Pet Dental Health Month
On the occasion of Pet Dental Health Month, the team at Hôpital Vétérinaire Métro Iberville invites all pet owners to pay close attention to their cats' and dogs' teeth.
Dental disease is the most common health problem in domestic pets. According to the Quebec Association of Veterinarians, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over 3 years old suffer from some form of dental disease. It can cause serious health problems and harm your pet's well-being.
What is Dental Disease?
(Periodontal Disease)
Dental disease is generally silent. When it begins, there are no external signs or symptoms. However, once the disease progresses, it can devastate your pet's mouth, causing chronic pain, eroded gums, missing teeth, and bone loss.
Dental disease affects the areas around your pet's teeth, including the gums, soft tissues, and even the jawbone. It's a bacterial infection that manifests in four stages:
Stage 1: Gingivitis
You may notice bad breath, tartar buildup on the teeth, and slight redness of the gums.
Stage 2: Early Periodontal Disease
You may notice more pronounced bad breath, more discolored and tartar-covered teeth, and redness of the gums.
Stage 3: Moderate Periodontal Disease
You may notice very bad breath, heavy tartar accumulation especially on the molars, very stained or discolored teeth, and pronounced gum redness. It's possible the animal is chewing more on one side than the other.
Stage 4: Advanced Periodontal Disease
You'll notice severe bad breath (extreme halitosis) and your pet may show signs of pain, such as being reluctant to have their head touched or dropping kibble while chewing.
Gum disease is about five times more common in companion animals than in humans due to the chemical composition of cats' and dogs' mouths and saliva. Additionally, their mouth is more alkaline, which allows greater plaque formation.
Symptoms of Dental Disease
Here are some signs to watch for to recognize dental disease in your companion:
- Inflammation or redness of gums
- Bad breath
- Discolored teeth or tartar buildup
- Excessive drooling or blood in saliva
- Loss of appetite or weight loss
- Difficulty chewing or eating
- Loose or broken teeth
- Mouth pain
- Reluctance to open mouth
- Inactivity, decreased family interaction
Most of the time, we don't realize our pets have periodontal disease until it reaches an advanced stage. This is mainly because the early symptoms are difficult to detect.
If you regularly check your pet's teeth and mouth, the first visible sign of disease is gum inflammation. Another early sign of periodontal disease is sudden, strong bad breath. Your pet's teeth may also appear yellow or brown. In more advanced cases, you may notice your pet has loose or even missing teeth, loss of appetite, chronic mouth pain, and personality changes.
The most common complication of dental disease is pathological jaw fracture. When left untreated, dental disease weakens your pet's jawbone to the point where even minimal pressure could lead to a complete fracture.
In addition to gum and mouth problems, untreated dental disease can lead to increased risk of:
Heart Disease
Kidney Disease
Liver Problems
What Causes Dental Disease in Cats and Dogs?
Bacteria are the main cause of periodontal disease in companion animals (and humans). The most common culprit bacteria are Actinomyces and Streptococcus. As soon as your pet eats something, bacteria break down food, saliva, and other particles to form a thick film on the teeth. This is known as plaque.
Plaque does many things, like giving bacteria a favorable environment to multiply and develop. Plaque can also mix with minerals in the saliva to form tartar. Tartar is harder to remove than plaque and sticks firmly to your pet's teeth, but tartar itself is not a sign of periodontal disease.
When there's plaque buildup, your pet's immune system sends white blood cells to try to eliminate or neutralize the bacteria.
The bacteria then signal the white blood cells to release enzymes that break down the gums. This progressive degradation eventually affects the soft tissues and bones around your pet's mouth.
Diagnosing and Treating Dental Disease
If you suspect your pet is suffering from dental disease, your veterinarian can perform a complete oral examination. Once the disease is diagnosed, a dental treatment plan will be created.
The prognosis for dental disease is generally good, although it depends on the stage your pet has reached. That's why you should try to see your veterinarian as soon as you notice something is wrong.
