We Love Puppy Breath.

Our full-service, Greenville veterinary clinic dental care program gives you everything you need to protect your dog or cat’s pearly whites, including dental diets, dental chews for at-home dental health, and regular dental cleanings for dogs and cats. Since many more serious illnesses, such as diseases of the heart, kidneys, and liver, can begin in the mouth, Ambassador Animal Hospital recommends that all pet owners schedule an annual, or biannual, dental cleaning for their dog or cat. Plus, better oral hygiene leads to better breath for your dog—and that’s always a good thing!

Cat and Dog Dental Health is Important! Did You Know?

  • Studies show that, by the age of three, 85% of companion animals have developed periodontal disease. Proper cat and dog dental care can protect your pets from this degenerative disease.
  • Dental disease can cause your pet to have bad breath, early tooth loss, and difficulty chewing due to pain.
  • Left untreated, bacteria under your pet’s gum line can migrate to the heart, kidneys, and liver, creating bigger, more expensive, and more serious health problems for your pet in the long-run.
  • While at-home brushing and dental care are an important part of maintaining your pet’s oral health, a professional dental cleaning for your dog or cat will remove hardened tartar from your pet’s teeth, keep your pet’s gum line free from damaging bacteria and gingivitis, and assess the overall condition of your pet’s oral health.

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The Ambassador Animal Hospital Dental Cleaning

The only way to remove the tartar that has hardened over time onto your pet’s teeth and, more importantly, under your pet’s gum tissue, is to schedule a professional dental cleaning to protect your pet’s health. During a dental cleaning, your dog or cat will be under general anesthesia so that your veterinarian can thoroughly inspect your pet’s mouth and remove tartar from under the gum line. The soft tissues of the mouth are incredibly sensitive—anesthesia also keeps your pet pain-free during the procedure. We consider this a “lighter form” of anesthesia, maintained with inhaled isoflourane gas. It is incredibly safe, and a lot safer than letting your pet’s teeth decay and spread disease. As with all other anesthetic procedures, your dog or cat will receive a brief check-up by your veterinarian on the day of the procedure, as well as pre-anesthetic bloodwork, to make sure that your pet is in good health for the procedure.

An Ambassador Animal Hospital dental cleaning includes:

  • Visual inspection of the lips, tongue, and entire mouth for growths, wounds, or other issues
  • Removal of plaque and tartar from the surface of the teeth
  • Removal of plaque and tartar from under the gum tissue
  • Tooth polishing to remove enamel scratches that may attract bacteria
  • Probing of the oral sockets to assess dental disease
  • Application of a dental sealer or flouride treatment
  • Removal of any fractured or infected teeth

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If it has been a while since your dog or cat has had a thorough dental cleaning, or if you’ve noticed a brownish-gold build-up on your pet’s teeth, or bad breath, schedule a dental cleaning with Ambassador Animal Hospital right away. We love helping you keep your pet’s mouth fresh and clean. The symptom of dental disease most often noticed by the pet owner is bad breath. If you notice excessive drooling, swelling under the eye, or difficulty chewing, these are much more serious problems and must be addressed immediately.

At-Home Dental Care Tips for your Dog or Cat

Although at-home oral hygiene can never replace regular, professional dental cleanings for your dog or cat, preventative maintenance at home will keep your pet healthy between cleanings and can make a tremendous difference in your pet’s overall health. When you bring your pet in for an annual dental cleaning or an annual wellness exam, be sure to talk to your vet about home dental care.

When taking care of your dog or cat’s teeth at home, remember this formula:

  • BRUSH
  • RINSE
  • CHEW

If your dog or cat will tolerate it, brushing daily is the best way to keep teeth plaque free and prevent plaque from turning into bacteria-laden tartar. Use a child’s toothbrush or a finger brush and pet toothpaste. Never use your toothpaste on your pet, since it contains ingredients that can be toxic to animals.

Many animals are resistant to home brushing. If this is true for your dog or cat, or if you want to take an extra protective step, we recommend many effective rinses or gels. In general, these products work by forming a protective layer over your pet’s mouth and teeth to prevent food from sticking and turning into plaque. To apply, simply squirt the rinse into the side of your pet’s mouth or spread the gel over the teeth as best as you can. Your pet’s tongue will naturally spread the product over the rest of the mouth.

A final step you can take to help protect your pet’s oral health is to give your pet dental chews or feed your pet a dental diet. While chewing alone will not keep your pet’s mouth healthy, specially-formulated kibble diets and dental chews have been proven effective in reducing dental disease—and this step is easy on you and your pet. If you are interested in adding a dental diet or a dental chew to your pet’s oral health regimen, talk to us about what we would recommend based on your pet’s breed and age.