Veterinary dentistry

What a dental visit involves

We make sure treatment is safe and painless, and that you understand every stage. A procedure is always preceded by an assessment of the patient's health.

Tartar, bad breath or a dental problem?

Book a dental visit at the MultiVet clinic in Lutynia near Wrocław - looked after by Dominika Pilarz, DVM.

Why dental disease is missed for so long

Animals do not stop eating because their mouth hurts. They change how they eat - chewing on one side, dropping pieces, swallowing food whole, avoiding hard treats - and owners read that as a preference rather than a symptom. By the time refusal of food appears, the disease is usually advanced. Bad breath is often the first thing anybody notices, and it is not normal.

Cats hide it further. A cat with painful teeth may simply groom less, because grooming has become uncomfortable, and be described as an ageing cat with a scruffy coat.

The examination and the X-ray

Roughly two thirds of every tooth sits below the gumline. A visual inspection assesses the crown, which is the part least likely to be the problem. Dental radiography shows the root, the surrounding bone and the resorptive lesions common in cats, none of which can be judged by looking into an open mouth.

That is why a full assessment, with charting of every tooth and X-rays where indicated, is done under general anaesthesia rather than during a conscious consultation.

Why anaesthesia is not optional

So-called anaesthesia-free scaling cleans the visible surface of the crown and leaves the subgingival deposits that cause periodontal disease untouched. It cannot include probing, charting, radiography or extraction, and it requires restraining an animal that cannot consent to being held still with instruments in its mouth. It looks better afterwards and changes nothing clinically.

Anaesthesia is preceded by an individual assessment of the patient and monitored throughout the procedure. We will discuss the specific risks for your animal honestly, including in older patients, rather than treat the question as an objection to be talked around.

What happens after

Extractions are performed where a tooth cannot be saved, and the sites are closed. Animals that have had painful teeth removed usually eat more comfortably within days, and owners frequently report that the animal is more active - which is the clearest sign of how much discomfort had been normalised.

Home care determines how long the result lasts. Daily brushing is the single most effective measure, and we will show you how to start with an animal that has never had its mouth handled.

Practical details

Procedures are scheduled in the morning, which with our opening hours means admission at 10:00 and discharge in the afternoon of the same day. Plan the day accordingly or arrange somebody to collect the animal; the exact time is agreed during qualification.

The clinic is at ul. Kościuszki 61 in Lutynia, in the Miękinia municipality, about 18 km west of Wrocław. Parking along the street is free, with no paid zone. We are open Monday to Friday 10:00-20:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00; Sunday is closed, which is worth planning around if you are driving in from further away.

Book by phone on +48 533 557 247 or through the online system. If writing is easier than speaking, e-mail kontakt@multivetlutynia.pl with a short description of the problem and a preferred day.

We see dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits and ornamental birds. Horses are covered for rehabilitation only. We do not treat farm animals.

Worth reading before your visit

The basics are gathered in our guide to dental health in dogs and cats.

Two thirds of every tooth sits below the gum, which is why we take dental X-rays.

Cats have a problem of their own: tooth resorption (FORL).