Most dogs and cats show some sign of dental disease by age three. Bad breath, yellow or brown tartar, red gums, drooling, and chewing on one side are the most common signs. A professional dental cleaning under anesthesia, with dental X-rays, lets your veterinary team clean below the gumline where disease actually starts.
Dental disease is one of the most common conditions veterinary teams see in dogs and cats, and one of the easiest to underestimate. Pets rarely stop eating just because their mouth hurts, so problems often build quietly for months or years. For families in Campbell Heights and across South Surrey, a little knowledge about what to look for, and what a proper dental visit involves, can spare a pet a great deal of discomfort.
Why Dental Health Is About More Than Bad Breath
Plaque forms on teeth within hours of eating. Left alone, it hardens into tartar, and bacteria work their way under the gumline where you cannot see them. The result is gingivitis at first, then periodontal disease: inflamed gums, damaged tooth attachments, bone loss, and loose, painful teeth. Chronic oral infection also places an ongoing burden on the rest of the body. The frustrating part is how well pets hide it. A dog will keep wolfing down dinner with a rotten tooth, and a cat may simply become a little quieter, a little grumpier, and a little less playful.
Signs of Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats
- Persistent bad breath that does not improve
- Yellow or brown buildup on the teeth, especially near the gumline
- Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Drooling, sometimes tinged with blood
- Chewing on one side, dropping kibble, or swallowing food whole
- Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face
- New reluctance to chew toys or hard food
- Swelling under an eye or along the jaw
- In cats: jaw chattering, sudden food aversion, or hiding more than usual
Cats deserve a special note. Many develop tooth resorption, a painful condition in which the tooth structure breaks down, and it is easy to miss without a proper oral exam and dental X-rays.
What Happens During a Professional Dental Cleaning
A veterinary dental visit at our South Surrey hospital is a day procedure with several distinct steps. It begins with an exam and pre-anaesthetic bloodwork through our in-house pet diagnostics, which helps the veterinarian tailor a safe anesthetic plan for your pet. Under anesthesia, with a dedicated team member monitoring vital signs throughout, the mouth is fully assessed: every tooth is probed and charted, and digital dental radiographs reveal what is happening below the gumline, where the majority of disease hides. The teeth are then scaled above and below the gumline, polished, and rechecked. If a tooth is too damaged to save, extraction with appropriate pain management is discussed and performed, so your pet wakes up with a healthier, more comfortable mouth. You can read more about the full process on our dental care page.
Anesthesia Questions South Surrey Pet Owners Ask Most
The most common question is whether anesthesia is really necessary. For a genuine cleaning, yes: the disease that matters lives under the gumline and between roots, and no awake pet will tolerate probing, X-rays, and subgingival scaling. Cosmetic scaling of visible tartar on an awake pet can make teeth look whiter while leaving the painful part of the disease untouched. The second most common question is about age. Age by itself is not a disease, and senior pets are anesthetized safely every day with the help of pre-anaesthetic testing, individually tailored drug protocols, and continuous monitoring. If anything, older pets often have the most to gain from a comfortable mouth.
Home Dental Care Between Cleanings
Daily tooth brushing remains the gold standard, using a pet toothpaste rather than human toothpaste, which is not safe for animals. Start slowly: let your pet lick the paste off your finger for a few days, then off a pet toothbrush, then work up to a few seconds of brushing along the outside of the teeth, rewarding generously at every step. Even three or four short sessions a week make a measurable difference over time, and consistency matters far more than perfection. Dental diets, chews, and water additives can genuinely help as well; look for products accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, and ask our nutrition counseling team which options suit your pet’s size, age, and chewing style. One caution worth repeating: very hard chews such as antlers, bones, and hard nylon toys crack teeth regularly, and a fractured tooth often hurts more than the tartar ever did. If you cannot dent the chew with a fingernail, it is probably too hard for your pet’s teeth.
When to Book a Dental Assessment
Every annual visit through our wellness program includes a look at the teeth and gums, and that is often where dental disease is caught early. If you are already seeing tartar, red gums, or bad breath, do not wait for the annual exam. Our extended hours, open until 10 pm Monday through Saturday, make it easier for working families in Campbell Heights and South Surrey to fit a dental assessment into the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do dogs and cats need a professional cleaning?
It varies widely by pet. Many do well with a yearly dental assessment and cleanings as recommended, while small breeds, flat-faced breeds, and pets with crowded teeth often need attention more frequently. Your veterinarian will suggest an interval based on what the exam and X-rays actually show.
Is my senior pet too old for a dental procedure?
Age alone is not a reason to skip dental care. With pre-anaesthetic bloodwork, a tailored anesthetic plan, and continuous monitoring, senior dogs and cats routinely have dental procedures, and relieving a chronically painful mouth often gives an older pet a visible boost in comfort and appetite.
Do dental chews replace brushing?
No. Chews and dental diets are useful additions, but they do not reach under the gumline where periodontal disease develops. Think of them the way you would think of mouthwash for yourself: helpful alongside brushing and professional care, not instead of them.
Curious how anesthesia and day procedures work here more broadly? See our complete guide to pet surgeries in Surrey, our post on what to expect before and after pet surgery, and our guide to senior dog and cat care in South Surrey.