Dental disease is one of the most common medical conditions seen by vets. In fact over 80% of dogs above the age of 3 years will show signs of dental disease. Dental disease has a significant impact on the quality of a pets life and can:
- increase their risk of heart disease
- cause significant pain and discomfort
- create systemic inflammation in the body and;
- can impact other organs such as the kidney and liver.
At routine check-ups and vaccinations Dr Jasmine will always check the health of your pets teeth and give recommendations for treatment. We will teach you how to recognise the signs of dental disease in your pets at home. If you are concerned that your pet has bad breath, discoloured teeth, loose teeth, red gums or oral pain we recommend you book a routine dental check-up with your vet to develop a treatment plan for your pet.
If your pet has existing dental disease your vet may recommend a scale and polish procedure to be performed under general anaesthesia to clean the teeth. Dental extractions may be required if your pets teeth have cavities, exposed roots, exposed pulp, gum recession or wobbliness. Dr Jasmine will discuss all of this prior to the procedure so you know exactly what is required to get your pets teeth back to good health.
All of us at Melba Veterinary Clinic are happy to chat with you to give you the best advice for ways to help reduce the incidence of dental disease in your pets.
We recommend tooth brushing at home, dental diets such as Hills T/d or dental chews such as Oravet or Greenies. Water additives such as Oxyfresh are useful and mouth wash solutions like Hexarinse have been proven to show benefit in reducing plaque and dental disease. Some pets may need all of these things in order to keep a healthy mouth. If your pet is prone to dental disease despite at-home treatments, we recommend a dental check-up with Dr Jasmine every 6 months to ensure we keep on top of the problem and keep your pet happy.
Free Nurse Dental Checks
Our qualified nursing team are trained to assess your pets dental health which we currently offer as a free complimentary service. This is to aid those who are unsure as to whether their pet requires a dental procedure or not.
During these 20 minute appointments a nurse will grade your pets teeth and identify if any problems exist such as tartar, gingivitis, periodontal gum disease, wobbly teeth and more. Our nurses have experience in brushing pets teeth and can demonstrate this to you as well as informing you of other tartar control options.
If significant dental disease is identified the nurse will recommend a professional cleaning and oral investigation and provide you with an estimate of costs. These procedures will be booked for a separate day and the veterinarian will be able to closely assess your pets teeth while it is under an anaesthetic.
After your pet’s procedure we recommend you come back for regular nurse dental checks to ensure that you are able to keep the teeth nice and clean at home.
Terms and conditions
- Pre-book your appointment by calling the clinic or using our online booking system.
- Only dental issues will be discussed at your dental appointment. If your pet has any other health concerns you must make a separate appointment with the veterinarian. This may have to be on a separate day.
- For more complex dental concerns, please book an appointment with the veterinarian.
- A maximum of 1 free nurse dental check per pet is available every 3 months. Additional checks will incur a nurse consult fee.