Ensuring peace of mind with a safe, caring, and medically-supervised stay for your companion.
Your pet’s bad breath might seem like a minor annoyance, but it’s often the first warning sign of a much bigger problem hiding beneath the surface. Periodontal disease is the most common health condition veterinarians see in dogs and cats, and most pets show early signs by age three. For pet owners in Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, and the surrounding Fort Lauderdale communities, understanding what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to a pet’s oral health can mean the difference between a routine cleaning and a painful, costly emergency.
At Oakland Park Animal Hospital, we’ve cared for this community’s pets since 1987, and dental health has always been part of our whole-pet approach to preventive medicine. Under the direction of Dr. Ratnoff, our Dream Doctors and Terrific Techs take the time to really look, because a pet who can’t tell you where it hurts deserves an owner who has the full picture. We’re a family-owned, doctor-run practice, which means the same team that examines your pet’s teeth this year is often the same team that’s cared for your family’s pets for years.
Pets can’t complain about a sore tooth the way people can, so dental disease frequently goes unnoticed until it’s advanced. Left untreated, plaque hardens into tartar, which irritates and infects the gums, and that infection doesn’t stay contained to the mouth. Bacteria from periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and put stress on major organs over time.
Watch for a combination of these common warning signs, because any one alone can be easy to dismiss:
If your pet shows more than one of these signs, schedule an exam sooner rather than later, since early intervention is almost always simpler and less expensive than treating advanced disease.
Most veterinary dentists recommend an oral exam at every wellness visit and a professional cleaning starting around age one for small-breed dogs and age two for larger breeds, then annually or as recommended based on what your veterinarian sees. Small, flat-faced breeds, in particular, tend to develop dental disease earlier because of crowded teeth. Cats aren’t exempt either; feline dental disease is just as prevalent as in dogs and can be even harder for owners to spot at home.
During your pet’s wellness exam, our veterinarians assess gum health, tooth mobility, and signs of resorption or fracture, then build a dental care plan around what your individual pet actually needs rather than a generic schedule. This is one of the many reasons routine wellness visits matter as much as they do.
A thorough veterinary dental cleaning is done under general anesthesia, which allows for a complete examination and cleaning that isn’t possible in an awake pet. It typically includes:
Anesthesia allows our team to work safely and thoroughly without causing your pet stress or pain, and our staff monitors it closely throughout the procedure. We understand anesthesia can be a source of anxiety for pet parents, which is exactly why we walk owners through the process and what recovery looks like before the day of the procedure.
Professional cleanings are essential, but daily habits at home make a real difference between visits. Brushing your pet’s teeth several times a week with pet-safe toothpaste is the gold standard, though we know that’s not realistic for every household or every pet’s temperament. Dental chews, water additives, and specially formulated dental diets can all help reduce plaque buildup between cleanings.
We also recommend looking into pet wellness rewards programs like Zoetis Petcare, which can help offset the cost of preventive dental care and other routine veterinary services over your pet’s lifetime. Because we know financial stress shouldn’t stand between a pet and the care it needs, our practice also offers flexible options, including CareCredit and Cherry financing. Hence, a necessary dental procedure never has to wait.
Dental disease is one of the most common health issues we see in pets, but it’s also one of the easiest to overlook until it’s already causing pain. Whether your pet is due for a routine cleaning, showing early warning signs, or hasn’t had a dental exam in longer than you’d like to admit, our team at Oakland Park Animal Hospital is here to help you build a plan that protects their health without unnecessary stress on you or your budget.
If you’ve noticed bad breath, tartar buildup, or any change in how your pet eats or behaves, don’t wait for the problem to get worse. Contact our office to schedule a consultation, and let our Dream Doctors and Terrific Techs give your pet’s mouth and overall health the attention it deserves.
Schedule a visit with our compassionate team and let’s partner in your pet’s lifelong well-being.
