Why ARE they so important?
It is a common (& serious) misconception that dental checks and scale & polishes are an optional part of our pet’s health care regime, being overly expensive & purely cosmetic.
This could not be more wrong.
(Important) The dental care & welfare of our pets need to be a top priority because just like us, poor dental hygiene can lead to disease and ill-health. 
Further, proper veterinary dental treatment is a highly skilled, lengthy procedure involving TWO skilled professionals & dedicated equipment. 
Without treatment and prevention, dental issues can cause:
pain,
foul breath,
inflammation and infections resulting in tooth loss.
Worst of all, life-threatening heart, liver and kidney disease can develop.
Over 85% of dogs and 70% of cats from the age of 3 years suffer from dental disease.
This can be prevented & reduced by the use of at-home teeth cleaning methods and having regular professional dental examinations performed by your vet.
All our pets will require their teeth to be professionally cleaned by a veterinarian at some stage of their life.
How frequent and how complicated the work is dependent on the preventative work you do as an owner at home and your individual’s mouth.
As a rule of thumb cats and dogs require a veterinary dental exam, scale and polish from about 2 years old and then repeated every 6 to 18months as required.
Again, there are no rules.
Just like us, our pets are individuals.
However, it is worthwhile having your vet check your pet’s mouth every 6 months.
EARLY DETECTION & INTERVENTION is always preferable (& less traumatic) for all concerned.
Did you know? 
Some pets are more prone to dental disease than others?
For example, brachycephalic breeds (such as Pugs) often suffer from poor dental health purely due to lack of space in the mouth.
Other breeds like: Maltese or Dachshunds, with their long narrow muzzles and also tiny teeth and jaws like Chihuahuas. The result is a propensity for gingivitis, periodontal disease and halitosis
This xray is from a Pekingese who came to us when her owner reported she was reluctant to eat.
In fact, she had broken her own jaw whilst attempting to eat
For example, if left untreated, gum disease can destroy bone to such an extent that even a little pressure will fracture a small dog’s weakened jaw.
Remember that a professional veterinary scale and polish needs to be performed under anaesthesia for the whole mouth to be assessed and cleaned properly.
“I heard that Dentals can be done without Anaesthesia.
I am so worried about my pet going under
General Anaesthesia”
The current trend of non-anaesthesia dentistry is a very big concern for animal welfare.
For more detailed information on why vets do not recommend anaesthesia-free dentistry please read this article https://vetdentistrynm.com/for-clients/anesthesia-free-dentistry-doing-more-harm-than-good/
It is understandable that we worry whenever our pets go under GA however, we can reassure you that at 2Feet4Paws Veterinary Clinic, everything is done to minimise any risks.
Every animal has pre-GA blood tests to furnish the clinical team with all the information needed to ensure a smooth procedure.
Based on the information these blood tests tell us, the team will proceed or if there are any areas of concerns, will delay or adjust as needed.
Every animal that has a GA with us, will have a dedicated qualified veterinary nurse monitoring them throughout, as per Royal Veterinary College (UK) standards – from initial sedation to being fully awake in recovery.
All our surgical procedures include post-op checks so their clinical team can see how the patient gets on over the days immediately after their procedure.
(SPOILER ALERT: they almost always bounce back way quicker than us humans do!)
