Our St. Michaels Companion Animal Hospital veterinarians provide both restorative and preventative dental health care and dental surgery for dogs and cats.
Veterinary Dentists for Cats & Dogs
Routine veterinary dental care and checkups are a critical part of both dogs' and cats' health and wellbeing. However, most pets don't receive the dental care they need in order to keep their mouths healthy.
At our Greeley veterinary hospital, we are able to offer comprehensive dental care for your cat or dog. We are equipped to offer everything from dental care exams and teeth polishing, to dental surgery.
We are passionate about both dental health care, and dental education: equipping our pet parents with the tools they need to provide good at-home dental care to their companions.
Vet Dental Surgery in Greeley
Finding out that your pet needs dental surgery can be an anxiety-inducing experience. However, we at St. Michaels Companion Animal Hospital endeavor to make this process as simple and smooth as possible for your pet and for you.
We will go over each step of dental surgery with you beforehand so you understand exactly what will be happening and why. This explanation will include instructions for how to best prepare your pet for surgery and care for them post-operation.
We offer surgeries ranging from tooth extractions to treatment for gum disease for cats and dogs.
Pet Teeth Cleaning & Exams
It is important that you bring your dog or cat in for a dental exam at least once per year. Dogs and cats who are prone to dental issues may need to visit us more often than that though.
At St. Michaels Companion Animal Hospital, we are able to diagnose, assess, and treat dental health issues in dogs and cats.
- Symptoms
You should bring your pet in for a dental checkup if you notice any of the following symptoms in your companion.
- Bad breath
- Discolored teeth
- Abnormal chewing, drooling, or dropping food from the mouth
- Tartar buildup
- Loose and/or broken teeth
- Extra teeth or retained baby teeth
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Pain or swelling in or around the mouth
- Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
- Assessment
We will provide your pet with a complete physical examination pre-anesthetic in the leadup to their dental exam.
In order to make sure it's safe to administer anesthesia to your pet, we will also take urine and blood samples. If needed, we may also conduct extra diagnostics like chest radiographs.
Once under anesthesia, we will conduct a complete oral exam and charting on your pet.
- Treatment
After that, we will clean your pet's teeth and gums and take x-rays. We apply a fluoride treatment to each tooth to strengthen the enamel.
The final step is an application of a dental sealant. We do this to help prevent plaque from adhering to your pet's teeth. If we find sufficiently advanced periodontal (gum) disease, we will also develop a treatment plan to discuss with you after the checkup is complete.
- Prevention
We offer a complimentary follow-up exam within two weeks of the dental check-up and treatment.
During this appointment, we will discuss at-home dental care and recommend any products or practices that we believe will help improve your pet's oral health.
FAQs About Pet Dental Care
Here are some of the most common questions we are asked about our dental care services.
- Why do pets need their teeth cleaned?
Just like humans, our pets can develop tooth decay and gum disease as a consequence of poor long-term oral health.
When animals eat, plaque sticks to their teeth and can build up into tartar if they aren't regularly cleaned.
If left long enough, this can develop into periodontal disease, tooth decay, infections, and even missing or loose teeth . Regular dental care can help prevent all of these in our beloved companions.
- How can I tell if my pet has oral hygiene issues?
One little-known indicator of oral-health problems can be behavior. If your pet is having issues with their oral health, they might notice them pawing at their mouth, grinding their teeth, yawning more than usual, or excessively drooling. A pet experiencing dental health problems may also stop regularly grooming themselves.
Other more obvious signs of oral health issues can include swollen gums, bad breath and discolored teeth. Some pets might suffer from enough pain to keep them from eating too.
- What long-term problems can poor oral health potentially cause in my pet?
Poor oral health cases problems ranging from gum disease to cavities. However, poor oral health can also lead to disease in your pet's liver, heart, kidney and other organs.
Your pet may develop cysts or tumors as a result of poor oral health and may just feel generally unwell. On top of this, many diseases connected to poor oral hygiene can shorten your companion's lifespan and cause them excessive pain!
Because of this, regular dental care for your cat or dog is key to their broader physical wellbeing.
- What happens during a pet teeth cleaning appointment?
During a regularly scheduled oral examination, your vet will examine your pet's mouth and keep a lookout for oral health symptoms or conditions which require medical attention.
Our vets will clean the tartar form your cat or dog's teeth and address any cavities or other conditions they detect.
In some cases your pet will require surgery to treat a severe condition. We will administer anesthesia before the procedure to make sure your furry companion is as comfortable as possible. Special care will be required from you post-operation.
- What should I do at home to keep my pet’s teeth clean between dental appointments?
You should brush your pet's teeth regularly and provide them with shew toys which promote dental health. . These will help to eliminate plaque buildup.
You should discourage your pet chewing on objects which are very hard such as certain bones or toys. If you have any questions about your pet's oral health, you should always contact your vet.
Veterinary Dentistry: Anesthesia & Your Pet's Oral Health
Your pet won't understand what is happening in the course of a dental procedure and will often react by struggling or biting. Because of this, we always provide our dental patients with anesthesia before performing any procedures. This makes sure your companion is less stressed and allows us to perform examinations and procedures smoothly and as needed.