Dentistry

Well, after a couple of hiccups and false starts, we are back up and running in our dentistry department.  That's a good thing because there have been several published epidemiology studies indicating that 80% of pets over three years of age have some form of dental disease.  In fact, the American College of Veterinary Dentists state that periodontal disease is the most common disease in older pets; and, it is preventable.

We are not talking about intervening in sewer mouth disasters. You know the dog that you can smell coming into the room because his breath belies the rotting infection that used to be his gums.  This guy will only benefit from having all or at least most of his teeth extracted under general anesthesia and the infection treated with a long course of antibiotics.

No, I am talking about the three pets that we treated today.  The first two were kitty cats, both come in regularly for dental examinations and treatments when indicated.  One had mild tarter, the other heavier tarter, but both had healthy looking gums.  Even more importantly, radiographs showed no disease under the gum line, no radiographic evidence of cavity like lesions or periodontal disease.

The third case was a dog, he had two fractured pre molars.  Once again, radiographs were valuable.  One tooth could be saved, the other had to be extracted.  All three pets were sent home with home care instructions and we hope that the owners will follow up with us as directed.  All in all, a good day in the mouths of our patients here at Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital.