Dental health checks are just as important in pets as they are in humans. They can identify existing problems owners may be unaware about that need addressing as pets can be very good at hiding pain. They are also really useful for catching dental and periodontal disease early to prevent continuing deterioration. Did you know that we now run nurse-led dental clinics specifically to assess pet dental and oral health and to give advice on dental home care for happy healthy pet smiles?
At 387 Vets and The West Midlands Cat Clinic, we have a Tooth Fairy Team who are super passionate about pet dental care. The team includes several Registered Veterinary Nurses, trained to carry out dental scale and polishes to support good pet dental health. This is Alanna carrying out a scale and polish on gorgeous 10 year old cockapoo Sidney who was suffering from early onset gum disease. Plaque and tartar build up is a common cause of this condition (known as gingivitis), where gums become irritated and red, can exhibit swelling and even bleed. Scaling and polishing cleans the teeth and removing the trigger.
If you think your pet would benefit from a dental health check, please give us a ring on 01922 411755.
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With the second week in February traditionally recognising National Tooth Ache Day, it’s important to remember that, just like us, our furry friends can get tooth ache too! If you notice your pet has smelly breath or is drooling, chewing on one side of their mouth, pawing at their mouth, eating more slowly or choosing to eat wet food over dry biscuit, it could be that they are suffering from some kind of dental or oral issue. There are many causes of dental and periodontal pain. These can include inflamed gums, tooth decay, broken or fractured teeth, damaged enamel, painful growths and, in cats, resorptive lesions, where teeth decay from the root upwards. Ouch! If you notice any of these symptoms, please do book your pet in for a dental examination with a vet as it’s likely your pet is in significant discomfort.
Even if there are no obvious indications of a problem, regular pet dental health check ups are really important. Did you know periodontal disease (inflammation and infection of the tissues supporting the teeth) is one of the most common health issues in pets? And that pets can be really good at hiding pain?
We ideally recommend 3-6 monthly checks for pets and at very least, once a year. Give us a call on 01922 411755 to arrange your pet’s dental check up. Get in touch too to book in for advice on oral hygiene routines to keep dental and periodontal disease at bay.
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
Beautiful Lyra first came to see our Lead Nurse Cody at a nutrition clinic to see if her skin problems were caused by an allergic reaction to something in her food. As part of the process, Cody also discussed Lyra’s body condition score as she was a little overweight and Lyra started on a weight management programme. Last week, Lyra reached her target weight. You can see how well she’s done in the progress chart that mum’s holding up behind her. Brilliant job Lyra. You look fabulous!
As with humans, overweight pets are more at risk of certain diseases and health conditions some of which can be life-shortening. If you are worried your pet may be carrying extra weight, do give us a call on 01922 411755 and book in for a weight check with one of our qualified nursing team. If your pet does need to go onto a weight management programme, you’ll receive 1-1 support with a weight-management trained qualified vet nurse, including a lifestyle review, progressive nutrition, treat and exercise advice, your pet’s own log book and progress chart and photos and measurements at the beginning and end of the programme so you can see the difference!
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
Welcome back to our vet Emma and our Registered Veterinary Nurse Rachael who both attended International Cat Care’s 2025 World Feline Congress in Edinburgh last week. The event lasted three days, and included lecture streams, seminars and practical sessions given by leading feline experts to help advance feline wellbeing across the veterinary industry and beyond. Topics covered were as diverse as happy vet visits, managing feline behaviour issues, how to best care for poorly newborns, when to use antibiotics, nutritional management of cat diseases, trauma surgery, wound management and much much more! A special shout out to Rachael who was invited by International Cat Care to work for their team as a support volunteer. We’re very proud of you Rachael!
Some of you may remember that International Cat Care came to do some photography and filming last year in our interconnecting West Midlands Cat Clinic. The fruits of their labour are now live! Working in conjunction with Ceva who produce Feliway, the charity has launched a series of training videos to help veterinary professionals reduce stress and improve health outcomes in feline patients. You can imagine Rachael and Emma’s delight on seeing at congress that the West Midlands Cat Clinic spotlights in the promotional literature for the new online cat handling training series! Rachael herself and our Clinical Director Hamish in our West Midlands Cat Clinic have top billing in their literature! We’re super excited that our cat clinic is being recognised on the world stage!
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
Just as we have regular check ups at the dentist, it’s really important that pets’ teeth and gums are checked routinely to ensure our four legged companions are enjoying good periodontal health. We check pet oral health at annual vaccination appointments and at various other pet visits to the vets. However, as an owner, it’s worth knowing issues to look for that may require more of an impromptu trip to the vets!
Common signs that your pet may be suffering dental or mouth pain include rejecting dog biscuits or treats, chewing on only one side of the mouth, taking more time over food, increased drooling, pawing at the mouth and even a reluctance to play or increased grumpiness. You may notice your pet’s breath smells less than fresh, or if you can safely lift up their lip to inspect the gums, that they look red and angry or may even be bleeding. Teeth may exhibit discolouration. When plaque – a clear sticky film on the tooth that hangs on to bacteria – collects, this leads to gum disease and tooth decay. When left, plaque deposits calcify, becoming hard tartar as shown in the accompanying photo. This needs professional removal.
As we know, gum disease and tooth decay can be incredibly painful, so please do visit a vet if you’re concerned about your pet’s oral health in any way for the wellbeing of your pet. For dogs, we offer a scale and polishing service run by our qualified RVNs and use an ultrasonic scaler to clean teeth. We’ll also probe beneath the gum line whilst your dog is under anaesthesia to check for any hidden pockets that may harbour bacteria and cause subsequent problems. For any teeth that cause concern, we’ll x-ray as part of the service and advise on any further treatment as necessary.
It may, however, be that your pet needs veterinary dental care. We’re proud that our vet Selenia has a Postgraduate Qualification in Small Animal Dentistry and is brilliantly placed to carry out more complex dental procedures in practice.
As a preventative measure, regular tooth brushing using a pet friendly toothpaste will help reduce pet dental disease. Please ask us for advice on how best to encourage your pet to tolerate this. Check out the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s website for other strategies to help reduce periodontal disease in pets.
Wellcare World specializes in providing the latest advancements in wellness technology, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that improve health and increase the quality of people's lives.To learn more, visit WellcareWorld.com and begin living a better life today.
