Posts by meganm

Have you wondered, “What happens during a professional pet teeth cleaning?” During a professional teeth cleaning, your pet gets a pre-anesthetic check, is placed under general anesthesia, and has plaque and tartar removed above and below the gumline. Then the teeth are polished, X-rays are taken, and a care team member watches your pet closely…

Dental chews can help slow plaque and tartar on the visible surfaces of the teeth, but they can’t replace brushing, professional cleanings, or a veterinarian’s exam. Think of a chew as a helpful supporting player rather than the whole team. At Partners Animal Hospital NoDa in Charlotte, North Carolina, owners regularly ask, “Are dental chews…

A dog needs a tooth removed when the tooth is fractured, infected, loose, or too damaged to repair, and the most common warning signs are foul breath, drooling, dropped food, and swelling around the face. Because many dogs suffer quietly, a veterinary exam with dental X-rays is the only dependable way to confirm it. At…

If you’re wondering, “Why are my dog’s gums red and bleeding?”, the most likely cause is gum disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) triggered by plaque and tartar along the gumline. Other dental problems, such as a cracked tooth, an abscess, or an object stuck between the teeth, can look similar, so a veterinary exam is the…

A cat drooling more than normal is usually reacting to a problem in the mouth, the stomach, or the body as a whole. Dental disease is among the most common causes, but nausea, a foreign object, mouth sores, and contact with irritating substances can also trigger heavy salivation, so a veterinary exam is the only…

Are your dog’s teeth turning brown? The most common cause is tartar, a hardened layer of plaque that stains as it builds up along the gumline. Less often, a single brown, gray, or purple tooth signals that the tooth itself has been damaged or has died. Either way, a veterinary exam is the only way…

If you hear your dog cry when chewing, something in the mouth almost certainly hurts. A cracked tooth, an infected tooth root, inflamed gums, a sore jaw joint, or an object caught between the teeth are the usual suspects, and only a veterinary exam can tell them apart. Most dogs show mouth pain quietly, by…

A cat pawing at their mouth is usually signaling discomfort from a sore tooth, irritated gums, or something lodged between the teeth. A veterinary exam is the only way to pin down which. One quick swipe after dinner is ordinary cat housekeeping, but repeated, focused, or frantic pawing is a different matter, especially when it…

A tooth rot abscess in dogs is a pocket of infection that forms at the root of a diseased or broken tooth, and it usually brings pain, swelling, and reluctance to chew. Bacteria typically slip in through a fracture, a deep defect in the enamel, or gum disease that has stripped away the tissue holding…

The most effective dental care tips for cats and dogs come down to three habits: brush every day with pet-safe toothpaste, keep up with regular mouth exams, and schedule a professional cleaning when your veterinarian says it’s time. Dental disease is among the most common conditions veterinarians treat in adult pets, and it tends to…