Dental Cleanings

During your pet’s comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment, our veterinarians at Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital will put your pet under general anesthesia, tailored specifically to your pet’s unique needs. General anesthesia is required for any dental procedure to protect both your pet and the veterinarian. During this time, and throughout the entire dental cleaning and treatment, your pet will be monitored with equipment used to measure blood pressure, blood oxygen percentage, and EKG. We also use warm air blankets to ensure your pet maintains a normal body temperature which will also be closely monitored during the dental cleaning and treatment.

Our nurses will monitor your pet the entire length of the dental procedure until your pet has fully recovered. They will alert the doctor if any concerns arise. Before any dental cleaning takes place, we will take digital radiographs, or x-rays, of your pet’s teeth and tooth roots to identify any problems below the gum area. We would also be able to identify any broken or infected teeth during this procedure.

Our attending veterinarian will use a sonic scaler to remove the plaque and tartar from the teeth. Then, the veterinarian will use a special polishing paste that smooths out any scratches in the enamel of the teeth.

During your wellness visits at Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital, a thorough oral health exam is always completed by our doctors so that we can stay on top of your pet’s dental health. If you detect an unpleasant odor in your pet's breath it may be time for a dental cleaning.  Another sign would be the build-up of a brown or yellow substance (tartar) covering the white part of the tooth.

Pets needing dental care will get gingivitis so you may notice redness or bleeding along the gum-line. For pet’s with advanced dental disease, owners will notice low energy, poor or picky appetite, and at times, even missing teeth.

Proper dental care will help keep your pet from developing a wide variety of dental health issues, such as periodontal disease, which is caused by the build-up of bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria form a film over the teeth called plaque. As the bacteria die, they can become calcified by the calcium in your pet’s saliva. The calcified plaque is called tartar, and it can eventually lead to gingivitis.

Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a painful infection in the root of the tooth. In the late stages of periodontal disease, the tissues around the tooth are destroyed, and the socket that holds the tooth in place erodes, which causes the tooth to loosen.

Our team is excited to help with any questions or concerns you might have about a dog or cat dental cleaning . Schedule an appointment for a consultation or cleaning today. Call us at (985) 626-5615!