Dentistry

More than 85% of dogs and cats over the age of 1 have signs of periodontal disease. At South Side Animal Hospital, we recognize that dental health is one of the most important ways we can keep our pets healthy longer. Periodontal disease has been shown to cause problems with your pet's heart, liver, and kidneys, and can become a source of chronic pain for your pet.

COHAT (Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment) is recommended when your pet has tartar on the teeth, gingivitis, or any other signs of oral discomfort. A COHAT includes a full dental cleaning by one of our Animal Health Technologists using an ultrasonic scaler and hand scalers to safely and efficiently clean the teeth above and below the gumline. Dental x-rays are taken to help our veterinarians properly assess the health of the teeth, looking for any cavities, pockets of infection, or areas of bone loss around the tooth roots. Our veterinarians have all taken additional training in veterinary dentistry and will evaluate the teeth to help you decide if further treatments such as extractions are required. We will work with you to decide what is best for you and your pet, whether it be home care after your COHAT or a referral if for further endodontic treatment such as root canals are needed.

Pain control is extremely important to us. We will provide nerve blocks to reduce pain during and after the procedure and will use appropriate pain medications to make sure you pet feels as comfortable as possible. We also provide a complimentary recheck examination after the surgery to ensure your pet’s mouth is healing properly.