Pet Oral / Dental Care


Your Pet Oral Hygiene Made Easy

Veterinarians recommend taking your pet for an oral health checkup at least once a year. When you regularly have your pet checked, you can catch any oral or dental challenge early, making it easy to treat. However, depending on your pet's needs, you can take your pet to our vets as often as necessary. That's why our team at Summit Veterinary Hospital is here to help.

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 Tell-Tale Signs that Your Pet Needs Oral Check-up

Seeing that your pet cannot speak and tell you what they are suffering from, regularly taking your pet to our vets for an oral checkup is recommended. Here are some signs that your pet is having dental issues

  • Bad Breath
  • Your pet has retained baby teeth 
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Drooling
  • Your pet refuses to eat 
  • Bleeding gums

It is not easy to diagnose the exact challenge yourself, mostly because pets in pain can bite. You should always seek the experience of our veterinarians.

Common Pet Dental Challenges and Their Causes 

Sometimes the oral problems that pets suffer are visible to the naked eye, and often the problems require a vet to diagnose. Here are some of the common pet oral challenges and their causes

Broken Teeth and Roots

The trick is to examine how your pet eats. Does it chew using only one side of its mouth, or does it drop food from its mouth? Your pet, especially dogs, may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Finally, the pet may become sensitive to petting, especially on the face. Broken teeth are often caused by external trauma like being hit and chewing on hard toys.  

Periodontal Disease

The periodontal disease is common in pets, especially dogs. The condition is caused by inadequate oral hygiene, which results in the build-up of bacteria that eats away your pet's gums. Your pet may start having bleeding gums, pain when chewing, and a general change in pet behavior in its advanced stages. To prevent periodontal disease, you should regularly have your pet cleaned by our veterinarians.  

Tooth Abscesses 

An abscess frequently is a result of the body trying to defend itself from diseases. When a pet's immune system detects invasion from outside bodies, it produces extra white blood cells to combat the attack's effects. The excess white blood cells and the invader's dead parts are transported and deposited on the pet's body's fleshy parts. Abscesses can manifest on your pet's tongue, gums, and other fleshy parts of your pet. Abscesses can also be caused by infected wounds, chewing accidents, among other causes of tooth abscesses. 

Cysts or Tumors in the Mouth

Cysts, commonly referred to as dentigerous cysts, are common in dogs, and on rare occasions, in cats. The disease forms in the oral cavity and can occur as a result of an unerupted tooth. This disease is challenging to diagnose and may require the input of our experienced vets. 

Palate defects  

Palate defects like cleft palate are mostly genetic. However, nutritional deficiencies and viruses during pregnancy can cause palate challenges. When you take your pet to our veterinarians, we will advise whether corrective surgery is required or other interventions can help, depending on the severity of the disease. 

 Let a Qualified Dental Care Vet in Los Gatos Help

Your pet's oral health is significant if your pet is to be happy. When you ignore the subtle tell-tale signs, you may end up having a more significant challenge in your hands. Are you looking for an experienced dental vet in Los Gatos, CA? Summit Veterinary Hospital and Kennels is an animal veterinary hospital that deals in routine dental care, specialized treatment, and emergency surgeries. 

 

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Our Regular Schedule

Monday

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Tuesday

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Wednesday

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Thursday

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Friday

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday

Closed

Monday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday
Closed

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