A dental treatment plan consists of a procedure under anesthesia allowing your veterinary team to perform a complete mouth cleaning and extraction of roots affected by dental disease.
Why Does Veterinary Dentistry Cost This Much?
Let's compare apples to apples. Understanding the value behind the bill.
In Quebec, we're used to presenting our health card and never seeing a bill. Plus, in human dentistry, a cleaning is done while you're awake in a chair.
For animals, dentistry is a major surgical procedure. To provide your pet with the same level of safety and care as a human, we must coordinate the equivalent of several specialists in a single procedure.
Here's what our treatment plan actually includes:
1. Pre-Operative Examination (Veterinarian and Technician)
What we do: A complete physical exam (heart, lungs, temperature, lymph nodes) to ensure your pet is fit for anesthesia.
Human equivalent: A visit to your family doctor before surgery + consultation with a specialist.
Why it matters: Your pet can't tell us if they're feeling weak. This exam is our first line of defense.
2. Complete Blood Panel (Pre-Anesthetic)
What we do: Blood drawn and analyzed in our in-house laboratory to check internal function (Kidneys, Liver, Blood Sugar, Proteins).
Human equivalent: An appointment at a private lab (e.g., Biron or Dynacare) or hospital.
Why it matters: Anesthesia is filtered by the liver and kidneys. If these organs are weak (invisible to the naked eye), anesthesia becomes risky. We don't guess, we verify. We don't cut corners on safety.
3. General Anesthesia and Monitoring
What we do: Your pet is intubated (tube in the trachea) and kept asleep with gas anesthesia. A dedicated technician (our "anesthesiologist") monitors vital signs (ECG, oxygen, blood pressure) every minute.
Human equivalent: This is the major difference. At the dentist, you sit in a chair. Here, we need to rent an operating room and hire an anesthesiologist.
Why it matters: Unlike you, we can't ask a dog to "open wide and hold still" for 45 minutes while we use sharp tools and a loud ultrasonic scaler. Intubation also protects their airways from bacteria and water.
4. Fluid Therapy (Intravenous)
What we do: A catheter is placed and fluids are administered continuously during the procedure and recovery.
Human equivalent: Nursing care in the operating room.
Why it matters: Anesthesia tends to lower blood pressure. Fluids maintain pressure to ensure the kidneys and brain are well perfused. It also helps your pet wake up faster and less groggy. Many clinics offer this as an option. For us, it's included because it's the standard of care.
5. Digital Dental X-Rays
What we do: We take images of the root of each tooth.
Human equivalent: Panoramic X-rays at your dentist's office.
Why it matters: Look at your pet: you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. 60% of the tooth is below the gum line. Without X-rays, we might leave a diseased tooth in place that will continue to cause pain.
6. Scaling, Polishing, and LASER Therapy
What we do: Ultrasonic cleaning (like yours), polishing to smooth the enamel, and application of Therapeutic Laser treatment to the gums.
Human equivalent: Dental hygienist + Physical therapy/dermatology treatment for healing.
Why the Laser? It's an advanced technology that reduces immediate inflammation and pain in the gums after cleaning. It accelerates healing so your pet can eat comfortably that same evening.
Summary Table
| Service Included | Human Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Complete medical examination | Doctor consultation (Private clinic) |
| Blood work (Chemistry/Hematology) | Private laboratory |
| Sterile surgical suite | Operating room fees |
| Anesthesia and Monitoring | Anesthesiologist fees |
| IV Fluids (Fluid therapy) | Nursing care |
| X-Rays and Cleaning | Dentist and Hygienist |
| Laser Therapy for Gums | Specialized therapeutic care |
| TOTAL VETERINARY PRICE | ~$900 |
| TOTAL HUMAN PRICE (Estimated private) | Over $3,000 |
For a personalized treatment plan adapted to your pet, call us at 514-223-1197.