Dentistry

We realize that dental disease (Periodontal Disease) is one of the leading causes of serious illness and pain in dogs and cats. Beyond the risks of developing a tooth abscess, periodontal disease opens up the bloodstream to the menagerie of bacteria that live in the mouth, predisposing your pet to liver and kidney problems. To prevent this, we provide instruction and home dental care products so that you can keep your pet's teeth clean. However, should plaque build up, Grand Traverse Veterinary Hospital can perform ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and fluoride treatment to keep your pet healthy.

Because we can't tell your pet to stick out his tongue and "say ahhh," effective dental scaling usually requires an anesthetic in order for us to be as thorough as possible, with the least amount of stress. Because every animal is different, anesthesia is tailored to your pet's individual needs. See our surgery section for a bit on anesthesia.

Recently, we have added in dental radiographs as part of our routine dental cleaning procedure! Dental radiographs allow us to gain a more in-depth evaluation of your pet’s teeth beyond what we can see on a routine exam. By utilizing dental radiography, we are able to detect changes before they become an issue. Dental radiology also helps guide us for routine extractions and other oral surgery procedures.

For more information on Periodontal Disease, click here. 

For more information on Dental Care, click here.