Keeping your pet’s teeth and gums clean, healthy and disease-free plays an important role in his or her overall health and longevity. We want to help your pet beat the odds and enjoy a fresh mouth for life, but we need your help! By making a commitment to annual professional dental care, and brushing your pet’s teeth at home, we can work together to keep plaque, tartar and dental disease at bay.
Janesville Veterinary Clinic offers both routine preventative and advanced pet dental care to support all of the oral health care needs of our patients. We always encourage starting your pet on a healthy dental regimen early, because this allows us to take preventative measures to keep the teeth clean and prevent buildup, decay and disease. Our routine dental care includes annual exams, professional cleanings and polishing of the teeth to help ward off plaque and tartar. Regular, thorough dental cleanings are the best way to both prevent and treat dental disease.
Dental cleanings for your pet are similar to those you receive with your own dentist. The only difference is, since we can’t get our patients to say “ahhh”, we must place them under general anesthesia. Not only does this help move the process along more quickly, but it also reduces the level of stress as well as any discomfort your pet may otherwise experience during dental procedures.
If your pet already happens to suffer from an existing oral health problem, we can assist with that as well. Our team is experienced in identifying the signs of dental conditions and addressing them in the most effective way possible. This may include removing diseased teeth and performing minor oral surgery as needed. Signs of a possible dental problem include:
- Excessive drooling
- Bad breath
- Broken or missing teeth
- Swollen or bleeding gums
- Changes in chewing habits (dropping food, sudden disinterest in chew toys)
- Pawing at the face
- Obvious pain when touched near the mouth area
These are signs that warrant a dental exam for your pet – and the sooner the better.
We’ll also work with you to help you master good dental care for your pet at home, in between vet visits. We can provide you with special toothpaste and toothbrushes that are designed specifically for use on companion animals. We’ll even offer demonstrations of proper brushing techniques if you need a little guidance.
For those pets that aren’t keen on having their teeth brushed, we have other methods to help keep their teeth and gums healthy and clean, including the use of certain food products that are formulated with that purpose in mind. This prescription food can be mixed with your pet’s regular diet, offered as treats or used as a main diet. The kibble is specifically designed to help scrub the teeth and inhibit tartar buildup.
You want your pet to enjoy a long, healthy life and so do we! Let’s work together to improve the odds by staying on top of your loved one’s dental health. We’ll have that little guy or gal smiling pretty for many years to come!