Professional Dental Care & Cleanings for Dogs & Cats in Butler, PA
Dental care for your pet goes much deeper than fresh breath and shiny pearly whites. Their oral health and overall systemic health depend on good dental hygiene practices to prevent tartar buildup, swollen gums, and periodontal disease! Animal Clinic of Butler is dedicated to providing your pet with outstanding preventative dental care, with services including oral exams, professional dental cleanings, and tooth extractions as needed to maintain a healthy, pain-free mouth.
Good oral hygiene sets the stage for a healthy mouth and a healthier, happier life for your pet.
Or call (724) 789-7000
What is Periodontal Disease, and Why is It Harmful?
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition that results from the unimpeded buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth and under the gums. Both dogs and cats are affected by this disease; in fact, it’s one of the most common conditions found in adult pets!
Left alone, tartar hardens into calculus, which releases infectious bacteria into the mouth. If the bacteria gets under the gum line, it causes painful inflammation and gradually breaks down the gum tissue supporting the teeth. At an advanced stage, periodontal disease can result in bacteria entering the heart, liver, or kidneys.
Many pets will not show obvious signs of oral infection. At Animal Clinic of Butler, we tend to look for:
- Bad breath
- Red, swollen gums
- Drooling
- Trouble chewing/dropping food
- Pawing at the mouth
- Behavior changes (irritability, lethargy, less active and social)
Cat & Dog Teeth Cleaning Procedures in Butler, PA
We only perform cat and dog teeth cleanings with our patients under general anesthesia. This ensures a thorough, safe, and comfortable cleaning procedure. Therefore, we need to conduct a pre-anesthesia exam and blood screening to make sure the anesthetic poses minimal risk to your pet.
When your pet is under anesthesia, we perform the following:
- A detailed oral examination of all the teeth and an assessment of the gums for signs of deep periodontal pockets
- If we find a tooth that needs to be extracted, our team will contact you for approval to remove the tooth, and administer aggressive pain control
- Next, we use hand scaling and ultrasonic scaling equipment to clean away hardened tartar buildup on the crowns of the teeth, and the roots under the gum line
- Following the scaling, we polish your pet’s tooth enamel to slow future buildup of plaque and keep their teeth cleaner, longer
How to Keep Your Pet’s Teeth Healthy Between Cleanings
One of the most important things you can do for your pet to maintain their health is provide regular dental care at home. Daily teeth brushing, a tartar control diet, dental chews, and other VOHC-approved pet dental products can reduce plaque and tartar and prolong your pet’s oral health between teeth cleaning appointments at our animal hospital.
For recommendations specific to your pet’s needs, give us a call today at (724) 789-7000!