Cat Dentist in Paoli

At Paoli Vetcare, we understand the importance of regular dental care and maintenance for your cat’s overall health. Good dental health prevents diseases, ensures your cat is healthy, and gives them a happy life. Our veterinary center offers comprehensive cat dental services in Paoli, ensuring your feline companion has a clean mouth.

Protect Your Cat’s Smile with Expert Veterinary Dental Care

Veterinary dentistry is a specialized branch of veterinary medicine focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing oral health issues in felines.

Common cat dental services include dental examinations and health charting, dental cleanings, tooth extractions, surgery, and treatments for periodontal diseases.

Cats typically have stinky fish breath that we become used to over time. How do you know if your cat needs a dentist, and when should you take them to your local veterinarian? Expert veterinary services ensure your cat is happy, healthy, and plaque-free.

Why Your Cat Needs a Dentist

Why are cat dental cleanings important? Routine dental care is important for cats. Neglecting feline oral health can lead to serious medical issues, including infections that move beyond the mouth. Cat oral issues can affect the gums, roots, and teeth. A cat dentist near you can detect problems early through a new client exam, and prevent long-term oral complications.

Let’s examine common feline oral issues and how to treat them.

Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease

Plaque and tartar buildup can cause inflammation in the gums and progress to periodontal disease, which affects the tissue supporting the teeth. Gingivitis can be particularly difficult to deal with, and regular dental exams can help catch the onset of conditions early.

Tooth loss

Untreated dental diseases can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss, which impacts your cat’s ability to eat comfortably. A cat dentist can help preserve dental health through timely cleanings and treatment, ensuring that your cat keeps all their teeth!

Oral Pain and Difficulty Eating

Dental problems can cause significant pain for your cat. This might look like difficulty chewing, reduced appetite, or mood swings. Visiting your veterinary dentist can help relieve your cat’s discomfort and restore their normal eating habits.

Infections

Oral infections spread bacteria into the bloodstream, which can affect vital organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys. Just like with people, oral infections can damage other parts of the body, leading to behavioral changes, a decline in health, and in rare cases, death. Professional dental care reduces these risks and supports your cat’s overall health.

What Does a Cat Dentist Do?

A veterinary dentist identifies, treats, and prevents dental issues in cats. They have years of expertise handling feline-specific oral conditions, utilizing advanced diagnostic tools, education, and techniques to treat your feline companion.

Dental Exams and Digital X-Rays

Comprehensive dental exams, sometimes performed under sedation for the protection of both the cat and the veterinarian, help evaluate the visible and hidden structures of the mouth. Digital X-rays are essential for detecting issues below the gum line, such as root infections and resorptive lesions.

Cat Dental Cleaning

Professional veterinary cleanings remove plaque and tartar buildup above and below the gum line through the use of specialized tools and anesthesia for a thorough and stress-free procedure.

Regular dental cleanings are about more than maintaining fresh breath—they are crucial to overall pet care. Keeping your cat’s teeth clean prevents oral diseases, tooth loss, and more severe health issues.

Poor dental health can lead to infections that cause heart and kidney diseases. Regular dental cleanings can address issues early, preventing conditions (and expensive treatments) in the future.

Tooth Extractions

Tooth extractions may be necessary when teeth are fractured, infected, or severely decayed. When a tooth is damaged beyond repair, it’s important to remove it, preventing infection and pain caused by the dead tooth. This also prevents periodontal disease.

Gum disease is caused when plaque builds up and hardens into tartar. This hardened material causes pockets of infection, leading to gum erosion and tooth decay. Help prevent gum disease with at-home dental care, regular appointments, and treatments.

Cats are also susceptible to feline tooth resorption. This painful process is when erosions develop in a cat’s tooth and begin breaking down the structure. This always results in tooth extraction.

Treatment of Cat Oral Diseases

Cat dentists can diagnose and treat a range of oral diseases, such as stomatitis, tooth resorption, and abscesses.

Treating feline periodontitis typically requires cat dental cleaning, removing plaque and mineral buildup by scaling and polishing your cat’s teeth, saving the tooth whenever that is possible. In extreme cases of periodontitis and other oral diseases, tooth extraction may be necessary.

In cases of resorption, your cat’s veterinarian will manage your cat’s pain, prevent the condition from progressing, and restore the function of the teeth. They may recommend careful monitoring to prevent further pain and discomfort. It can be difficult to extract the tooth if there is significant damage, which can require surgery to remove the crown of the tooth above the gum line.

How Much Does a Cat Dentist Cost?

Professional cat dental cleanings typically cost between $100 to $400, depending on your cat’s age, oral health, and the complexity of the cleaning. Your veterinarian may recommend tooth extractions, anesthesia, intravenous fluid, or take-home medications depending on the severity of the procedure, which can increase the total cost of cleaning anywhere between $500 to $2,000.

Variables that can affect the cost of your cat’s dental cleaning can include age, size, and location—urban veterinarians often charge more than rural ones. Cleaning prices can also be based on your veterinarian’s experience, availability, and services provided. Tooth removal cost, as a surgery, is more expensive than a regular dental cleaning.

Some cats may need to be put under anesthesia for their own safety during a teeth cleaning. The quoted cost of your cat’s dental cleaning may include:

• X-rays
• Pre-surgical tests
• Tooth extraction
• Root canals
• Take-home medications

Signs Your Cat May Need a Dental Checkup

There are common signs that your cat needs a dental checkup, including exceptionally bad breath, drooling, or difficulty eating. Early detection is important, and recognizing these symptoms can prevent more serious health problems in your cat.

