Preventative Dental Care
At the Suffolk Veterinary Group Animal Wellness & Laser Surgery Center we understand that proper nutrition is one of the steps towards a lifetime of wellness. But your pet can’t eat well if their teeth and gums are painful, inflamed, and infected.
Pets with a painful mouth tend to have a reduced appetite and to lose weight, leading to other forms of disease and illness.
Regular removal of plaque and tartar from teeth is just as important to your pet’s health as it is to yours. Along with daily brushing of your pet’s teeth, your Veterinarian may recommend professional teeth cleanings if you are having difficulty removing plaque and tartar with just brushing. These are the steps we take during an examination of your pet for their dental health & wellness.
Click Here For At-Home Teeth Brushing Tips
What Is A Dental Health Evaluation?
Before undergoing any dental procedure at the Suffolk Veterinary Group Animal Wellness Center, all patients must schedule and have a Dental Health Evaluation with our Veterinarian. The Veterinarian will do a complete oral health and teeth evaluation, a comprehensive physical examination, pre-anesthesia blood work, confirm that all vaccinations are current, review your pet’s medical history, consult with the referring Veterinarian, and make sure that any medical conditions your companion may have are resolved or will not be adversely affected by anesthesia, or the dental cleaning procedure. This is your opportunity to discuss with the Veterinarian any concerns you have regarding your companion’s nutrition and behavior, to tour where your pet will stay, and meet those who will be attending to them.
A Typical Dental Health Evaluation Includes The Following Services:
(all other treatments, vaccinations, medications, & diagnostics are additional)
*Oral Health Examination
*Comprehensive Physical Examination
*Individual Consultation Time
*Medical History Review
*Anesthesia Risk Assessment
*VetScreen/CBC Organ Health Evaluation Bloodwork
*Medical Waste Disposal
Why Does My Pet Require Anesthesia To Clean Their Teeth?
Dental procedures on pets involve the same professional cleaning that a human dentist performs on people, except because most pets will not stay still during this procedure, they need to be under anesthesia so we can reach all parts of their mouths. Not staying still during a dental procedure can cause unintended damage to teeth and gums. If your pet’s mouth is painful, they may also attempt to bite the people who are sticking scary dental equipment in their mouth! Anesthesia ensures that both your special companion, and our PetCare Team, are pain free and safe during the dental procedure.
Doing any dental procedure without anesthesia is considered below acceptable standards of care according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which is why we will not provide any dental care, even to “chip the tartar off the teeth” without a complete examination and your pet safely under anesthesia.
What Will My Pet’s Dental Procedure Involve?
Dental procedures involve ultrasonic scaling to remove the plaque and tartar build up on teeth. Polishing smooths the surface of the teeth to discourage plaque, and gives them a pearly shine. Fluoride treatment helps strengthen the teeth, as pets cannot have human fluoride toothpaste because it may cause stomach upset. Severe periodontal disease may require extractions of certain teeth to relieve the pain of toothaches. Your pet will also receive medications for pain management during the procedure, and to go home with if necessary.
Pet Preventative Dental Care Will Contain The Following Services:
(all other extractions, treatments, vaccinations, medications, & diagnostics are additional)
*Ultrasonic Dental Scaling Tartar Removal
*Fluoride Teeth Strengthening Treatment
*Stain Removing Teeth Polishing
*Inflammation & Pain Reducing Therapy Laser Application To Gums
*Antibiotic Injection Medication Specific For Dental Disease & Infection
*Rimadyl Anti-Inflamation Injection Medication For Swelling & Pain
*Torbutrol Pain Management Medication Injection
*Anesthesia Induction & Maintenance
*Anesthesia Monitoring
*Atropine Heart Protection Medication Injection
*Intravenous Catheter Placement
*Intravenous Fluid Therapy Administration
*Hospitalization Admission & Recovery
*Nails Trimmed, Ears Cleaned, Anal Glands Expressed
*Individualized Sterilized Dental Supply Pack
*Dental Procedure Waste Disposal
*First Post-Dental Follow Up Examination At No Additional Cost
First Post-Dental Follow-Up Exam At No Added Cost
(all other treatments, vaccinations, medications, & diagnostics are additional)
In keeping with our mission to keep veterinary care affordable to you and your pet, the first Post-Dental Follow-Up Examination within 14 days of your pet’s discharge of their dental procedure from our hospital is at no additional cost to you when it is completed at the Suffolk Veterinary Group Animal Wellness & Laser Surgery Center. Any dispensed medications or further follow-up care is additional.
Please call 631-696-2400 with any questions you may have and to schedule promptly!