This past Sunday(5/31/15) all of our veterinarians and licensed technicians participated in a day-long continuing education session for dental radiography. Dr. Barron Hall, a local veterinary dental specialist, and his licensed technician, Sarah came to our clinic to share their expertise.
We are working hard to maintain a high standard of care for our patients; the addition of dental xrays provides us with a more complete picture of your pets oral health and aids us in formulating a treatment plan for your pet.
Kristina,our newly licensed veterinary technician, voluteered her dog “Mia” for our training session. “Mia” isn’t too sure about the whole idea.
Even though it was a Sunday training, “Mia” got the works. Dental evaluations and cleanings are performed under general anesthesia. “Mia” has an endotracheal tube to proect her airway and deliver oxygen and an inhaled anesthetic. She has a IV catheter for fluid delivery and emergency access. She is wrapped in a warming blanket and has monitors to help assess her heart rate, blood pressure, carbon dioxide levels and oxygenation.
Only about a third of a tooth’s structure is visible above the gum line in a dog or cat’s mouth. Dental radiographs(X-rays) permit the docotors to see what is going on below the gumline. Some things that may be picked up on images are root fractures, bone loss, retained teeth. There are many more problems that may be identified and hopefully early intervention will lead to better life-long oral health. Full mouth intra-oral radiographs are recommended annually.
