​As a loving pet owner, you want nothing but the best for your furry companion, and surprisingly, one of the most crucial aspects of their well-being is often overlooked—pet dental care. Just like us, our pets need regular attention to maintain their oral health, and neglecting this can lead to a host of issues ranging from bad breath to serious infections. Have you ever noticed your dog or cat avoiding their favorite chew toy or meal? This might be a sign that their teeth need a little extra love and care. In this post, we'll delve into the importance of dental health for pets, and how simple practices like pet teeth cleaning can make a world of difference. Join me as we explore the fundamentals of veterinary dentistry, offering you practical tips and preventative care for pets to ensure your beloved animal stays happy and healthy.

Importance of Dental Health for Pets

As a veterinarian, I can't stress enough how crucial dental health is for our furry friends. Many pet owners overlook this aspect of their pet's well-being, but it's as important for them as it is for us. Let's explore why dental care should be a priority in your pet's healthcare routine.

Benefits of Pet Teeth Cleaning

Regular pet teeth cleaning offers numerous benefits that extend far beyond just a sparkling smile. It's a vital component of your pet's overall health and well-being.

Firstly, clean teeth help prevent bad breath, making those cuddle sessions much more enjoyable. But more importantly, regular cleaning can prevent serious dental issues like gum disease, which can lead to pain and difficulty eating.

Moreover, good dental hygiene can protect your pet's internal organs. Bacteria from dental infections can enter the bloodstream and affect the heart, liver, and kidneys. By maintaining your pet's oral health, you're safeguarding their entire body.
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Lastly, regular cleanings allow for early detection of dental problems. Catching issues early can save your pet from pain and you from costly veterinary bills down the line.

Understanding Veterinary Dentistry

Veterinary dentistry is a specialized field that focuses on the oral health of animals. It encompasses a wide range of procedures, from routine cleanings to complex surgeries.

One of the primary aspects of veterinary dentistry is professional cleaning. This involves scaling to remove tartar and plaque, followed by polishing to smooth the tooth surface. These procedures are typically done under anesthesia to ensure thoroughness and minimize stress for the pet.

Veterinary dentists also perform extractions when necessary, treat gum disease, and even perform root canals. They use specialized equipment like dental X-rays to diagnose issues that aren't visible to the naked eye.

Understanding veterinary dentistry can help pet owners appreciate the importance of regular check-ups and at-home care. It's not just about clean teeth – it's about maintaining your pet's quality of life.
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At Meadow Branch Animal Hospital we're proud to offer expertise in all of these areas of veterinary dentistry and our clinic features state of the art digital dental radiography to ensure the best possible care for your pets.
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Daisy is a 12-year-old, historically healthy patient that presented to Meadow Branch Animal Hospital on February 5th for a sudden onset of lethargy and decreased activity. Physical exam, bloodwork, and ultrasound findings contributed to a diagnosis of a liver mass as the cause of Daisy’s condition. A 6.5 x 9 cm tumor within the left medial liver lobe and secondary peritoneal effusion was identified on ultrasound. Dogs can present with a myriad of symptoms attributable to liver tumors, so a detailed physical exam and diagnostic work up is imperative for proper diagnosis. We are grateful that her astute owner pursued evaluation of Daisy despite vague and acute symptoms.

Surgery for certain liver tumors results in significantly improved survival times for patients. It is the treatment of choice for large, solitary liver tumors. Dogs have six liver lobes, and the left division of the liver is more amenable to surgical removal. Dogs tolerate removal of a large portion of their liver, and the remaining portion of their liver can grow to achieve almost normal capacity within 6-8 weeks. With a solitary tumor affecting a majority of a single lobe, liver lobectomy is often performed.
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Most hepatocellular tumors in dogs are associated with a good prognosis following removal, even if malignant. Hepatocellular carcinomas are associated with low metastatic rates (less than 5% at time of surgery), low chance for recurrence (less than 6% of cases) and, in our opinion, incredible median survival times. Following surgical removal, typical median survival times for hepatocellular carcinomas are greater than 4 years! 

Daisy underwent anesthesia for exploratory celiotomy and liver lobectomy. Her condition remained stable in the perioperative period and is recovering well. Biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. We expect Daisy to fully recover and return to normal life as a pet and a therapy dog.
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About Daisy from her owner:
Daisy is a 12-year-old Aussiedoodle who lives with her owner and her ‘sister', a Westie named Bridget.  Soon after the dogs and their owner moved to a senior living community recently, her owner discovered that Daisy has an innate affinity for older people, especially those who are impaired in some way.  She shows endless affection for them when her owner takes her to the long-term and memory care residence where they live, and Daisy's friends look forward to her weekly visits. Here are Daisy and Bridget with their owner and then Daisy with some of her dear friends, whom she visits almost every week.

