around the base of our pets' teeth, bacterial colonies begin to form - these are visible as hard yellow/white 'plaques'. As the gum line becomes more inflamed, the chances of tooth root infections and systemic disease increases greatly. Routine dentistry is a great tool to minimise the chances of this occurring. 

Equine Dentistry 

The equine tooth is constantly erupting throughout its life. This means that, due to the natural chewing motion of horses, they are prone to developing sharp points on certain areas of their teeth. As these points develop, they can cause oral pain/discomfort as well as abnormalities associated with their alignment of the tooth occlusal surface and bit placement when riding. 

To ensure that your horse is free of oral pain and remains able to break down and utilise nutrients from their diet, annual dentistry is recommended, including thorough oral examinations whilst your horse is sedated. 

Katherine Vet Care is equipped and experienced in routine equine dentistry and more advanced oral procedures. 

Common signs of dental disease include:
 

  • Yellow-brown tartar around the gum line
  • Inflamed, red gums
  • Bad breath
  • Change in eating or chewing habits (especially in cats)
  • Pawing at the face or mouth
  • Excessive drooling
  • Pain or bleeding when you touch the gums or mouth

If your pet is showing any of these signs of dental disease please book an appointment to see one of our veterinarians. Early assessment and action can save your pet’s teeth!

Some animals with dental disease may show no obvious signs particularly in the early stages. It is also important to remember that just because your pet is eating, it doesn’t mean they do not have dental pain.

 

How can I prevent dental disease?

Long-term control and prevention of dental disease requires regular home care. The best way to begin this is to acclimatise your pet from a young age. Dental home care may include:

Brushing Teeth Daily

Just like us! This is the best form of dental hygiene. Pet toothbrushes and toothpaste are now available. Please do not use human toothpaste formulas as they are not designed to be swallowed and may be toxic to your pet.

Teeth Friendly Chews and Toys

Use dental toys, enzymatic chews, or teeth cleaning biscuits, all of which may help keep the teeth clean.

Special
Dental Diets

Feed pets special dental diets. This can help reduce the accumulation of tartar.

As with most things in life, when it comes to dental disease, prevention is definitely better than cure. Regular and frequent attention to your pet's teeth may avoid the need for a professional dental clean under anaesthetic, and will also improve your pet's overall health.

What does a professional dental clean involve?

It is similar to a scale and polish done by a dentist for us, however, unlike us, our pets won’t sit still or open their mouth to allow a comprehensive examination or cleaning of their teeth. For this reason our pets need to have a general anaesthetic for a professional dental assessment and clean. Your pet will need to be assessed by one of our veterinarians. The degree of dental disease will be assessed to determine what type of treatment is required.

The assessment will also include a physical exam, and possibly blood tests and urine tests to ensure they are healthy prior to having an anaesthetic. Once anaesthetised, we can give the teeth a thorough cleaning using our specialised dental equipment. When your pet goes home we will also discuss methods of reducing dental disease in the future.

If you have any questions about dental care or professional cleaning please do not hesitate to contact us.