Veterinary Dental Procedures: What Every Pet Owner Should Know
June 23, 2023You need to ensure your pet is healthy and happy as an animal owner. While regular workouts, balanced food, and love can help, lots of animal owners overlook the need for oral care. Teeth problems can lead to discomfort, infections, and other well-being issues that harm your pet’s lifestyle.
This article will cover all you need to learn about animal dental procedures, including why they are required and what to expect during an oral procedure.
Keep reading to learn more.
Why Are Pet Dental Procedures Needed?
Oral difficulties are common in pets and can result in several health issues. Here are some of the most common dental problems in pets:
- Plaque and tartar buildup: This can cause bad breath, dental cavities, and periodontal illness.
- Tooth fractures: This can be caused by injury or eating hard objects.
- Abscesses: These are infections that can arise in the tooth root or gum tissue.
- Periodontal disease: This severe infection impacts the gums and can cause tooth loss.
These dental problems, if left untreated, can result in pain and infections and potentially result in more severe health problems such as heart disease and kidney illness. Oral procedures are required to prevent and treat these problems when they develop.
Different Animal Dental Procedures
Depending on their dental wellness condition, animals may require various dental procedures. These steps include the following:
Oral Examinations
An oral examination is the first step in determining if oral cleaning is required. Suppose you owned an exotic pet. A specialist like an exotic animal vet in Grayson may carry out pre-anesthetic blood tests to guarantee kidney and liver functions are great for anesthesia and an evaluation of the heart and abdomen. Anesthesia is necessary to enable a tooth-by-tooth evaluation and dental X-rays.
Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions can be required if your pet’s teeth are severely damaged or infected. Under anesthetic, the damaged tooth is removed during this treatment to lessen discomfort and suffering.
Endodontic Treatments
Animals with teeth that can be recovered yet are damaged or infected undergo root canal therapy. The vet will fill the tooth cavity with oral substance to protect the tooth after extracting the diseased or damaged tooth tissue.
Gum Surgery
When the veterinarian has to reach the tooth’s roots to extract damaged or infected tissue, gingival flap surgery is used. The gum tissue has to be cut to reach the tooth root during this procedure.
What to Expect Before the Surgery
Your pet will have a detailed oral examination by veterinarians at their clinic before the oral procedure to determine the most effective course of action. They could also do several blood examinations to guarantee your pet is healthy for anesthesia. Before the procedure, your pet may also need to fast for a particular time.
What to Expect During the Surgery
Your pet will be put to sleep throughout the dental treatment to prevent them from feeling pain or discomfort. Depending on your pet’s wellness, the vet will do any needed dental operations, such as tooth removals or root canal treatment. Depending on the procedure and your pet’s health, the procedure might last a few hours.
What to Expect After the Surgery
Your pet may have pain and discomfort after the dental treatment, and the vet may give pain relievers. You may require to change the diet to ensure your pet can eat conveniently. To guarantee that your pet heals well, it is essential to adhere to the veterinarian’s aftercare advice.
You can find more information about pet surgery on the web or at ACVCGrayson.com.
Conclusion
Maintaining your pet’s general health and wellness requires oral care. Regular oral care for pets, such as examinations and cleanings, may help avoid oral issues. But, if your pet has a severe oral problem, oral surgery can be required. Call your vet if you see any indications of dental problems.