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CAT DENTISTRY

Would You Wait A Lifetime To Brush your Teeth? Of course not - Your pet shouldn't either.

In fact, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over age three have some form of oral disease. And research shows that plaque is the primary cause of periodontal disease.

Heavy plaque causes gums to recede which then affects the roots of major teeth. These teeth become loose and painful and often need to be extracted.

Do not wait to book for a dental helth check – a scale and polish with our ultrasonic scaling machine will prevent unnecessary loss of precious teeth, maintain fresh breath.

Dogs and cats many years ago use to hunt for their food. They would tear their food apart and chew vigorously before they swallowed. This was a very effective way of cleaning their teeth and massaging the gums.

Most pets have never had their teeth brushed- and it shows. In fact, oral disease is the number one diagnosed health disease in adult pets. BVH is working hard to change these statistics.

Tartar (plaque) Is a mixture of minerals and salts, food particles and bacteria that combine together to form a firm skin on the side of the teeth that progressively gets worse with time. The plaque pushes the gums back and often exposes the roots of the teeth. This plaque attracts bacteria and eventually results in loss of your pet’s teeth.

Gingivitis Is a disease of the gums that causes reddening, swelling and infection in the gums. As a result, the gums bleed very easily and cause a lot of pain when eating. Gingivitis is common in both cats and dogs and is often associated with plaque build-up on teeth. Once the condition gets going it cannot be stopped.

Bad Breath is a symptom of both plaque build up and gingivitis. Both these conditions attract bacteria which gather around the teeth and gums and cause bad breath.

When is it time for a check-up? If your pet has bad breath, trouble eating, excessive dribbling or a sore mouth, its time for a check-up at BVH.

What can a vet do? If plaque and gingivitis are advanced it is often necessary to give your pet an anaesthetic and clean the teeth up completely, sometimes removing teeth that are beyond repair.

A healthy mouth is essential for overall general health. Dental work is one of the most practical and important things we do here at BVH. We have had many clients tell us how their dog "is just so much happier" after having their mouth cleaned up.

Senior Pet Clinics

Stephanie, Alana and Sam are all passionate about wellness testing in senior pets. Dogs and cats have an accelerated aging process. Remember, 1 animal year is equivalent to 7 – 15 human years depending on the age and breed of your dog / cat. We can manage organ failure such as liver/ kidney or heart disease more effectively if we detect changes early. We have our own in house laboratory enabling us to perform blood tests which detect early changes in organ function. Results are known within 24 hours of testing. Please contact 42 855210 for a senior Health check up.