Pet Dental Care
Protect your pet’s health with dental care at South Shreveport Animal Hospital, offering cleanings, exams, radiography, and treatments.
Pet Dental Care in Shreveport, LA
One of the best ways to preserve your pet’s overall health and add years to their life is to provide consistent dental hygiene. Surprisingly, though, dental care is one of the most neglected aspects of pet health care. South Shreveport Animal Hospital provides dental exams, cleanings, polishing, fluoride treatments, tooth extractions, dental radiography, as well as other dental procedures. We encourage maintaining healthy teeth and gums to keep your pet from developing dental diseases that can progress and lead to serious complications if left untreated.
As with people, oral disease in pets begins with bacteria in the mouth that harden and form plaque that adheres to teeth. If not removed through regular care and cleaning, these bacteria will accumulate, harden into tartar, and can lead to the development of gingivitis and periodontitis. The resulting inflammation of the gingiva and periodontal tissues gives these bacteria access to the body, and they can seriously affect the kidneys, heart, liver, brain, and lungs.
To prevent the formation of dental disorders and all the complications that come with them, we recommend beginning regular dental cleanings and exams when your pets are young. During our examination, we look for fractured teeth, worn areas of enamel, retained baby teeth, plaque, tartar, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), abnormal growths or masses, tooth discoloration, infected teeth, and more. We will then determine if further treatment is necessary.
We recommend regular dental checkups and cleanings at least every 1 to 2 years in most cases. Some pets, however, require more frequent cleanings. Brushing your pet’s teeth in between cleanings and supplying them with oral hygiene chews are additional preventive measures.
Digital Dental Radiography
With the added advantage of regular screenings using digital dental radiology, our veterinarians can locate potential problem areas. Dental X-rays enable us to identify tooth root changes (like abscesses) and alveolar bone loss, and it gives us the opportunity to discover teeth that are painful or require extraction.
If you notice your pet exhibiting any of the following conditions, don’t hesitate to give us a call:
- Abnormal chewing, drooling, or dropping food from the mouth
- Bad breath
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Broken or loose teeth
- Gum recession and/or gum swelling
- Pain in or around the mouth
- Pawing at the face or mouth
- Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
- Swelling of the face
- Teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
- Weight loss
South Shreveport Animal Hospital provides dental health care services and screenings to pet owners in Shreveport, Bossier City, Benton, and Keithville.