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Pet Dental Care
Proper dental care plays a critical role in a pet’s overall heath. A build-up of plaque contains thousands
of bacteria that can enter the pet’s bloodstream and lead to heart, kidney and liver disease.
It is amazing how quickly tartar can collect in your pet’s mouth, particularly on their back teeth.
During exams the doctor will check your pet’s mouth for signs of dental disease.
They will determine what grade of dental disease your pet has. The grades are one to four and
are determined by the following:
Grade 1 - Gingivitis
Margin of attached gingiva (gum) is inflamed and swollen. Some plaque is present. Treatment
can reverse this condition.
Grade 2 - Early Periodontitis
Entire attached gum is inflamed and swollen. Mouth is painful and odor begins to be noticeable.
Professional treatment and home dental care can prevent this from becoming irreversible.
Grade 3 - Moderate Periodontitis
Cherry red and bleeding attached gum is being destroyed by infection and calculus (tartar).
Sore mouth affects eating and behavior. Bad breath is present. Beginning of the loss of tooth
attachment. This may become irreversible.
Grade 4 - Advanced Periodontitis
Chronic bacterial infection is destroying the gum, tooth and bone. Bacteria may be spreading throughout
the entire body via the bloodstream and may damage the kidneys, liver and heart.
If your pet is diagnosed with dental disease the doctor will recommend a dental cleaning.
Depending on the grade of dental disease, there may also be dental x-rays needed and teeth may be extracted.
Because general anesthesia is required, for the safety of your pet we recommend that he/she has pre-anesthetic
blood work done prior to surgery. If your pet is seven years or older, blood work is required.
A blood panel at Minnehaha Animal Hospital checks the liver, kidneys and other body systems
to help determine if your pet is healthy enough for the anesthetic.
Once the procedure has been scheduled the staff will go over pre-surgical instructions with you. These are:
- No food after 8:00 p.m. the night prior to surgery, but water should be available.
- Drop off the morning of the procedure anywhere between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., allowing 15-20 minutes for check-in.
When you arrive at the hospital the morning of the dental cleaning one of our customer service representative will ask a few basic questions and then escort you and your pet into an exam room. The surgery nurse will then discuss the procedure, review the treatment plan and answer any questions you may have.
Click here to read step-by-step explanations of a dental cleaning procedure. (NO LINK YET)
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