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Dog

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Dental Care

Support your pet's health with professional dental cleanings, exams, and oral care you can trust.

Pet Dental Care: Keeping Your Pet’s Smile Healthy for Life
Just like humans, pets need regular dental care to stay healthy and happy. Dental disease is one of the most common—and often overlooked—health issues in dogs and cats. Left untreated, it can lead to painful infections, tooth loss, and even impact vital organs like the heart and kidneys.

What Is Pet Dental Care?

Pet dental care involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that affect your pet’s teeth, gums, and mouth. It includes:

  • Routine dental exams

  • Professional cleanings under anesthesia

  • Dental X-rays to check below the gumline

  • Treatment of periodontal disease

  • Extractions (if necessary)

  • At-home dental hygiene guidance

Why Is Dental Care Important for Pets?

By the age of 3, most pets already show signs of periodontal disease. Unfortunately, the early signs—bad breath, tartar buildup, or red gums—often go unnoticed until they become more serious.

Dental disease doesn’t just stay in the mouth. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and affect your pet’s liver, kidneys, and heart. Routine dental care helps prevent these complications and improves your pet’s overall quality of life.

What Happens During a Dental Visit?

At our veterinary hospital, your pet’s dental care typically involves:

  1. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork to ensure your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia.

  2. Full-mouth examination and digital dental X-rays to assess the teeth and jaw health, including what can’t be seen above the gumline.

  3. Ultrasonic scaling to remove plaque and tartar buildup.

  4. Polishing to smooth the tooth surface and slow future buildup.

  5. Extractions if teeth are broken, loose, or infected (only if necessary).

  6. Pain management and post-procedure care to ensure your pet is comfortable.

All procedures are performed with your pet’s safety and comfort as our top priorities. We use advanced monitoring and gentle techniques throughout.

How Can I Help at Home?

While professional cleanings are key, home care is just as important. Your veterinarian can recommend:

  • Pet-safe toothbrushes and toothpaste

  • Dental chews or diets

  • Water additives or oral rinses

Even a few minutes of brushing several times a week can make a big difference.

Common Signs of Dental Trouble

Keep an eye out for:

  • Bad breath

  • Drooling

  • Difficulty chewing

  • Red or bleeding gums

  • Pawing at the mouth

  • Loose or missing teeth

If you notice any of these signs, schedule a dental exam promptly.

Your pet’s mouth is a window into their overall health. Regular dental care isn’t just about a cleaner smile, it’s about helping your furry companion live a longer, healthier life.

🐾 Looking to keep your pet healthy and happy? Visit us—we’re here to support every step of the way.

FAQs

Answers to Common Questions

At Bowdon Animal Hospital, it depends on the problem, but most likely, we are going to require your pet to be seen again, even if they were diagnosed and treated for the same medical condition recently. Some medical conditions look similar, and by assuming it is the same condition, we may not be treating your pet appropriately. Certain medications may also result in resistance which can cause a lack of response or, worse, a more severe problem if given too frequently or inappropriately. An exam to ensure proper diagnosis is what is best to keep your pet healthy for years to come.

At Bowdon Animal Hospital, Our weather is unpredictable, and even in the winter, we experience warm days. Flea, tick, and mosquito activity decreases with cooler weather but requires freezing temperatures over a sustained number of days for them to die. Intestinal parasites are a year-round occurrence, and heartworm prevention also keeps these parasites under control.

Bowdon Animal Hospital treats cats and dogs.

At Bowdon Animal Hospital We accept cash, checks, all major credit cards, and CareCredit.

Yes, at Bowdon Animal Hospital our veterinarians see patients by appointment only. If you feel your pet needs veterinary care and you have not scheduled an appointment previously, please give us a call so we can assist you and your pet.

At Bowdon Animal Hospital ,Yes and no. State and County require that your cat or dog is vaccinated for rabies, as this is a matter of public safety. If your pet were to bite someone or another animal, they are required to quarantine, and the type of quarantine is based on their vaccination status. Fines from the County may also be incurred if your pet is not properly vaccinated for rabies. Other vaccines are considered either core or elective. We also offer vaccine titers if you prefer minimal vaccinations throughout your pet's life.