Symptoms and signs of dental disease in pets include:
At Best Care, we make your pet's oral health care a priority in their routine preventative care. We conduct a visual examination of your pet’s oral health during every physical examination. Our team looks for signs of dental disease, such as discolored teeth, swollen gums, or excessive drooling. If we see such signs in a routine examination, we can discuss further steps in order to enhance your pet's dental plan.
If during the visual examination we see signs of poor dental hygiene and possibly dental disease, we may recommend dental radiographs. Dental radiographs, or x-rays, allow us to see below the gum line and so we can get a better sense for the severity of possible dental disease. The radiographs also allow our team to pinpoint exactly where the damage is most severe, and what is causing it.
If a dental examination finds signs of dental disease or your pet appears to be at risk for it, we may recommend a professional dental cleaning and deep clean to completely eliminate infections. At this point, a full dental cleaning would be necessary because brushing of the teeth would not be enough.
Due to legal requirements, dental cleanings must be performed under general anesthesia. We understand the concerns some clients may have with anesthesia, but all protocols are followed for the safety of your pet and are performed by trained professionals in our fully-equipped facility.
It is important to always be conscious of your pet's health, but your pet's dental health care is something you can contribute to and maintain at home. We do our part to help your pet during physical examinations, but it is highly recommended that you practice proper dental care between visits. Please do not hesitate to ask us for pet-friendly dental care recommendations.
We know that you cannot always brush your pet's teeth, and we also know that your pet may not let you! As an alternative, there are numerous dental products such as rinses, treats, and chew toys that are designed to help improve your pet’s dental hygiene and break down plaque.
Tip: the younger your pet is, the earlier you should start brushing their teeth. Hopefully, this will train them to be more cooperative.
We are located on the east side of Sioux Falls, right off I-229. You'll find us on E 10th St. right across from Nelson Park.
Phone: 605-334-2412
