ACH Continues to lead the Mid-South in Veterinary Dental Care


A Dental Success story......Scooter, a 16 year-old short haired cat came to us as a dental referral from another clinic for chronic mouth pain that had resulted in weight loss and behavioral problems.   A dental exam revealed that he had severe stomatitis, which is a painful inflammation of the gums caused by an immune problem.  (The gums have a severe allergic response to the teeth.)  Complete dental extractions were scheduled in two phases and the cat made a complete recovery after several weeks.  The owner reports that Scooter is a "new man" playing with the other cats, acting years younger, and eating pain free for the first time in years.

Why dentistry?

    All pets are at risk for developing dental problems.  The statistics are staggering - 70% of cats over the age of three have some form of oral disease, and dental disease is painful!! If left untreated, bacteria from the teeth and gums can spread through the bloodstream and affect other body systems, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.)  Pets with healthy mouths live longer, happier lives. 

Dental Services we provide

    Animal Care Hospital provides a wide range of dental and oral health care services for your pet.  Here are some of the dental services provided at our hospital.  

Oral examinations.  All dental procedures start with an awake oral exam.  This examination allows us to consult with the owner and develop a tentative treatment plan.  This examination must be followed by an examination (and often dental radiographs) under general anesthesia to properly diagnose dental problems and prescribe a treatment  plan and cost estimate.

Low Impact Anesthesia.  All dental work requires that the patient be anesthetized for a detailed examination and radiographs (X-rays).All patients receive a pre-anesthetic exam, EKG, blood screen, and intravenous fluid therapy. Your pets safety is our priority.

Radiography.  Radiographs are essential in dentistry and oral surgery/medicine.  Much of the tooth is hidden below the gums and encased in bone.  The only way to evaluate the tooth and surrounding tissue is with dental radiographs.

 
Periodontics.  Periodontal disease is an infection or an abscess in the mouth.  This pet has severe periodontal disease with gum recession and tooth attachment loss.  All of the pets teeth had to be extracted.  Periodontics deals with the tissue that supports the teeth - gums, bone and periodontal ligament.  Periodontal disease is the most common disease in pets - effects over 70% of dogs.  Periodontal disease normally starts with inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), which is treatable.  If nothing is done for the gingivitis, the disease progresses to gum recession, periodontal bone loss and pocket formation.  Periodontal tissues are alive, thereby, Periodontal Disease is Painful!  Meanwhile, bacteria is allowed to enter the bloodstream which can cause damage to the kidneys, liver and heart.  Appropriate treatment can often save teeth and reduce other health issues.

Fractured Canine Root Canal Cleaning Plup Chamber Crown Restoration   X-ray of canine  X-ray of Root Canal

Endodontics is the treatment of the root canal.  The crown of this cat's upper canine tooth has been broken.  As a result, the inner pulp was exposed to oral bacteria and became infected.  The pulp within a tooth contains nerves and blood vessels; therefore, exposed pulp is painful! Treatment options were extraction of the tooth or root canal treatment to save the tooth.  Leaving the diseased tooth alone is not an option!  The owner chose to do the root canal therapy.

Gemini tooth
Interesting Find.  A Gemini tooth is where there is one root with multiple crowns.

Cavity so bad the tooth had to be extracted. Two cavities in the tooth Side view After restoration Cervical (Very painful)

Restorations.  Cavities are not as common in dogs as they are in humans, however, they do occur.  A cavity is a defect in the tooth's protective enamel coating, which exposes the sensitive (alive) underlying dental tissues.  As many people have experienced, cavities are painful and if left untreated can progress to Endodontic Disease. When a pet gets a cavity they are treated the same way as in humans.  The diseased portion of the tooth is removed and the defect is filled with restorative.  Some cavities are beyond repair and the tooth has to be removed.

Oral surgery.  Trauma to the oral cavity requires surgical treatment.  (Fractures of the upper and lower jaw, benign and malignant growths and congenital defects such as cleft palates.)  Extractions are also considered oral surgery.  Special training and instruments are required for successful operation within the mouth.

History of chronic sinus infection for one year. This cat had a tooth abscess. Surgical extractions and bone graph

Oral medicine.  Some systemic problems are the result dental disease.  Recognizing that the signs seen elsewhere may be the result of disease started in the mouth and putting it all together fall under the category oral medicine.

