The team at BVH is well qualified and highly experienced to provide an extensive range of animal dentistry services. Dental procedures are performed under general anaesthesia for both dogs and cats. We also offer dental services for rabbits, of which some procedures can be performed conscious.
At BVH, we promote dental health and believe prevention is better than treating a condition after it has occurred. Our aim for your pet is to retain a full set of teeth. This can be achieved through feeding various dental chews and bones, manually brushing teeth with pet-friendly toothbrushes and pastes, using anti-bacterial mouth rinses and feeding specific dental dry food.
Once plaque has calcified and developed into calculus, it is then important that we perform a descale and polish on your pet, much like you would receive from your dental hygienist. If the sub-gingival calculus builds up, gingivitis will develop, resulting in gum recession and potentially multiple teeth extractions.
BVH is well equipped with specialised dental instruments, including an ultrasonic scaler, hand curettes, air-driven drills and polishers to ensure your pet receives the best dental care.
Dental patients are often older pets, so up-to-date equipment is important to allow us to conduct surgery efficiently, thereby reducing anaesthetic risk. At BVH, we also have excellent monitoring equipment and offer pre-anaesthetic blood tests, which further reduce any anaesthetic risk.
Dental issues could be causing your pet discomfort. Look out for the signs of discomfort or ask us to schedule a dental check for your pet.
Your dental questions answered
When you bring your pet in for a dental check, you can expect,
- Physical teeth examination
- Routine check-ups focusing on teeth
- Consultation on any dental issues and how to manage them
- Advice to return in 6-12 months if no further action is required
- Dental diet recommendation, if needed, or other dental advice relevant to your pet’s needs.
- Bad breath
- Broken tooth/teeth
- Excessive drooling
- Chewing with a favouring side of the mouth
- Bleeding from the gums
- Discoloured tooth/teeth
Bad breath is not normal. In fact, it is a sure sign of significant oral infection. Bring your pet in for a free dental check-up and we will work out the best course of treatment.
Yes. Please request when booking your appointment.
Most pets will continue to eat and appear pain-free despite being in large amounts of pain. In our experience, you won’t realise there is an issue or the discomfort your pet is in, unless you get a routine check.
It has been reported that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 have gum disease. Whilst 70% of cats older than 4 years of age have some form of gum disease.
Most dogs and cats swallow their kibble whole, getting no dental benefit from their food. Even if your pet does chew their dry food, it is too hard and breaks apart as soon as the tooth contacts it, again offering no benefits. Softer, larger kibble helps solve these problems.
Unlike humans, a dog’s jaw does not shift side to side, which means that when they chew down on a bone, a hard ball or a chew toy, they can fracture their carnassial teeth. This fracture can lead to pain and infections. When choosing a toy or ball, choose one that is slightly softer and can bend under pressure.
You can help by examining your pet’s teeth and mouth regularly. First, smell their breathe and if it’s not pleasant, your pet may need a dental check.
Gum problems start when bacteria and food accumulate around the tooth’s gumline. Unless brushed away regularly, these bacteria can destroy tooth-supporting bone and cause bleeding and teeth loss.
Get into the habit of brushing your pet’s teeth regularly. Weekly at a minimum, will make a difference to your pet’s oral health. While you are brushing you can check for any increased redness, missing teeth, or dental abnormalities.
A dental check, stage 1 x-rays, scale, and polish is a fixed price of $520. Pre anaesthetic bloods are in addition to this at $120. This is an excellent initial step in understanding any issues below the gum line and will provide your pet with a full mouth clean.
