Keeping Your Cat's Teeth White
Your cat's teeth are just as important to them as yours are to you. While cats can take care of many of their own hygiene needs, dental care is one area they need the assistance of their human loved ones. Working with your veterinarian to provide regular dental care, including an at-home dental routine for your family cat, is an important part of their overall animal health care plan.
Annual Dental Exam
Prevention of the most common oral disease in cats consists of frequent removal of the dental plaque and tartar that forms on teeth that are not kept clean. During your cat's wellness exam, your veterinarian will exam his or her teeth, checking for tartar buildup and dental disease.
Signs of oral and dental diseases in cats:
- Bad breath
- Loose teeth or teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
- Your pet shies away from you when you touch the mouth area
- Drooling or dropping food from the mouth
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Loss of appetite or loss of weight
Depending on the amount of tartar present, a professional cleaning may be suggested. This surgical procedure allows our veterinarian to safely remove the tartar buildup from your pet's teeth. The Cat Clinic of Cary is at the forefront of feline dentistry, utilizing digital dental radiology and a therapy laser, both aiding in the healing and recovery process.
Pre-Anesthetic Blood Work, Anesthesia, and Pain Management Protocols
Your cat's safety and comfort during any dental surgical procedure is just as important to us as is it to you. For this reason, we highly recommend each of our surgical patients have pre-anesthetic blood work done prior to the surgical procedure. This diagnostic test not only ensures you cat is healthy enough for the recommended procedure, but also provides valuable information that can be used to establish individualized anesthetic and pain management protocols for your cat.