DENTAL MONTH

August is dental month!

Whilst we're all sitting around at home waiting for the world to reopen, we are spending more time with our pets! What a wonderful silver lining to the maddening chaos of our world today.

Let's take this opportunity to check them out, ensure they're in good health and fit to take all of those extra walks we are pushing on them lately!

Good overall health really starts in the mouth. If the teeth are in poor condition, you can almost guarantee their blood work is going to show up other areas in their body that are suffering for it.

Simple ways to check if your pets teeth need a scale and polish are:

1. bring them in to us! You're welcome to call ahead and then pop past for one of our experienced nurses to have a quick look at the teeth and let you know if further attention is needed. This is something we offer for FREE! (not just during dental month)

2. have a look for yourself! Do your pets teeth look brown? Can you see a bulky buildup of tartar on them? Is there a red line around the gum line? These things are all indications that your pet is feeling pain or discomfort to some degree and their teeth should be cleaned.

3. have a smell! it may sound gross...but if you turn away from a kiss from your canine pal or feline friend because their breath is a little on the nose... there is a good chance that they need a dental scale and polish.

4. if you'd rather not leave the house and can't decide for yourself if the teeth need a clean, feel free to take a (clear) photo and email it to us. We'll quickly be able to let you know what to do next.

5. If your pet has been for a check up in the last 3 months, we can book the dental in over the phone. If it has been longer than 3 months since we last saw your pet, we will require a consultation before the scale and polish. (This can be on the day of the procedure.) We do not take putting a patient under anaesthetic lightly and would like to give them a full once over before we go ahead.

Finally, there are lots of ways you can help maintain good dental health for your pets

- water additives

- regular brushing (yep, just like humans!)

- dental foods

- dental treats

- dental toys!