Preventing Dental Disease and Other Oral Health Complications
Your pet’s oral health impacts nearly everything they do. At VetNaturally in Mandeville, LA, we provide comprehensive veterinary dental services to examine your pet’s oral health and improve it through advanced methods.
Dental disease is much more than just bad breath or yellow teeth. Dental disease occurs with gum inflammation that leads to infection. Untreated dental disease can cause severe complications as the bacteria from the gums to travel into the bloodstream and enter more critical areas, like the heart, kidneys, and liver.
Your pet cannot tell you when it’s gums feel swollen and painful. Our veterinary dentistry team can identify and prevent dental disease and other oral health complications so your pet can feel its best. Our board-certified veterinary dentists work with dogs and cats in the Mandeville area, so we know how to handle painful and irritable dental problems in a sensitive way.
Our dental services include the gold standard of full radiography to detect issues beneath the tooth enamel and gums. With our advanced X-ray technology, we can see a full picture of your pet’s oral health to determine the best treatment option moving forward, whether that be regular cleanings, dental surgery, tooth removal, or anything else.
Whether your pet shows signs of dental issues or you just want to bring them in for a preventative checkup, we can help.
Signs of Poor Dental Health in Your Dog or Cat
We will check your pet’s teeth once or twice a year during your wellness visits, but if you notice any odd behaviors or issues between appointments, you should come in sooner. A few signs that your dog or cat may be struggling with dental pain or complications include the following:
- Unusually bad breath
- Loose teeth
- Broken teeth
- Intact baby teeth after adult teeth grow in
- Extra teeth
- Excess drooling
- Abnormal chewing
- Reduced appetite
- Tenderness when touched around the mouth
- Swelling around the mouth
- Bleeding
If you notice any of the above symptoms, schedule veterinary dental services with our clinic as soon as possible. We will examine your pet’s teeth, determine the problem, and find a solution to help them feel better.
Common Pet Dental Problems
As humans, many of us struggle with cavities, and animals have common dental problems, too. Without the proper dental care and hygiene, your pet may develop the following issues:
- Broken teeth
- Periodontal disease
- Tooth infections and abscesses
- Mouth tumors or cysts
- Bite misalignment or malocclusion
- Broken jaw
- Cleft palate and other palate defects
While some of these issues can happen from simple accidents, like broken teeth from chewing on hard bones, many of these issues have simple prevention methods. Periodontal disease is one of the top-reported dental conditions in dogs and cats. Before your pet turns three, it will likely already have the early signs of the disease forming in its gums, which will only worsen if you do not seek preventative treatment.
Periodontal disease begins with plaque hardening into tartar. In the early stages, when tartar forms above the gum line, we can easily locate and remove it. When untreated, tartar can build up below the gums, allowing infections that damage the connections between the tooth and the jawbone. Stage 4 periodontal disease (the most severe stage) can lead to tooth extractions and organ or heart failures.
At VetNaturally, we can clean your pet’s teeth and gums and use an X-ray to diagnose their stage and determine the best treatment option moving forward.
How Our Animal Hospital Protects Your Pet’s Oral Health
We protect your pet’s oral health by diagnosing and treating issues early on before they develop into more severe complications. As a local animal hospital trusted by Mandeville pet owners, we combine natural approaches with conventional Modern medicine so your pet receives comprehensive care from both medical practices. With VetNaturally, you can rely on advanced veterinary dental services tailored to your pet’s needs.
Call VetNaturally in Mandeville, LA, today at (985) 718-9991 to schedule an appointment with our veterinary dental services team.
