Dental Care

Dental disease is very common in our pets. Once there is a build-up of calculus on the teeth and the gums become diseased it is necessary to have the teeth cleaned under anaesthetic. This procedure is the same as done by the dentist on our own teeth. We have special equipment to ultrasonically scale the debris off the teeth and then polish the teeth up. We also have special equipment which can be used to extract teeth if they are beyond repair.

Once we have cleaned the teeth we can give you advise on how to slow the build-up of further deposits on the teeth. Some of the ways it can be done are through:

• toothbrushing (see our winter 2007 newsletter for more information). For a good free video guide to learn how to clean your cat's teeth visit the Cornell University feline health centre.
• feeding special dental diets such as Hills T/D®.
• giving a daily chew treat such as a Greenie®.

We recommend using dental chews approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). The Australian Veterinary Dental Society has endorsed the VOHC Seal of Acceptance system for plaque and tartar control products.