Dental care in dogs and cats is an important part of helping your pet live a long, healthy life. Even though it may not be possible to brush daily, good dental hygiene is still possible. That is why during their yearly exam your pet’s teeth are evaluated to see if they need to schedule a dental procedure.  This is done on an inpatient basis because a pet dental requires sedation so that our technician and doctors can make sure the teeth are healthy and strong.  Your pet’s teeth are cleaned and polished, and any teeth that show severe damage or decay are repaired or removed.  This is an important procedure that your pet should have done on the doctor’s recommendation

Neutering male pets will help to decrease roaming, marking, and aggressive behaviors. Spaying female pets will help to decrease the chances of cancer (mammary and uterine), eliminating heat periods and unwanted pregnancies.  These procedures help to give you a better pet with a better chance at a long life. We use modern inhalation anesthetics for safety and monitor blood pressure and vital signs during surgery.  Injectable pain medication is used during the post operative period. Both procedures require an over night hospital stay during which pets are monitored and given pain medicine as needed.  The next day they are ready to go home but should take it easy for about 10 to 14 days.  Leash walking is recommended for that period of time so that tissues can heal. We also recommend that you keep the incision clean and dry, but no baths or grooming for about 2 weeks.

X-rays

Why might animals sometimes need x-rays or ultasound imaging for something that we might not?  Since your pet cannot talk,  the doctors have to use all the tools at their disposal to find out why you dog or cat is not feeling well.  Sometimes this requires radiographs or other imaging techniques.  An x-ray gives the doctors a look inside your pet in the least invasive way.  They often provide us with the most useful information about how we can make your pet better.