The 26 baby teeth of cats begin to appear at 2½ weeks of age, and all the baby teeth are in by 6 weeks of age. Kittens will begin to lose these teeth at 14 weeks, with all 30 permanent teeth fully erputed by 6 months of age. The 28 baby teeth of dogs begin to appear at 4 to 5 weeks of age, and all the baby teeth are in by 6 to 8 weeks of age. Puppies wil begin to lose these teeth at around 18 weeks, with all 42 permanent teeth fully erputed by 6 to 7 months of age. Normally, the baby tooth is shed prior to the appearance of the permanent tooth, but sometimes the tooth remains in the socket and can cause many secondary problems, including excessive tartar accumulation and gum disease. For these reasons any retained teeth should be extracted as early as possible.

The number one cause of pet loss is trauma (hit by car, dog fight, etc.), followed by cancer, and third on the list is kidney disease. There are many contributing factors as to why dogs and cats get kidney diseases – some of them are inherited, some are hygienic, some are related to improper diet, and some are related to heartworm disease.

One known cause of urinary disease is bacteria getting into the blood stream via the gumline, and settling into the filtration network of the kidney. The bacteria enter by way of a raw gum line (gingivitis or pyorrhea) caused by tartar build-up. Not all dogs and cats have tartar build-up, but many do. This leads us to the importance of good mouth care in order to help prevent one of the most common causes of pet illnesses. As silly as it may sound, cleaning or scaling the tartar off the pet’s teeth is very important in keeping them healthy. This procedure does require anesthesia and/or sedation.

The procedure is quick, and most animals can go home the same day. It is easier to do this between 5-10 years of age rather than waiting until 12-14 years of age when several teeth are falling out. Pyorrhea (gum infection) can also cause heart infections and heart murmurs.

We offer several services which are aimed at preventing kidney disease. In older animals, more testing may be indicated to help lower the risk of anesthesia. The routine dentistry includes scaling the teeth, chlorhex flush, polishing, and fluoride treatment. There are often additional items required, such as labwork (prior to procedure), pre/post-op antibiotic therapy, monitoring during the procedure, pain medication (if indicated), dental wax application, dental homecare kit, extractions (if indicated), or gum surgery (if indicated). Teeth that are abcessed, loose, or have tartar running up to the root of the tooth should be removed.