Dental health has a direct impact on your pet’s overall health and wellbeing. Bacteria from periodontal disease in pets can enter the bloodstream and affect the heart, kidneys, and liver over time. At Langley Meadows Animal Hospital in Langley, BC, we provide comprehensive pet dental care for dogs and cats, including professional cleanings, dental imaging, and extractions when needed. We also offer guidance on at-home dental care to support your pet between professional visits.
Professional dental cleanings are performed under general anesthesia to ensure a safe, thorough, and stress-free experience for your pet. During a dental cleaning, our team removes plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces, including below the gumline where bacteria accumulate and cause periodontal disease. We evaluate the condition of each tooth and the surrounding gum tissue, identify areas of concern, and provide a detailed report of our findings. Regular professional cleanings, combined with at-home dental care, are the most effective way to prevent periodontal disease in dogs and cats.
The majority of a pet’s dental anatomy lies below the gumline and cannot be evaluated by visual inspection alone. Dental radiography (X-ray) allows our team to assess the health of tooth roots, the surrounding bone, and structures within and below the gum tissue. Dental X-rays are an important part of every professional dental cleaning and help us identify root fractures, resorptive lesions in cats, bone loss from periodontal disease, and teeth that may appear intact on the surface but are diseased below. We use digital dental radiography for high-quality images with reduced radiation exposure.
When a tooth is severely damaged, fractured, or affected by advanced periodontal disease, extraction is often the most appropriate approach to relieve pain and prevent the spread of infection. Many pet owners are concerned that their pet will struggle after tooth extractions, but most dogs and cats adapt remarkably well and are often more comfortable after a painful tooth is removed than they were before. Our team performs extractions with careful technique and individualized pain management protocols. Sutures are placed where needed and we provide detailed post-operative care guidance.
Dental scaling removes calculus (tartar) that has hardened on tooth surfaces above and below the gumline. Scaling is performed using specialized instruments and is always conducted under anesthesia to ensure thoroughness and patient comfort. Following scaling, polishing smooths the tooth surface to slow the re-accumulation of plaque. Scaling and polishing together form the foundation of professional dental cleanings and are recommended at intervals determined by your pet’s individual rate of tartar accumulation.
A thorough oral health assessment is integrated into every dental procedure at our clinic. Our team evaluates the teeth, gums, tongue, palate, and surrounding oral structures for signs of periodontal disease, oral masses, fractured teeth, malocclusion, and other conditions affecting oral health. We also perform oral health assessments during routine wellness exams and flag any concerns for follow-up. Early identification of oral health problems allows us to address them before they cause discomfort or become more complex to manage.
Complex dental conditions including severe periodontal disease, oral masses, jaw fractures, and conditions requiring advanced oral surgical techniques are managed as part of our surgical services. Our team will discuss dental surgical options with you following the oral health assessment. For highly complex cases, such as maxillofacial reconstruction or advanced oral surgical procedures, we are happy to facilitate referral to a board-certified veterinary dentist. See our Surgical Services page for more information about procedures performed at our clinic.
Give your pet the gift of a healthy mouth. Book a dental exam or professional cleaning at Langley Meadows Animal Hospital in Langley, BC. Call (236) 706-0019 or book online.
