It’s not uncommon for us to see an older pet with dental disease but many people are worried about their senior pet having to undergo a dental procedure.

In fact, as our pets get older, their immune system becomes less effective at fighting off bacterial and viral diseases so good dental health is more important than ever!

Senior pets may be missing or have worn down teeth and this can affect their ability to chew and digest their food. They are also very good at hiding dental pain and soldiering on, so many owners put changes down to ‘getting old.’

The fact is, your senior friend may be in considerable pain and could have issues such as an oral mass or a broken tooth.

Prior to an anaesthetic, we may recommend blood and urine testing to check the overall health of your senior pet and tailor the anaesthetic protocol accordingly.

It’s important to realise that veterinary anaesthetics are on par with human anaesthetics and are very safe. This means your pet will be able to undergo necessary treatment to ensure a pain-free mouth and will be able to live a happier and longer life.

Regular dental checks along with a thorough whole body examination at least yearly will help minimise the risk of oral disease in your senior pet.

Please ask a Pet Doctors team member for more information if you are worried about your pet.