Animal Dental

Veterinary dentistry, and periodontics

It’s a fact that most Americans consider their pets to be members of their family these days even more so than they did just 20 years ago. As a result of this, our pets are receiving better nutrition, better medical care, and are living longer on average than ever before. An important component of their overall health extends to their oral and dental health.
Gum Disease is one of the most common issues with aging pets. In fact, according to the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) half of dogs and cats will need Periodontal care by age 3. As dogs and cats age, dental problems become even more prevalent. Imagine going years without seeing a dentist.

At Quail Crossing, we don’t just call them “dentals” because the procedure encompasses so much more and deserves a more appropriate descriptive term for the procedure. The American Veterinary Dental College recommends the terminology for the procedure as a “Comprehensive Oral Assessment and Treatment” or “COPAT” and the team at QCAH agrees. In order to conduct a thorough oral exam, this procedure requires general anesthesia for animals. Our pets don’t “open wide” when we ask them to do so, and having them under anesthesia is simply imperative to perform an assessment, clean the teeth, and treat any encountered issues. Many clients are reluctant to put their pets under anesthesia for what they perceive to be minor dental problems. However, chronic dental problems can impact overall health, not to mention they are typically very painful. According to a 2014 survey of United Kingdom Veterinary Surgeons, one of the top 3 most common causes of chronic pain were dental issue related. Clients often don’t notice the discomfort their pets are feeling, and it isn’t until after their dental problems are treated that they notice a significant improvement in their pets demeanor. TOOTH AND GUM PROBLEMS HURT!

Back to the anesthesia issue, it’s necessary to conduct a proper assessment and treatment. Anesthesia is taken very seriously in the veterinary field. We use state of the art monitoring equipment, preanesthetic screenings, and anesthetic protocols that make these procedures as safe as possible. At QCAH, every patient is an individual, there is no “one size fits all” approach to anesthesia. The patient’s age, level of necessary treatment, and concurrent medical issues are all taken into account the formulating an anesthetic plan of action. The pain of a chronic problem and its effects on the local area and the rest of the body are almost always more dangerous than the actual COPAT procedure under anesthesia.

Well how much does all of this cost? A typical COPAT procedure at Quail Crossing typically falls somewhere in the range of $425 – $625 depending on the amount of work that needs to be done. It really is money well spent to keep your furry family members happy and healthy.