Just like humans, dogs require proper oral care to live happy and healthy lives.

Dog Dental: A Complete Guide

We understand the importance of maintaining your dog’s dental health. Just like humans, dog’s teeth should be maintained by regular brushing and choosing meals and treats that help control tartar build-up.

Dental Check-Ups

We offer dental check-ups where we will examine your dog’s teeth and gums to assess their condition; they are graded 1 through to 4. A grade of 1 -2 generally means your dog’s teeth are in good condition and may only require a clean and polish service. If your dog’s teeth are assessed as being a grade 3-4 then there is likely to be significant tartar and plaque build-up, gingivitis, gum recession and periodontal disease. Extractions may  be required in these cases but it is often difficult to tell until the plaque is first removed during the scaling process and radiographs are obtained on the day of the dental.  
If dental extractions are deemed required after a round of intra-oral radiographs these extractions will be performed on another day.  This means shorter and safer anaesthetic times for your dog which translates to more affordable dog dentals for you, as shorter anaesthetic times reduce costs. 

On The Day of the Dog Dental

Your dog’s dental is performed under a general anaesthetic in our hospital by a qualified and trained veterinarian and monitored by a dedicated vet nurse throughout.

  • Step One: 6 quadrant intra-oral dental radiographs obtained.
  • Step Two: Tartar and any plaque will firstly be removed.
  • Step Three:  The teeth can now be cleaned and polished. If they are graded as 1-2 then this completes the dental. Your dog will be monitored post-dental and once fully recovered from the anaesthetic, they can go home. 
  • Step Four: This stage is applicable only if your dog’s teeth are graded 3-4. Further assessment of the teeth integrity can now be undertaken and the Veterinarian will decide if it’s in your dog’s best interest to have any removed. Teeth are only removed if there are fractures,  or if initial radiography of tooth roots indicate significant pathology present. Your dog will be monitored post-dental and will go home with antibiotics and pain medication and needs a soft food diet for anywhere from 3-14 days.