Bob, a 1 year, 9-month-old, neutered male Domestic Shorthair, presented to Meadow Branch Animal Hospital in early January for chronic sneezing and nasal congestion that was not responsive to antibiotic therapy. A subsequent infectious disease panel was unremarkable and rhinoscopy was recommended. Rhinoscopy is a procedure where a small camera is inserted into the nasal passage(s) to visualize tissues and structures. This is an important diagnostic tool that allows us to obtain tissue samples, visualize masses and/or foreign material. In Bob’s case, we found and removed an approximately 1 3/8” long, 1/4” diameter, seed head that appears to be from Virginia Wildrye grass. This is quite a large nasal foreign body for any pet, but especially so for a feline. Bob recovered wonderfully from the procedure and is once again active and playful, living his best life! We thank Bob’s family for being vigilant and taking such wonderful care of him.  
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Here's a note from Bob's family:
Bob is back in his element after a month of not being able to go outside and the respiratory illness that was determined to be from the "object" extracted from his sinus.  Bob came to us a year and a half ago from the road and had been slightly injured.   His tail was broken and had to be amputated.   He was actually named Bob before we knew the tail had to come off!  He is a spark of adventure to our lives and always in to something.   We are very grateful to you all for your excellent care and caring atmosphere.

Due to inclement weather, Meadow Branch Animal Hospital will close at 4:30pm today so that our staff may get home safely. We will reopen at 8:00AM on Monday January 22, 20424.
If you have a veterinary emergency, please contact Valley Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center at 540-662-7811. They are located at 210 Costello Drive across from Costco in Winchester.
Please be safe and have a wonderful weekend!

​Bentley came to MBAH for vomiting and lethargy a few days after getting into his family's Christmas decorations. It was quickly determined that Bentley had a foreign body and had surgery that afternoon. Bentley is doing well at home. He would like to remind everyone that Christmas decorations are for enjoying with your eyes, not your mouth.

Peaches H. is a sweet 1 year old Domestic Shorthair kitten. She was brought in to the clinic due to having a distended abdomen, not wanting to eat, and lethargy. Our relief veterinarian, Dr. Liskey, discovered pyometra and free fluid in the abdomen after performing an abdominal ultrasound. Surgery to remove the infected uterus and flushing out the abdomen was promptly performed. After surgery, Peaches was taken to Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center to have continued hospitalization throughout the night. On November 20, Peaches was brought back to the MBAH for a follow-up and has shown an amazing level of recuperation.

Leo F., an English Bulldog, is a spunky six year old big boy.

Leo was first diagnosed with radiolucent stones at Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center, then came to Meadow Branch Animal Hospital in need of further care and a cystotomy.

Upon induction for surgery Leo developed hypoxia and was soon diagnosed with pneumonia. The procedure was halted immediately and he was prescribed medication to treat the pneumonia. Leo, after his antibiotic therapy, was then brought back to the clinic undergo examination and evaluate his readiness to proceed with the surgery.

​Once cleared for surgery, Leo's stones were removed, and the he responded beautifully to anesthetic. Leo is healing nicely from his operation; like many dogs, he dislikes his medicine, but his mother has been taking excellent care of him.

Meadow Branch Animal Hospital will be CLOSED Thursday November 23 and Friday November 24, 2023. We will reopen at 8:00AM on Monday November 27, 2023.

If you have a veterinary emergency during our closing, please seek care at a emergency veterinary facility nearest you. Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center is located at 210 Costello Drive, across from Costco in Winchester. (540)662-7811.

Also, remember if your pet needs urgent veterinary care before or after the holidays, we offer veterinary urgent care (by appointment).  If your regular vet can't get you in and you have an veterinary urgent care need, just give us a call.  We'll be happy to assist and then work with your regular veterinarian for follow up care.

​Meadow Branch Animal Hospital will be CLOSED Thursday November 23, 2023 and Friday November 24, 2023. If your pet will be due for medication refills or prescription diets during this time, please call us before 6:00pm Monday November 20, 2023. Refill/prescription requests take up to 48 hours to process, so please plan accordingly.

If you have a veterinary emergency during our extended closing, please contact the veterinary emergency facility nearest you. Valley Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center is located at 210 Costello Drive in Winchester, 540-662-7811.

If your fur baby needs veterinary care before or after the holidays, don't forget we now proudly offer veterinary urgent care (by appointment).  If your regular vet can't get you in and you have an urgent veterinary care need, just give us a call.  We'll be happy to assist and then work with your regular veterinarian for follow up care.