Dental Care
One of the best ways to preserve your pet’s overall health and add years to their life is to provide consistent dental hygiene. Surprisingly though, dental care is one of the most neglected aspects of pet health care. Animal Health Care Center provides dental exams, cleanings, polishing, fluoride treatments, tooth extractions, and dental radiography.
During our procedures, we perform ultrasonic cleaning to remove hard dental tartar and to clean under the gum line. We then polish the teeth to remove any grooves created and to reduce the amount of plaque that may stick to them. Teeth extractions are performed at this time if necessary; we then apply an antibiotic gel called Doxirobe to any compromised teeth. Lastly, we apply fluoride to protect tooth enamel. At this point in the procedure, we also take digital dental radiographs to make sure all teeth are healthy.
At Animal Health Care Center, we perform complete pet dentals while your pet is under general anesthesia. Your pet will stay with us for the day and go home in the late afternoon. We do a thorough physical exam prior to sedation. We highly recommend pre-anesthetic blood work to check your pet’s liver and kidneys before we administer any anesthetics. We also place an intravenous catheter to allow direct access to a vein in case of an anesthetic emergency and to deliver fluids that flush out additional anesthetics.
We encourage regular dental checkups and cleanings to maintain healthy teeth and gums and to keep your pet from developing tartar buildup, gingivitis, and possibly periodontitis, a dental disease that can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. Brushing your pet’s teeth in between cleanings and supplying them with oral hygiene chews are additional preventive measures.
Come in today for a dental evaluation of your cat or dog. Animal Health Care Center provides dental care to pets in Waynesboro, Staunton, and other communities in Augusta County.