Pet Dental Care

Your Pet's Dental Care

Proper dental care can improve the health, vitality and well-being of your pet. It will help ensure your pet leads the best life possible.

Dental disease is painful, inhibits proper nutrition and can lead to serious systemic issues that may threaten your pet’s health before symptoms are even noticeable. For example, oral bacteria that enter the bloodstream can damage your pet’s kidneys, heart or liver. It is estimated that more than 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats develop tooth and gum disease by the age of three years old.

Pitman Animal Hospital takes the oral and dental health of your cat or dog very seriously.

Dental Services

The centerpiece of good dental care is a complete oral exam, followed by a thorough cleaning. Dental cleanings include ultrasonic scaling followed by polishing. This combination is designed to remove plaque and slow its build-up.

We also offer digital dental x-rays, which are high-definition images that provide a view below your pet’s gum line in order to look for evidence of dental disease that cannot be seen by visual examination alone. This is a wonderful tool for enabling the treatment of dental issues before they become much larger and more expensive medical issues.

Should we find any issues, such as evidence of gum or tooth decay, gingivitis or excessive plaque buildup we will discuss this with you and provide treatment options.

Dental Surgery

All of our doctors are highly experienced dental practitioners and capable of performing a number of dental procedures and oral surgeries. For more complicated or severe cases we may refer you to a board certified specialist.

Home Dental Care

Dental care is not something that should be left to your periodic visits with us. Plaque buildup – the primary cause of poor oral health – is a gradual process occurring throughout the life of your pet. It is important to practice good home dental care.

This means regular tooth brushing although, in some cases, additional steps may be necessary. Members of our staff can show you the proper method for caring for your pet’s teeth and help you select the most effective dental products.

You should also be able to recognize the signs of poor oral health: