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Have you looked at your pet’s teeth lately? Bad breath is the most common reason that owners even glance, but have you opened up her mouth, pulled up the gums and really looked? Often, bad breath is only the tip of the iceberg and a mere symptom of more severe underlying issues. An astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS).
Gums can become irritated, leading to bleeding and oral pain. Roots may become so severely affected that some teeth become loose and fall out. Bacteria surrounding the roots can gain access to the blood stream ("bacteremia"). Studies have shown that severe periodontal disease in pets can be a significant source of inflammation and infection and is likely to lead to damage in their kidneys, heart muscle and liver.
The key to management of dental disease (for both humans and pets) is prevention. As long as the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned frequently, the gums will stay healthy. You and I brush our teeth at least twice daily and get routine periodontal cleanings every 6 months. In comparison, how often do your pet’s teeth get cleaned? If you aren’t actively performing preventative dental care, your pet may only get his teeth cleaned by the veterinarian every few years, which is the equivalent of you never brushing and simply having your dentist clean your teeth every 20 to 30 years. Yuck!
Aspen Ridge can also assist you in developing a good program to keep your pet's teeth clean and healthy in between visits. There is no "one size fits all" technique as each pet is different and we can assist you with at home care.
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At Aspen Ridge we adhere to, and in some cases exceed, guidelines and procedures from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The Aspen Ridge staff has also trained with Dr. Visser of Arizona Veterinary Dental Specialists in Scottsdale, AZ. Below is an outline of what you should expect from dental service at Aspen Ridge Animal Hospital. As you can see, this service is quite a bit more complicated than human teeth cleaning:
• Pre-anesthetic blood work to ensure your pet is healthy enough to undergo the procedure. There are several case studies showing that skipping this step before undergoing general anesthesia can result in the death of your pet.
• In order to fully evaluate and treat the entire mouth, general anesthesia and vital signs monitoring is performed by qualified veterinary technician.
* Aspen Ridge uses state-of-the-art digital monitoring.
• X-Rays (Dental Radiographs) to evaluate the half of the tooth that lies beneath the gum line. Often early disease starts on the root of the tooth which isn’t visible to the naked eye. Your pet may have a fracture, abscess, or decay that wouldn’t be detected without these important x-rays.
* Aspen Ridge is the only area hospital with dental radiograph technology.
• Intravenous (IV) fluids to maintain blood pressure and flush the bacteria that are released during the procedure out of the body.
• Inspection of each tooth and entire oral cavity by the veterinarian.
• Scaling of all tooth surfaces with an ultrasonic scaler and hand scaling beneath the gum line.
• Surgical extraction of diseased teeth with local anesthesia, sectioning of multi-rooted teeth with high speed dental drill and closure of remaining space with antiseptic and sutures. This technique prevents any tooth fragments from being left behind which can lead to a variety of complications.
• Low speed polishing of all teeth to “buff” out any other defects as well as a fluoride treatment for preventative care.
• Referral to Board Certified Veterinary Dentist if appropriate.
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