We’d like you to meet one of our rockstar patients named Math!
Her full name is Dro-m’Athra, and as the above picture may suggest, she is a feisty gal who doesn’t hold back when it comes to speaking her mind! What one may call demanding; another may call assertive. Math demands to “go outside every time it snows even though she’s an indoor-only cat,” and has been known to “run around the house yelling whenever one of the other cats steals her bed,” according to her loving owner. She is assertive about eating salmon at every meal. Space heaters are also not included on the list of her favorite things.
This 9-year-old sleeping beauty was a trooper for her dental procedure performed at Animal Works Veterinary Surgery recently. Unlike many of our cat dentals, Miss Math didn’t need any extractions! For another win, she had no missing or broken teeth. WAY TO GO LITTLE LADY!
Hereditary traits can play a large role in the health of our pets’ mouths in terms of predisposition to dental issues. Other factors like heavy chewing on hard objects like antlers, rocks, crates, hard bones, or toys can fracture teeth. For these reasons, it is very common for dogs and cats to come in for their dental procedure with already missing or broken teeth.
Tooth fractures fall under the category of endodontic disease, which is a disease of the pulp of the tooth. The pulp is the inner part of the tooth and includes vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. When a tooth breaks, bacteria enters the pulp and causes the tooth to die. This process can be painful while the nerve is exposed, and the tooth is dying. The most affordable option for treating tooth fractures is to extract the tooth in question. Extractions remove the entire source of inflammation and infection.
As we celebrate March’s Dental All-Star, don’t let Math’s tough exterior fool you! Although she loves to steal her sisters’ dry food, she also loves a good snuggle with them. Most people are merely tolerated, however. Her owner is her favorite human, with whom Math shares a birthday, and well, most everything else round the clock!
If you’d like to schedule a dental procedure for your dog or cat, or simply want to start with a consultation, give us a call today!
Animal Works Veterinary Surgery Fort Collins
970-694-2625