The Importance of Dental Health for Pets

Dental care is an often overlooked part of your pet’s health. Extensive disease can be present with very minimal noticeable signs. A complete inspection above and below the gumline is important, which is why X-rays are recommended for pets and ourselves. In some cases, disease can be diagnosed and treated properly to prevent worsening well before the tooth itself looks abnormal. For this process to be done well, general anesthesia is required. It bothers some owners to put their pets under anesthesia but it is worth the very minor risk in almost all cases. If your dog or cat has bad breath, it may not just be their food. Frequent checkups and cleanings can prevent most dental diseases and this is especially important for smaller dogs, who tend to get more severe disease much more quickly. As always, have a conversation with your Veterinarian about prevention and treatment of dental disease to keep those teeth pearly white!

Dr. Timothy Leonards