Professional Dental Care for Dogs and Cats

Dog and Cat Dental Care in Kitchener

Full-service veterinary dental cleanings, digital oral X-rays, and tooth extractions. Keeping your pet's mouth healthy and pain-free.

Book a Dental Assessment

Dental disease is the most common health problem we diagnose in adult dogs and cats at Kingsdale Animal Hospital. By age three, most pets already have some form of periodontal disease. The tricky part? Most pets hide mouth pain well. They keep eating, playing, and acting normal even when their gums are inflamed or teeth are infected.

Our veterinary team in Kitchener provides professional pet dental cleanings, digital oral X-rays, and tooth extractions to treat dental problems before they cause serious pain or systemic illness.

Why veterinary dental care matters

Periodontal disease starts with plaque buildup along the gumline. Within days, that plaque hardens into tartar. Bacteria then work beneath the gumline, causing inflammation (gingivitis), bone loss, and eventually loose or abscessed teeth.

Left untreated, the bacteria don't stay in the mouth. They enter the bloodstream and can damage the heart, liver, and kidneys over time. A professional dental cleaning does more than freshen breath. It treats active disease and protects your pet's overall health.

Signs your dog or cat may have dental disease

Many Kitchener pet owners only notice a problem when their dog or cat has bad breath. But that smell often signals infection that's already well established. Watch for these signs:

Warning Signs of Dental Disease
Persistent bad breath
Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
Yellow or brown tartar buildup on the teeth
Dropping food or chewing on one side
Pawing at the mouth or face
Drooling more than usual
Reluctance to eat hard food or treats
Loose or visibly broken teeth

If you notice any of these, book an exam so we can check your pet's mouth. Early treatment prevents more painful (and more costly) problems later.

What happens during a professional pet dental cleaning

A veterinary dental cleaning is not the same as brushing your pet's teeth at home. It's a full oral health procedure performed under general anesthesia. Here's what to expect.

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork
Before any procedure, we run bloodwork to check organ function and confirm your pet is a safe anesthesia candidate. This is especially important for senior pets or those with existing health conditions.

General anesthesia and monitoring
Your pet is placed under full anesthesia with continuous monitoring. This keeps them completely still, pain-free, and stress-free throughout the procedure. We monitor heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and body temperature the entire time.

Digital dental X-rays
We can take full-mouth digital radiographs to see what's happening below the gumline. Around 60% of tooth structure is hidden beneath the gums. X-rays reveal root abscesses, bone loss, and fractured roots that a visual exam alone would miss.

Scaling and polishing
Using ultrasonic scaling instruments, we remove plaque and tartar from every tooth surface, both above and below the gumline. We then polish each tooth to smooth the enamel, which slows future plaque buildup.

Extractions (if needed)
If X-rays or the exam reveal teeth that are severely diseased, fractured, or causing pain, we perform surgical extractions during the same procedure. Removing a painful or infected tooth brings immediate relief. We use nerve blocks and pain medication so your pet stays comfortable during recovery.

Recovery and aftercare

Most pets go home the same day. You can expect some grogginess from the anesthesia that evening, which typically wears off by the next morning.

If extractions were performed, we'll send your pet home with pain medication and any needed antibiotics. You'll feed soft food for 7 to 10 days and keep them calm while the extraction sites heal.

We schedule a follow-up check if needed to make sure everything is healing well. Many owners tell us their pet seems happier and more energetic within days of a dental cleaning, especially when painful teeth were removed.

Home dental care between cleanings

Professional cleanings treat existing disease. Home care slows the buildup of new plaque between visits. Here's what works:

Daily tooth brushing

The single most effective thing you can do. Use a pet-specific toothpaste (never human toothpaste). Even a few times per week makes a difference.

Dental diets

Prescription dental diets like Hill's t/d or Royal Canin Dental are designed with kibble that scrubs teeth as your pet chews.

Water additives

Products like Vetradent are clinically tested to reduce plaque formation.

VOHC-approved dental chews

Look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal. Not all dental chews are effective, and some can fracture teeth.

Ask our team which combination works best for your pet's size, breed, and dental history.

Schedule a Dental Assessment in Kitchener

If it's been a while since your pet's teeth were checked, or if you've noticed bad breath, tartar buildup, or changes in eating habits, we're here to help!

Book Now

Or call us at (519) 896-0532