Affordable Dental Care in Marietta, Georgia
Healthy Teeth & Gums Can Extend the Life of Your Pet!
We all know how important it is to take good care of our teeth. Brushing and flossing are a routine part of our daily dental care. But how about our pets?
How Periodontal Disease Can Affect Pet Health and their Quality of Life
It is estimated that more than 85% of pets over the age of four have some form of periodontal disease (disease of the gums). And this is more than just a problem with bad breath. Dental disease can lead to tooth loss as well as affecting the health of other body systems such as kidneys, liver and heart by flooding the body with bacteria and by-products of inflammation.
List Dental Services
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Dental & Oral Assessment
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Routine Teeth Cleaning
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Non-Anesthetic Teeth Cleaning
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Dental Extractions
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Oral Surgery
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Dental X-rays
The Benefit of Regular Pet Teeth Brushing
Daily teeth brushing at home is probably the single most important step you can take to slow down the build-up of plaque and tartar, which can lead to periodontal disease. This is a relatively easy procedure if you acclimate your pet to the feel of a toothbrush, especially when started at a young age.
Toothpaste is not necessary. In fact, toothpaste made for people is not made to be swallowed and should not be used for pets!
Dog flavored toothpaste can be used and the appealing taste may help to make the process easier. Dental chews will also help scrape the teeth and slow down the plaque formation. And dry kibble type diets, because of the abrasive texture of the pellets, will go a long way to helping keep the teeth clean. As with people, every individual is different with regards to oral health and some breeds are predisposed to having higher maintenance mouths than others.
Preventive Teeth Cleaning
At some point, despite the best of preventive care at home, there will probably be enough accumulation of dental tarter to warrant a cleaning at the clinic. This is the same procedure performed on our teeth in that we utilize a state-of-the-art ultrasonic scaler to remove plaque and tartar. The only difference is the necessity to anesthetize our animal patients to allow for the procedure to be completed.
Anesthesia-Free Scaling and Cleaning
Town & Country West Veterinary Clinic has partnered with Pet Dental Services (PDS) to offer scaling and cleaning without the need for general anesthesia. While non-anesthesia cleaning is not a replacement for the traditional forms of pet dentistry, it serves a valuable role in allowing for better routine maintenance. It is also a safe alternative for those high-risk anesthetic patients who otherwise might not be able to have the procedure performed.
Is My Dog a Candidate for Dental Cleaning with PDS?
The answer to whether or not this service would be suitable for your pet depends on a variety of factors.
Obviously, the first criterion is that your pet is comfortable with having people handle their face and mouth. As you might imagine, aggressive or biting dogs would not be good candidates for this kind of procedure. Also, very timid or frightened dogs may not do well with the handling necessary with the scaling process.
It has been our experience with the PDS technicians who actually perform the procedure that their patient and gentle approach allows most shy dogs to have their teeth cleaned. They are professionals and take the time and care needed to have a successful treatment.
If at any time during the scaling a technician feels that the pet is experiencing undue stress or discomfort, they will stop and take whatever time is needed to allow the animal to relax. In the event that the procedure is just too much for the pet to acclimate to, they will inform us that other options may be better suited for a safe, comfortable cleaning.
Other factors that come into the decision on the appropriateness of a non-anesthesia dental procedure are the health of the teeth and gums. Severe stomatits, fractured teeth, loose teeth or abscesses may require anesthesia to allow for adequate treatment.
Schedule Your PDS Dental Day Appointment
Our appointments always fill with each scheduled PDS dental day. We would like to be sure we are scheduling pets that are good candidates for the pet dental procedure.
If you are interested in scheduling a PDS cleaning, we ask that you allow our veterinarians to perform a thorough exam of your pet's mouth to evaluate the appropriateness of a non-anesthesia procedure. Often times, even if the status of the mouth requires an anesthetic procedure now, we may find that subsequent care and oral health can be maintained with PDS services in the future.
Click here for additional information about Pet Dental Services.
RECEIVE 20% OFF ANY DENTAL PROCEDURE IF SCHEDULED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF YOUR PET'S YEARLY EXAM!
Town & Country West Veterinary Clinic is located at 1770 Powder Springs Rd. SW. Marietta, GA. 30064. Give us a call at 770-528-6363, and one of our staff members will be happy to answer any of your questions.