Did you know that 80% of middle age dogs and cats have some level of dental disease? Dental disease is very common and its severity can vary widely among breeds and age groups of dogs and cats. At home dental care such as brushing, oral rinses, and chews can help greatly. Most dogs and cats will still need dental cleanings in their life. We have a separate dental suite equipped to tackle all of your animal dentistry needs. We have what it takes to handle anything from routine ultrasonic scaling and polishing of the teeth to oral surgery and extractions. Routine pet dental cleanings involve gas anesthesia, ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and fluoride application. Gas anesthesia is necessary to successfully clean under the gum line, assess the integrity of each tooth on the oral exam, and for the safety of your pet and the staff. All the standard precautions are taken before we provide dental care to any animal, including pre-anesthesia lab work, anesthesia risk scoring, and tailored anesthetic protocols.

Halitosis (bad breath), drooling, and refusing to eat can all be signs of dental disease. Unfortunately, when advanced stage dental disease (periodontal disease) is diagnosed, extractions are often necessary as the tooth is usually infected and/or loose. Frequent professional dental cleanings along with home dental care will greatly reduce the chance of your pet ever needing extractions in its life.

Besides complicated tooth extractions, Dr. Teuscher can also perform oral surgery and mandible (jaw) fracture repair. Sometimes extensive oral tumors (growths) are found that need surgical removal and/or biopsy. Other times fractures of the mouth or jaw require repair and can usually be performed using an external fixator or wires and pins.