Pet Care Basics: Dental Emergencies
Trouble breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, a nasty fall, or being struck by a vehicle enters your mind when pet owners think about a vet emergency. Dental emergencies in cats and dogs, on the other hand, are just one of the most overlooked causes of emergency. The teeth of our furry friends can break, become infected, and shatter their jaws. Knowing what defines an emergency and recognizing what we can do and what support you can offer your pet is valuable.
What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency involves the mouth, head, or neck areas that require prompt treatment to stop blood loss, relieve extreme discomfort, or save a tooth. This also applies to potentially fatal illnesses.
These are samples of instances requiring instant medical attention from a vet emergency hospital:
- Severe or traumatic head trauma injuries include lip and tongue lacerations and oral hemorrhage.
- Avulsions and luxations of the teeth (true dental emergencies; place the avulsed tooth in milk till referral to the veterinary dentist or oral surgeon).
- Inflammation/infection causes swelling around the nose, mouth, jaws, face, and neck.
- Severe palate deformities, jaw fractures, and temporomandibular joint luxations.
- Acute difficulty opening or closing the mouth.
How to Avoid Common Dental Emergencies
- Keep your dog on a softer chew toy to help avoid tooth fractures. Keep your kitty cat inside to keep them safe from biting and chewing hazards.
- Always put them on a leash and monitor their interactions with other pets and animals.
- Following any tooth or jaw injury, a visit to the veterinarian might help you stay clear of most infections and save you cash in the long run.
- Having your pet’s teeth examined and cleaned regularly is another strategy to help avert a dental emergency.
When should you schedule professional cleaning?
A specialist from an animal dental care clinic should do a yearly checkup on your pet to document the existence of abnormal illnesses such as periodontal disease, cracked or decayed teeth, tumors, ulcers, and so on. Professional dental cleanings necessitate anesthesia for your pet to ensure that the competent and qualified operator can remove dirt from underneath the gum line (subgingivally).
Is anesthesia necessary in dental cleaning?
Pet owners are understandably apprehensive when their dogs require anesthesia. The dentist from this pet hospital must put the pet under general anesthesia to do an extensive periodontal assessment, dental radiography, scaling and polishing, gingival curettage, and root planing.
An endotracheal tube provides anesthetic gas and oxygen, providing pain-free therapies while protecting the airways from aspirating fluids or debris. Anesthesia-free dentistry is not recommended for various factors, including significant patient and operator safety issues.
What to Expect in an Emergency Room
A vet will analyze the severity of your pet’s problem to establish the order in which patients should go first. The most life-threatening concerns are addressed first, followed by less severe cases. Before meeting the vet, a nurse might take your dog or cat’s history and examine vital signs.
The emergency room’s primary concern is to stabilize your pet, so your pet may need to be admitted to the emergency pet clinic or transferred to your regular veterinarian. Your pet might be referred to a vet professional for a more extensive examination or operation. Inquire about any home care or rechecks if your pet can return home.