Bad Breath: Halitosis in cats is caused by periodontal diseases, resulting in damage to the soft tissue and bone in the mouth. If your cat has bad breath (or worse breath than usual), schedule an appointment with their veterinarian.

Tartar and Plaque: Tartar appears as hardened yellow brown scaling, and should not appear on your cat’s teeth. A small amount of tartar can cause gingivitis, which leads to periodontal disease.

Swollen, Red, or Bleeding Gums: Your cat might have a bacterial infection and needs a thorough dental examination and cleaning. Your veterinarian will likely do this cleaning with the aid of anesthesia.

Difficulty Eating: Your cat might have difficulty chewing their food, or lose interest in eating. Gingivitis causes inflammation and infection, and other periodontal diseases can make chewing and eating so unpleasant that your cat stops altogether. If they are no longer chewing hard foods or playing with their favorite chew toy, it’s time to visit the veterinarian.

Age: Elderly cats may show signs of dental disease. Some cats can have dental disease as early as age two or three, which is why regular dental cleanings are important.

What to Expect During a Cat Dental Appointment

Cat dental visits include pre-exams, consultations, anesthesia, cleaning, X-rays, and post-procedure care. It’s important for cat owners to consider their cat’s safety and comfort, and know that their health is prioritized through every veterinary visit.

A typical cat dental appointment may involve these processes:

Veterinary Assessment: Veterinary evaluation of your pet’s entire oral cavity. Abnormalities are recorded, including deep gum pockets, loose or damaged teeth, and tongue or lip lesions.

Full Mouth X-rays: Your veterinarian will take radiographs or X-rays of your cat’s mouth, using non-invasive technology. This helps uncover deeper issues such as damaged teeth.

Supragingival Cleaning: A full cat dental cleaning will remove all tartar and plaque buildup above the gum line.

Subgingival Cleaning: Hidden areas are cleaned beneath the gum line, which can prevent common illnesses and ailments leading to periodontal disease.

Polishing: After plaque is removed from your cat’s mouth, we smooth out the rough teeth with a thorough polishing to restore smooth surfaces and protect their teeth.

Dental Treatment: If any abnormalities are found during the cleaning, additional services are provided, including tooth extractions, treatments, and antibiotics.

Home Care and Medication: If your pet had a tooth extraction or other invasive dental procedure, antibiotics and pain medications are provided to help their recovery. Prevention is key to optimal oral health, and our compassionate veterinary team explains measures that can prevent future diseases.

Regular veterinary appointments ensure that your cat stays in top oral health for their entire life. Book now with Paoli Vetcare to give your cat the best care possible.

How Often Should My Cat See a Dentist?

Professional dental care should happen on an annual basis, though your veterinarian may imply that more regular or semi-annual check-ups are more important for your cat. Their veterinarian will have the knowledge and experience to make recommendations based on your cat’s age, health, and oral needs.

Older cats or cats with pre-existing oral health conditions may require more frequent visits. Routine exams help veterinarians catch problems early, and maintain long-term oral health.

Looking for a Cat Dentist? Visit Paoli Vetcare

Pet owners in our area choose Paoli Vetcare for compassionate, expert feline dental care. Our experienced team, advanced technology, and commitment to keeping cats healthy and comfortable make us the compassionate team our neighbors know and love. As cat owners ourselves, we know how nerve-wracking these visits can be. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact us immediately.

We’ve set the standard of vet care on the Philadelphia Main Line for over 60 years. AAHA-accredited vet practices like Paoli Vetcare are at the heart of better care for pets and their people. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. Pets are our passion, and keeping them healthy is our number-one priority. We strive to deliver excellent care for pets—because pets deserve nothing less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cat dental cleaning safe?

Cat dental cleanings are safe, relatively quick, and supportive for your pet when performed by a skilled veterinary team using modern anesthesia and monitoring practices.

Cats develop periodontal diseases and tooth decay just like us. Animals eat, and plaque gets stuck in their teeth. This plaque can build up into tartar if not regularly brushed or cleaned. Plaque can cause mouth infections, tooth decay, and loose/missing teeth. Regular dental care is important in preventing pain or disease.

How often should I brush my cat’s teeth?

Brushing your cat’s teeth daily at home (or at least several times a week) using pet-safe toothpaste and a feline toothbrush is recommended.

Can dental disease affect my cat’s overall health?

Untreated dental diseases can lead to systemic infections, which can affect major organs, such as the heart, kidneys, and liver. Oral health directly affects total body wellness, and when ignored, can cause further damage and even death.

Cats are not good at telling us how they feel, but there are signs to watch out for. Excessive drooling, disinterest in eating, and other personality changes may be signs of oral health issues. Check for discolored teeth, swollen gums, and bad breath.

What should I do at home to keep my pet’s teeth clean between dental appointments?

Using dental treats, dental water additives (that contain antimicrobial agents, enzymes, and other compounds that reduce plaque and tartar buildup), special dental diets, and brushing with vet-approved toothpaste.

What cat breeds are more prone to dental issues?

Persians, Himalayans, Siamese, and other particular breeds can be more susceptible to dental problems due to genetics or jaw structures. Depending on your cat’s breed, they may require additional dental monitoring and exams. Always follow your veterinarian’s recommendations.

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