Did you know?
80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some form of oral disease!
Bad breath in dogs and cats is an indication of oral disease!
Dogs and cats build plaque and tartar at 5 times the rate of humans!
Almost every dog and cat out there struggles with oral health. Your pet’s mouth is a mirror of their body and unhealthy mouths often mean unhealthy bodies. Good oral health means that your pet can be healthier and live longer. Bellalago Veterinary Hospital is here to help end your pet’s struggles and make them healthy and happy! We offer a complete range of services and products to keep your pet smiling!
COPAT - Comprehensive Oral Prevention, Assessment, and Treatment
We are fully equipped to perform Comprehensive Oral Prevention, Assessment, and Treatments (COPAT’s). It’s more than just a cleaning! In addition to cleaning, scaling, and polishing your pet’s teeth, we also examine for loose, damaged, or cracked teeth and remove them. These teeth will cause problems in the future (and probably already are). Besides immense pain, these teeth also provide places for bacteria to hide and cause advanced infection - which can spread throughout the system infecting other organs. During the COPAT, all your pet’s teeth are analyzed and careful notes are taken. Finally, the medical team, under the direction of the veterinarian, determines what, if any, ongoing dental treatments or products are necessary to keep your pet’s smile bright and body healthy.
Dental X-Rays
It’s common now that humans get X-rays taken of their teeth when they visit the dentist. This is important because most of the tooth is hidden from view below the gum line. How can a dentist know if your teeth are healthy if they can’t see most of it? That’s why dental x-rays are so important!
We have the latest in dental radiography equipment. It’s important that during your pet’s COPAT a full view of the teeth be taken to determine if there are any issues below the gums. For this reason, it is our standard practice to offer x-rays during every COPAT we perform.
By combining dental x-rays with the COPAT, we’re able to minimize time under anesthesia and the overall cost to your pocketbook.
Daily Care
Most humans brush their teeth at least twice daily. Dogs and cats build up tartar and plaque at five times the rate of humans! Yet, most dogs and cats are not getting ANY daily dental care!
We have a number of options to make daily dental care fun and easy for the pet and the owner. In fact, daily dental care helps build an even stronger bond between the owner and the pet!
The best daily care is to brush your pet’s teeth just like you brush your own. This is a great option for people who have puppies. Starting this daily process early in the pet’s life makes the pet come to expect it – even cherish it! We offer toothpastes and brushes that are all custom made for pets. (It is important NOT to use human products!)
Toothbrushes and Toothpastes (Dog and Cat) – Veterinary-safe versions are available and are flavored to appeal to the tastes of your pet!
Some people’s schedules and some pet’s personalities won’t allow daily toothbrushing. In these cases, we have a number of other products that help provide daily care. Generally speaking, there are two ways daily care products can help maintain dental health – mechanical and chemical.
Mechanical processes can be compared to brushing your teeth using just your toothbrush and no toothpaste. It will rub off tartar and plaque, but it has no lasting effects in the mouth.
Chemical processes are more like using a mouth wash or toothpaste without a toothbrush. They use a chemical reaction in the mouth to help clean and usually leave a residue in the mouth to prevent tartar and plaque from coming back (and better breath).
When we brush our teeth with toothpaste and a toothbrush, we combine the two processes. The best options out there do the same! We’re happy to work with you to determine what will work best for you and your pet!
OraVet (Dog Only) – A daily chew that uses both mechanical and chemical processes to clean.
VeggieDent Fr3sh(Dog Only) – A daily chew that uses both mechanical and chemical processes to clean.
Perio Support Powder (Dogs and Cats) – A food additive that is simply sprinkled on top of the food. It uses a chemical process to clean the teeth.
Chlorohexidine Rinses (Dogs and Cats) – Similar to rinsing with a mouthwash, this uses a chemical process to help maintain a healthy mouth.
Hill’s t/d Prescription Diet (Dogs and Cats) – A nutritionally-balanced, dry diet that uses mechanical action to clean teeth. (This diet is so good that we use it as dog treats at the hospital!)
Give us a call and let's set up a time for a dental examination and let's get your pet's mouth healthy and smiling bright!