As humans, we are all well aware of the importance of receiving regular check-ups to keep our dental health in the best possible condition. Dental checks can also help to flag up any health issues early on, and this can be a great preventative measure for avoiding health problems down the line.
The same is true for our pets, and so it is crucial that you find a trusted provider who can take care of your pet’s dentistry. An experienced vet dentist will be able to identify problems early on, as well as keep your pet comfortable and healthy.
Why Does My Pet Need Dental Care?
Good-quality dental care has a range of advantages for your pet, and these include:
- Prevent tooth loss
- Our pets need their teeth to enjoy a rich, varied diet, but they need to be taken care of. If the structures which support your dog’s teeth become damaged or infected, this can allow the teeth to become loose, and they may eventually fall out. Ensuring that you have good dental care helps keep the structures which support the teeth healthy and in top condition. This, in turn, helps to prevent tooth loss.
- Prevent pain
- If teeth are not maintained properly, this can result in a great deal of pain for your pet. Dental disease can be very painful, and catching problems early help to reduce the chances of this becoming an issue. Dogs, in particular, are prone to dental disease, and this often appears before they reach three years old. Catching any problems early means that preventative measures can be taken to stop things from getting worse.
- Prevent bad breath
- Bad breath is another concern with pets, and this is most often caused by poor dental care. Keeping the mouth of your pet healthy helps to reduce this, as there is no chance for bacteria to build up and develop.
- Prevent organ damage
- Poor dental hygiene can also have serious consequences for the overall health of your pet. If bacteria in the plaque on the teeth have a chance to enter the bloodstream, it can spread to the liver, kidneys, and heart, damaging the organs. This is known as bacteremia and has the potential to be fatal. Paying close attention to good dental care helps to dramatically reduce this risk, keeping your pet safe and healthy.
What Do Veterinary Dentists Do?
Here at the Woods Avenue Animal Clinic, we have plenty of experience in helping to care for the teeth of your dog or cat. Our veterinarian, Dr. Gower, has been working in the industry for over 37 years, and he, along with the rest of the Woods Avenue team, take great care to always place the comfort and well-being of your pet as their number one priority.
Some of the services offered by Dr. Gower include:
- Teeth Whitening – help your dog or cat restore their teeth to their full glory with a whitening treatment, helping them to feel healthier.
- Cleanings – keeping your pet’s teeth clean and free from plaque is crucial to helping maintain their overall health, as we discussed earlier. This also helps to keep breath fresh and maintains the strength and health of their teeth, jaw, and gums. Regular deep cleanings can also help to catch any issues before they have a chance to develop.
- Root canal treatment – if your pet’s teeth decay, there is a high risk of infection, which has the potential to cause serious long-term consequences for your pet. A root canal allows the problem to be treated early on to help keep your pet healthy. Surgical extractions can also be an option here – again; this allows any issues to be nipped in the bud before they become a real concern.
- Dr. Gower does not offer this directly but he can refer you to Dr. Carmichael at VMCL.
- Jaw fracture repair – while some injuries can heal on their own, an unstable mandible fracture has the potential to cause problems down the line. If the fracture does not heal properly, it can cause long term weakness and lead to severe complications with problems for your pet.
- Dr. Gower does not offer this directly but he can refer you to Dr. Carmichael at VMCL.
- Restorations – also known as fillings, restorations repair cavities, fractures, and enamel erosion in your pet.
- Dr. Gower does not offer this directly but he can refer you to Dr. Carmichael at VMCL.
- Orthodontics – braces for dogs and cats, maybe unusual, but they can help to tackle a range of conditions from cancer to overcrowding in the mouth. If your pet has a bite that requires correction, it can reduce their ability to eat properly, and this can have serious long-term implications.
- Dr. Gower does not offer this directly but he can refer you to Dr. Carmichael at VMCL.
- Treatment of periodontal disease – periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in dogs and cats. It refers to an inflammation or infection of the gums and tooth structures, and this can cause teeth to become loose and fall out.
- Oral cancer – regular dental care can help to catch signs of cancer early on, and this means that treatment can begin immediately.
Putting Your Pet First
It is inevitable that you will feel anxious at the thought of your precious pet receiving medical care, and this can include dental treatment. Here at Woods Avenue Animal Clinic, we do our best to ensure that your pet is calm and relaxed during treatment, and will do everything we can to minimize anxiety or discomfort.
We use your pet’s individual history to help inform any diagnosis, and this means that you can always guarantee personalized and tailored treatment, which is the perfect fit for you both.
With over 37 years of experience, Dr. Gower has a great instinct for calming and soothing your pet. He and the team will work hard to deliver a positive experience and always put the welfare and well-being of your pet as their number one priority.
If you are looking for a reliable, experienced, and compassionate dental care service in Oceanside, NY, get in touch today. Regular, top-quality dental care is crucial for helping to keep your pet in excellent overall health and can allow any issues to be addressed and diagnosed early on.
Get in touch today for a free and make sure that you and your pet have a top-quality, pet-centric veterinarian to take care of all of their dental needs. Choose a vet who values for the welfare of your pet as highly as you do, and heads to Woods Avenue Animal Clinic.
