Pet Dental Care in Nanaimo for Dogs and Cats
Dental disease is one of the most common and underrecognized health conditions in dogs and cats. By the age of three, most pets show some evidence of dental disease, yet the signs are often subtle until the condition has become advanced. At Coastal City Animal Hospital in Nanaimo, we offer comprehensive dental care for dogs and cats, from routine cleanings to extractions and full oral health assessments. Healthy teeth and gums support your pet’s overall wellbeing, appetite, and quality of life. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Dental Cleaning
Professional dental cleaning is the foundation of good oral health for dogs and cats. Unlike at-home brushing, which removes surface buildup, a professional cleaning reaches beneath the gumline where bacteria accumulate and periodontal disease originates. All dental cleanings at Coastal City Animal Hospital are performed under general anesthesia. This is the standard of care recommended by veterinary dental guidelines, as it allows for a complete, systematic cleaning of every tooth surface and a thorough oral examination. Anesthesia also allows us to take dental X-rays, which are essential for evaluating tooth roots and bone that are not visible above the gumline. We perform pre-anesthetic bloodwork before every dental procedure to ensure your pet is safe to proceed.
Tooth Extractions
Sometimes a tooth cannot be saved and must be removed to relieve pain and prevent further oral health complications. Reasons for extraction include advanced periodontal disease, fractured teeth, tooth root infections, retained deciduous teeth in young animals, and teeth causing bite problems. Our goal is always to preserve healthy teeth whenever possible, but we prioritize your pet’s comfort when a tooth has become a source of pain or infection. Extractions are performed under general anesthesia with appropriate local anesthetic nerve blocks to minimize discomfort. Most pets recover quickly and eat comfortably within 24 to 48 hours of an uncomplicated extraction.
Dental X-Rays
The visible crown of a tooth represents only a fraction of its total structure. The root and surrounding bone, which comprise the majority of each tooth, are invisible without imaging. Dental X-rays allow us to identify tooth root infections, resorptive lesions in cats, bone loss from periodontal disease, and abnormal root structure. We take dental X-rays as part of every professional cleaning because important findings that change the care plan are routinely discovered beneath the gumline. In cats especially, dental resorptive lesions are extremely common and cause significant pain, yet they are invisible without radiographs.
Oral Health Assessment
Every dental visit begins with a thorough oral health assessment. We evaluate each tooth individually for signs of fracture, discoloration, mobility, and periodontal pocketing. We assess the gums for inflammation, recession, and abnormal growths. This assessment takes place under anesthesia using the same tools used in human dental practice, adapted for veterinary patients. Findings are documented and shared with you after the procedure along with a care plan and recommendations for at-home maintenance. Regular oral assessments allow us to catch early changes before they progress to painful and costly conditions.
Scaling and Polishing
Scaling removes tartar and calculus from the surfaces of teeth above and below the gumline. After scaling, the tooth surfaces are polished to smooth any microscopic scratches left by the cleaning instruments. Polishing is not merely cosmetic. Smooth tooth surfaces are more resistant to plaque adhesion, which slows the return of tartar between cleanings. We use ultrasonic and hand scalers to ensure thorough removal of calculus, followed by polishing with a fine-grit dental paste. Together, scaling and polishing form the core of every professional dental cleaning.
Gum Disease Care
Periodontal disease affects the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth and is the leading cause of tooth loss in dogs and cats. Early periodontal disease, called gingivitis, is reversible with professional cleaning and improved at-home care. Advanced periodontal disease involving bone loss and deep periodontal pockets requires more intensive management and often extraction of affected teeth. Regular professional cleanings significantly slow the progression of periodontal disease. We assess periodontal health at each dental visit and give you an honest picture of your pet’s current status.
Dental Surgery
Complex dental procedures including surgical extractions, oral mass removal, jaw fracture repair, and advanced periodontal surgery are considered dental surgery rather than routine dental care. Many of these procedures can be performed at Coastal City Animal Hospital in coordination with our surgical services. For cases requiring specialist-level dental or oral surgical expertise, we refer to a veterinary dentist. Dental surgery performed at the time of a routine cleaning is included in the same anesthetic episode where possible to minimize the number of anesthetic events your pet undergoes.
Explore More Services
This varies between individual patients based on genetics, diet, tooth alignment, and at-home care routine. Many pets benefit from annual professional cleanings. Small breeds and brachycephalic cats and dogs tend to accumulate tartar more rapidly and may need more frequent visits. We give you a recommendation based on what we observe at each appointment.
Anesthesia risk increases with age and the presence of health conditions, but it does not become automatically unsafe. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork, physical examination, and careful anesthetic selection allow us to perform safe procedures in most senior patients. Untreated dental disease in older pets causes chronic pain and can affect systemic health through chronic infection. We discuss your pet’s individual risk level with you before proceeding.
Persistent bad breath in dogs and cats is almost always a sign of dental disease or another health condition. A mild, normal pet breath odor is different from the strong, unpleasant smell that indicates active bacterial growth in the mouth. We recommend a dental exam for any pet with noticeably bad breath. The cause is almost never something that resolves on its own.
Yes, and we strongly encourage it. Daily tooth brushing is the most effective at-home tool for slowing plaque and tartar accumulation between professional cleanings. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste formulated for cats. Human toothpaste contains ingredients that are toxic to pets. Many cats can be trained to accept brushing if introduced gradually using cooperative handling techniques from a young age. We are happy to demonstrate proper technique at your next visit.
Anesthesia-free dental scaling removes visible surface tartar but does not allow for subgingival cleaning, dental X-rays, or proper examination of the tooth roots and periodontal structures. It is not considered an effective substitute for a proper dental cleaning by veterinary dental guidelines and can create a false impression of oral health. All professional dental cleanings at our clinic are performed under general anesthesia to meet the standard of care.
Protect your pet’s oral health with professional dental care in Nanaimo. Call Coastal City Animal Hospital at (778) 441-3989 or book a dental exam online. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.