Shiner Animal Hospital site maintained by Wink's Tech Solutions, LLC

Having healthy teeth and gums is an essential part of your pet's overall health. This is why we check your pet's mouth for signs of disease as part of his/her general exam.

After examining the mouth of your pet, our vets can offer dietary and at-home preventative care recommendations to keep your pet's teeth and gums as healthy as possible. Our clinic is also equipped to provide professional dental cleanings and/or dental extractions if your pet is in need of these services. It is important to remember that even with consistent at-home care, animals also need periodic dental cleaning, just like people.

There are 4 main stages of periodontal (oral cavity) disease in animals:

             Stage 1: Gingivitis, which is the inflammation of the gums due to the presence of tartar and                                      bacteria, is the main finding in this stage. You may see a thin red line on the gums near                              the teeth or notice some swelling of the gums.

             Stage 2: Also known as early periodontitis, you may notice gingivitis, bad breath, and some                                      visible plaque and tartar in this stage. Your pet will need a professional dental cleaning                                to thoroughly remove the plaque and tartar, and to reverse the progress of dental                                        disease. Oral radiographs taken at this stage reveal only a small amount of bone loss -                                less than 25%.

             Stage 3: This stage is called moderate periodontitis, and extensive dental damage has begun to                              occur. Radiographs of the mouth show 25-50% bone loss. Your pet's gums are swollen                                and irritated, and may bleed easily. Periodontal pockets have begun to form. This occurs                            when the ligament that attaches the gum to the tooth begins to break down. Your pet                                  may need to have infected and/or damaged teeth removed. There is often pain                                            associated with the infected teeth.

             Stage 4: Also known as severe or end-stage periodontitis, oral radiographs show bone loss of                                  over 50% in this stage. Your pet is in chronic pain, and will likely need multiple teeth                                    extracted. The infection in your pet's mouth has become so advanced that bacteria are                                likely to enter the bloodstream and migrate to other organs in the body, such as the                                    heart or kidneys, causing infection and damage.​

Pet Dentistry