Timberline Animal Hospital Fort Collins

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Pet Dentistry

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Taking care of your pet’s teeth is one of the most important things you can do to keep them healthy because good dental hygiene can add years to your pet’s life. At Timberline Animal Hospital, we are dedicated to providing the best dental care  for your pets. Our hospital features two full dental stations, the latest dental technology, digital dental radiography (xrays), and a medical team trained in  advanced dental procedures.  We also offer a full year Health Care Package with a dental billed monthly making it financially easier for you to provide your pet with the best dental care possible. 







​Our Pet Dental Services 
        Comprehensive dental examinations
        Digital dental x-ray (in hospital)
        Cleaning (teeth scale and polish)
        Closed root planing
        Oronasal fistula repair
        Extractions (minor and major oral surgery)
        Local nerve blocks 
        Synthetic bone grafting
        Management of resorptive lesions in cats
        Gingival flaps
        Bonded oral sealant applications 
        Doxirobe gel 
        Recommendation of home care products
        Pet dental health education and consultation
        Annual health care package w/dental (billed monthly)

Pet Dental Health

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Studies  by the American Veterinary  Dental Society report that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three. If left untreated, small dental problems can develop into periodontal disease, can create infection, gum line recession, and lead to tooth loss. Routine dental cleanings and good oral hygiene are just as important for your pet’s dental health as they are for yours!
 
Some signs of dental problems include:
        Bad breath  
        A yellowish-brown crust on teeth near your 
        pet's gum line
        Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
        Pain  or bleeding when your pet eats or when the 
        mouth or gums are touched
        Decreased appetite 
        Changes in eating or chewing behavior
        Loose or missing teeth 
        Change in behavior
        Abnormal drooling

Comprehensive Dental Assessments

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In puppies and kittens, we’ll check for:
Problems related to baby teeth, missing teeth,  extra teeth, swelling, crowding, and oral development.

Retained puppy teeth-this is  common in smaller dogs and can affect both the position of the adult teeth and proper growth of the jaw.

As your dogs and cats age we’ll check for:

Accumulation of plaque and tartar
Periodontal disease
Oral tumors
Tooth abscesses
Overall oral health
 
We will provide you with:
Education about your pet’s dental health
Personalized dental program for your pet
Recommendations for diet & dental treats
Home dental care tips
 
Dental Cleaning (Scale and Polish)
At Timberline Animal Hospital, because all pets are unique, we will conduct a comprehensive dental examination and create a tailored dental cleaning plan for your pet. Dental cleanings are performed under general anesthesia for all adult dogs and cats. For more detail about our dental cleaning procedure visit Dental Cleaning 101.

Digital Dental Radiographs (X-Rays)

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You would never have dental surgery or extractions without an x-ray, why would your pet? We offer state-of-the art digital dental radiograph services. Digital dental x-rays aid in evaluating your pet’s oral health and detect impacted roots, tumors, devitalized teeth, infected roots, and fractures.  X-rays also help our medical team detect abnormalities that cannot be seen through the physical examination alone. They can also confirm the need for tooth extraction when teeth are loose or badly infected.

Advanced Dentistry

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In addition to dental cleanings, Timberline Animal Hospital offers advanced dentistry procedures for pets. 

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For more advanced dental issues, we offer the following dental services for our patients: 
Closed root planing: under-the-gum cleaning of the tooth roots
Oronasal fistula repair: When the canine teeth are infected so bad that it destroys the bone at the base of the tooth requiring extraction. Once the tooth is extracted it leaves a hole or fistula between the oral and nasal cavities (an oronasal fistula). To prevent infection this needs to be covered up with a gingival flap.
Extractions (Minor and Major Oral Surgery)
Local nerve blocks: used for pain on tooth extractions
Synthetic bone grafting: to strengthen the jaw after an extraction because the tooth root can make up to 70% of the strength of the jaw
Gingival Flaps: surgical technique to ensure proper closure of the extraction site
Bonded oral sealant applications for chipped teeth
Doxirobe gel : used for gingival pockets to help save teeth that are at risk of loss due to recessed gum lines
Management of resorptive lesions (FORL’s) in cats

Feline Resorptive Lesions

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Tooth resorption affects up to 75% of cats and is one of the most common and painful feline dental diseases. Tooth resorption is a dental condition where the supporting structures of the root become diseased and cause the destruction of the tooth. The entire tooth structure, root, and crown can be affected and it needs to be treated by a veterinarian.  A dental assessment is the first step in diagnosing feline tooth resorption and digital dental radiographs are the second step necessary to diagnose the disease. 

Signs of Feline Tooth Resorption
         Bad breath
         Decreased appetite 
         Inflamed or bleeding gums
         Excessive salivation
         Pawing at their mouth 
         Dropping food out of their mouth while eating

Home Products & Education

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We offer a full line of dental oral hygiene products to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Timberline Animal Hospital staff can demonstrate how to brush your pet’s teeth and provide you with education on any product that you purchase.  We offer home toothbrushes, toothpastes, and sprays.We also stock Dental Chews for cats and dogs

Our hospital and on-line store carry veterinarian recommended food and treats
 


We  DO recommend that you purchase healthy chew toys for dogs such as:  
Flexible “Gummi-bones” by Nylabone (safe for most dogs)
Rawhide chews
Kongs
Greenies (for dogs and cats)

To prevent tooth damage and breakage, we DO NOT recommend that you allow your pet to chew on items that are harder than their teeth:
Cow hooves, thick pig ears, natural bones, elk horns, or hard Nylabones.
Ice cubes, sticks, and rocks (yes, many dogs like to chew rocks and swallowing rocks could lead to other problems!)

Annual Preventive Health Care Packages w/Dental

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We are committed to providing the best preventive care for your pet. We also understand the financial impact of pet health care costs on you and your family. That is why we have created annual preventive Health Care Packages that you can pay monthly. We offer adult and senior Health Care Packages with a dental at a reasonable price. For more information please visit our Health Care Packages pages.

Pet Dental Cleaning 101: Not all pet dental cleanings are equal.

Timberline Animal Hospital Fort Collins, Dr. Tim Rowe.
All rights reserved 2013
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Hey Paul