Dentistry

Why Is It Important? 

Dental health is just as important for pets as it is for humans! Our team at Everhart does not want your pet to suffer from an unhealthy mouth. Bad breath is a clear indicator of bacteria, which over time leads to a buildup of tartar and plaque on the animal’s teeth. Other signs of dental disease include discomfort while chewing, missing teeth, and excessive drooling.

Did you know that dental disease in your animal could affect more than just  the teeth? 

Bacteria associated with dental disease can enter the pet’s bloodstream and can lead to infection in other organs. We highly recommend taking advantage of our dental examinations to protect your pet from dental disease. Our experts will thoroughly inspect your pet’s gums and teeth for any dental issues. Fortunately, the majority of dental disease can be treated and prevented in most pets with a proactive approach from you, the owner – and we’re here to help!

What is Periodontal Disease?

• Periodontal disease/periodontitis is inflammation of some or all the tissues that support the teeth (gums, ligaments, bone)
• Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria that lead to plaque buildup
• Within hours after tooth brushing, bacteria accumulate on the surface of teeth, which then forms plaque. Days to weeks of plaque buildup leads to mineralization of the plaque and calculus formation which leads to gingivitis, periodontitis, and bone loss
• Untreated periodontal disease leads to mobile teeth, halitosis, tooth infection, and tooth loss
• The AVMA reports that up to 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have periodontal disease by age 3

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

• Halitosis/bad breath
• Mobile teeth
• Tooth root exposure
• Visible plaque/calculus on tooth surfaces
• Gingivitis
• Inability to chew food/drooling
• Tooth root abscess/infection

How do we evaluate dental disease?

A COHAT (Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment) will likely be recommended by your veterinarian. At Everhart, we perform COHATs routinely and an estimate for the expected cost of this procedure will be given to you after an oral exam/physical exam is performed in our office. COHATs are always performed under general anesthesia to fully protect your dog/cat, to obtain diagnostic and treatment plans via radiographs/oral examination, to safely perform surgical extractions, and to protect our equipment from being damaged.

What is Included in COHAT Price Estimates with Everhart:

• General anesthesia and associated medications and monitoring
• Pain medications before/during/after COHAT, including pain meds to go home
• Antibiotics if indicated
• Cost of surgical extractions/treatments
• E-collar if indicated