Before extraction After extraction

Juvenile pets.  Both owners and veterinarians need to watch the mouths of young pets in order to diagnosis and correct abnormalities as early as possible, before adult teeth erupt.  If baby teeth (deciduous) get broken, they need to be extracted.  Leaving them in place would allow the soft tissue to become infected and that could spread to the jawbone.  It can also cause damage to the adult teeth that are forming below.  Sometimes the baby teeth do not fall out on time and should be extracted.  If not extracted the adult tooth and baby tooth are occupying the space meant for one tooth.  This causes crowding and could lead to other orthodontic problems.

Feline Specific Dental Services

Before extractions for LPS After extractions

Lymphocytic Plasmacytic Stomatitis (LPS)  LPS comes from the histological description of biopsies taken from the affected cats. The cause of LPS is unknown. However, some diseases and viruses that have been implicated in association with are FELV (Feline Leukemia), FIV (Feline Aids), FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis), Calici virus, thyroid conditions, FORL (Feline Osteoclastic Resportive lesions), and periodontal disease or a reaction to plaque. LPS causes severe oral discomfort and inflammation. The pet may have problems eating, salivate, lose weight, become highly sensitive around the face and mouth, become irritable, more aggressive, debilitated and weak. There are many treatments that have been tried to control LPS. No one treatment has been found to be consistently successful. Often extractions of all the teeth are required when other treatments have failed.

 DENTAL CARE FOR YOUR PET

Healthy cat mouth

Believe it or not, cats are diagnosed with dental disease more than
any other infection.

Introduction
People are aware of their own teeth.  We know about plaque control, prevention of cavities and that dental problems are painful.  Most individuals visit their dentist annually.  However, despite the awareness of human dentistry, most pet owners do not know that their pets are subject to the same problems.  Like people, animals need professional teeth cleaning on a routine basis.  Regular dental checkups are important not only for their oral health, but overall health as well.  Since pets age more quickly than humans( ~1 dog year = 7 human years) , dental exams should become more frequent - perhaps every six months - as your pets ages.

Why care for your pet's teeth?
For the same reason you care for your teeth.  The most common disease in pets is periodontal disease.  Pets are also subject to broken teeth, orthodontic problems and cavities.  All of these issues affect your pet's mouth, but can also lead to infections that introduce bacteria into the body.  Bad teeth can lead to a sick pet.  Remember that your pet uses their mouth like we use our hands.

Do cats feel pain like us?
Owners tell us that they have not noticed any change in the pet's behavior therefore, they must be fine.  This is not surprising.  Most pets will adopt an impassive attitude to pain.  However, if you have ever had a chronic tooth ache, you know the meaning of pain.  Regularly after dental procedures owners tell us their pets act years younger.

What can you do about your pet's dental health?
The first step is to look at the mouth regularly.  If the gums are red or inflamed, if there is a bad odor, if you see pus at the gum line or broken teeth - call us right away.  We will assess the problems and create a treatment plan.  Aside from regular brushing, have your pet's teeth examined by ACH on a routine basis.  Checkups and preventive care will do wonders for bad breath and may help prevent harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream and causing serious problems to your pet's vital organs.

To get more dental information, click on the picture above.

Click on Photos Below for Larger View

BEFORE CLEANING

AFTER CLEANING

PREVENTION STARTS AT HOME

Dental homecare is preventative maintenance.  Brushing will not correct a problem if it has already developed.  Also, if the mouth is already painful, brushing will be unpleasant for your pet.  So, a homecare program should only be started after an oral evaluation by ACH to ensure that there are no current problems that need to be treated prior to starting to brush or use other products.

The goal of a homecare program is to brush your pet's teeth on a daily basis to remove plaque prior to it attaching to the tooth's surface and before it mineralizes to become tartar.  Plaque can form on a clean tooth within hours and tartar can form within a few days.  That is why daily brushing will be far more effective than doing it two or three times a week.

We recommend CET Chews, CET Toothpaste and CET Toothbrushes.   Many pets do well with battery operated toothbrushes as well.

When starting your homecare program, it is important to start slowly.  Let your pet get used to each phase before moving on to the next.  Therefore, introduce the program in small, easy to accept steps, and with lots of positive reinforcement, most pets will come to enjoy having their teeth brushed. 

By following a consistent homecare program you can greatly improve your pet's dental health.  This means fewer professional cleanings, less tooth loss and happier, healthier pets.  We must work together to ensure a longer, happier life for your pets.

Below are steps that you can take to help maintain your pet's mouth.