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Dog and Cat Dental Care
in Little Silver, NJ

Have you noticed your pet has bad breath? Are their teeth turning yellow or brown? If so, we recommend bringing your pet to Little Silver Animal Hospital, where we can provide comprehensive dental care to ensure your pet’s teeth are clean and healthy. Your pet’s dental health is critical to their overall health as well, which is why we recommend a dog or cat teeth cleaning at least once a year.

Schedule your dog or cat’s teeth cleaning appointment at Little Silver Animal Hospital today!

How to Know Your Pet Needs Dental Care

Unfortunately, our pets can’t tell us when they are hurt or feeling discomfort. In fact, it is in our pet’s nature to mask any symptoms of pain or injury and will likely continue eating normally even if they are experiencing pain. Luckily, there are symptoms to indicate your pet may require dental care, including:

Bad breath
Discoloration of teeth or tartar build up near the gum line
Broken, loose, or missing teeth
Excessive chewing or drooling
Lack of appetite or inability to chew
Swelling or bleeding in or around the mouth

If you notice any of the following symptoms or behaviors, please call us to schedule a cat or dog dental care appointment.

Managing Your Pet’s Dental Health

Our pets need help maintaining their dental health, and we offer a variety of services to pets in Little Silver, NJ to help keep their teeth in tip top shape right here at our animal hospital. This includes what is known as Houndstooth Dental Cleaning which is an express dental cleaning service for your pet. This quick, non-invasive cleaning typically takes 15-30 minutes. Prior to beginning, your veterinarian will assess your pet’s dental health to determine if your pet is a candidate by examining the following:

• Does your pet exhibit symptoms of mild to moderate periodontal disease?
• Are they considered high risk and unable to go under general anesthesia?
• Is a more inexpensive, timely procedure necessary?

kitten and dog with tooth brushes

Important Pet Dental Care Info

Because dog and cat dental care is essential to your pet’s overall health, we want to help educate pet owners about their pet’s dental health.

Pet dental care is one of the most often overlooked aspects of pet care, but did you know 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease by three years of age according to the American Veterinary Dental Society? If left untreated, disease can worsen and eventually lead to more serious health problems such as infection of the heart, liver, and kidneys. Cat and dog teeth cleaning at Little Silver Animal Hospital can help maintain your pet’s oral health and prevent more serious health problems.

  • All pets should receive full mouth examinations once a year.
  • Bad breath may indicate dental disease or another illness.
  • Small dogs are more likely to develop dental disease than large dogs due to teeth crowding and panting more often. Panting dries up saliva which is a key defense against dental disease.
  • Most dental disease occurs below the gum line, which makes full mouth examinations, including probing, cleaning and dental X-rays an integral part of maintaining your pet’s dental health.
  • We recommend pets have their teeth brushed or wiped at least three times a week. However, we understand that may not be practical as pets may not cooperate. Safe dental chews or tartar softening agents can help maintain healthy teeth between dental visits.
  • If your pet shows symptoms of pain, has excessive drooling, broken or loose teeth, bleeding gums, or drops food out of their mouth, they may have dental disease.
  • Adult teeth may take 6-8 months to fully come in, depending on the size and breed of the pet.
  • Like humans, misaligned or crooked teeth may cause oral health problems.
  • The key to helping prevent future dental problems is to help your pet become accustomed to brushing their teeth from a young age.
  • Make sure to have your pet’s teeth cleaned at least once a year to prevent tooth loss.
  • Poor dental health can affect a pet’s quality of life.
  • Senior pets may require a more comprehensive health evaluation prior to any dental procedure to ensure their health.
  • It is important to be aware of your pet’s organ function as they age and take this into consideration prior to placing them under anesthesia for a dental procedure.
  • We can perform an oral exam to decide if a dental procedure is necessary.
  • Our team can create a thorough dental care plan tailored to meet your pet’s specific needs.
  • At Little Silver Animal Hospital, we require bloodwork prior to any anesthetic procedure, including dental procedures.
  • For our team to perform a full mouth examination and dental X-rays, your pet will be placed under general anesthesia. They will receive IV fluids, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen level monitoring during the procedure to ensure their health and safety.
  • We use an ultrasonic tip to remove tartar and clean below the gum line as well as assess each tooth. If necessary we can infuse antibiotics below the gum line to minimize pocket formation or perform a tooth extraction if the tooth cannot be saved through treatment.
  • We use digital radiography so that our team can provide a complete and accurate diagnosis.

Get the best care for your best friend.

Request an appointment online
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