Dental disease is invisible. Your vet’s approach shouldn’t be.

If you’ve been putting off your pet’s dental, you’re not alone. That’s why we take pain seriously, plan anesthesia like it matters, and give every pet the time and attention most practices can’t.

Protect health

Most pet owners hesitate about choosing a dental procedure for their cat or dog. They’re eating, acting normal, and nothing looks obviously wrong…right? Dentistry can feel elective until you realize where the actual disease lives: under the gumline, where you can’t see it, and where your pet has no real way to communicate discomfort.

At The inFURmary, dental work isn’t about shiny teeth. It’s about identifying and treating medical issues that don’t show up on the surface and can lead to serious health issues down the road.

Why dental care matters

Dental disease develops quietly. Infections, root problems, bone loss, and resorptive lesions can progress for months or years before there are visible changes in your cat or dog. Eating normally doesn’t mean your pet’s mouth is healthy. Dogs (and especially cats) often compensate for pain, and they hide discomfort extremely well.

A proper dental procedure allows us to diagnose and treat what’s happening beneath the surface, and to intervene before these issues begin affecting their overall health.

Signs your cat or dog might need a dental

Dental disease is subtle until it’s not, but there are patterns we see often. An exam with our team is worthwhile if you notice your pet has any of the following symptoms. But the sign most people overlook? No sign at all. Pets frequently act “normal” even with significant dental disease. X-rays—in addition to behavior—tell the real story.

Slow Eating

Dropping food or eating more slowly

Face Pawing

Pawing at their face or rubbing the mouth

Bad Breath

Smelly (or worsening) breath

Avoiding Kibble

Avoiding hard kibble or treats

Excess Drooling

Drooling more than usual

Tartar Buildup

Visible tartar at the gumline

The inFURmary’s approach to dental care

At The inFURmary, dental procedures aren’t rushed or stacked back-to-back. Our team is deliberate about how we approach dentistry because we know it takes time to do it correctly, especially when anesthesia and oral disease are involved.

Every pet gets an anesthesia plan built around their actual health status, not a generic protocol. If your cat or dog needs more advanced support (or if you’d feel more comfortable!), our doctors can involve a board-certified anesthesiologist to monitor your pet.

Our treatment recommendations are based on what imaging shows, not assumptions or guesswork; if we suggest something, it’s because the evidence supports it. And if an issue doesn’t need to be addressed right now, we’ll tell you that. Our goal is to identify the real problems, address the ones that matter, and avoid pushing anything your pet doesn’t genuinely need to live a happy and pain-free life.

Anesthesia concerns come up daily, and we completely understand your fear

A lot of pet owners are nervous about anesthesia, especially for seniors or pets with medical issues. We hear that every single week, and we take these concerns seriously. We care about the risks of anesthesia the same way you do, which is why we’ve built one of the most comprehensive and customized anesthesia protocols in a general practice setting.

What does that look like in practice? An anesthesia plan around your pet’s specific health needs, where we monitor every major vital sign from start to finish. Not only do we adjust medications in real time, but we also use advanced equipment—including ventilator support where needed, which is rare in a general practice. We even have the opportunity to bring in a board-certified anesthesiologist for complex cases or when owners prefer to have them in the room.

There is always a risk with anesthesia, but our experienced team at The inFURmary goes above and beyond to ensure that your pet has a smooth procedure and recovery. We handle anesthetic procedures for seniors, pets with heart disease, kidney disease, endocrine issues, and those labeled “high risk” elsewhere. Safety isn’t a slogan here, it’s a system.

Pain management that matches the procedure

The evidence shows that dental and gum disease hurt. Pain management after your pet’s dental isn’t optional—it’s part of good medicine.

Our founder, Dr. Johnson has fellowship-level training in multimodal pain control. That means that our team ensures your pet receives nerve blocks, custom and tailored take-home pain medications, continuous-rate infusions where appropriate, and post-operative pain scoring and real-time adjustments.

The result? Most pets feel better after a dental appointment because their chronic mouth pain is finally relieved.

Common Questions About Veterinary Dental Care

The answer depends, but we’ll show you exactly why. Some pets absolutely need a dental procedure to remove painful infection or loose teeth. Others are stable enough to monitor for the time being. We use X-rays, photos, and a full oral exam to walk you through what’s truly necessary, what’s optional, and what can safely wait.

Yes, they can be. Eating normally doesn’t mean pain-free. Pets are experts at compensating — they shift food to the other side of the mouth, chew more slowly, or avoid certain toys. Many of the most painful issues (like root infections or resorptive lesions) are invisible without X-rays. Our job is to find pain your pet can’t show you.

A proper dental cleaning can’t be done safely or thoroughly while a pet is awake. We need anesthesia to X-ray the teeth, clean below the gumline, and treat problems without causing stress or pain. We completely understand why anesthesia is scary, and we take that responsibility seriously. Every protocol is individualized, monitored closely, and adjusted in real time by our highly trained team.

Often, yes, when it’s done thoughtfully. Age alone doesn’t disqualify a pet from safe anesthesia. What matters is a full evaluation of their heart, bloodwork, and medical history. At The inFURmary, anesthesia plans are customized, monitored with advanced equipment, and adjusted for conditions like heart murmurs, kidney disease, or endocrine issues. For pets who need additional support, we can bring in a board-certified anesthesiologist.

This is one of the most common fears we hear. At The inFURmary, we show you dental X-rays and photos so you can see exactly what we see: loose teeth, fractures, infection, or bone loss. We explain why a tooth can be saved or why it truly can’t. Nothing is done without your understanding and permission.

They can help slow buildup, but they can’t treat dental disease or fix painful problems like loose teeth, infections, or resorptive lesions. Think of them as “at-home maintenance,” not a substitute for professional care. We can recommend products that are actually effective and safe for your pet.

Costs depend on your pet’s needs. Cleanings for healthy mouths are on the lower end; procedures involving X-rays, extractions, or advanced treatment cost more. What makes our approach different is transparency. We walk you through every recommendation using X-rays and photos, and explain what’s urgent, what’s optional, and what can be adjusted to fit your budget. We also offer year-round discounts of 15% off the dental (excluding extractions and take-home medication) if you schedule your cat or dog’s within 30 days of receiving the estimate.

Yes. Most pets need at least a few professional cleanings throughout their life. Genetics, breed, diet, and at-home care all play a role, but even with perfect brushing, many pets will eventually develop issues that require an anesthetized dental procedure.

If dental disease is causing pain or infection, treatment can significantly improve comfort, appetite, and quality of life, even in senior pets. Many older dogs and cats feel dramatically better after their dental work once hidden pain is addressed. We’ll help you weigh the benefits, risks, and timing based on your pet’s health.

Dental problems don’t stay small. Untreated disease leads to chronic pain, bone loss, infections, and loss of additional teeth. It can also strain the heart, kidneys, and liver. Our role is to help you understand the severity of your pet’s specific case so you can make an informed decision about the right timeline for treatment.

No. They remove visible plaque but leave the painful stuff behind and can cause injury. They also can’t address disease under the gumline, which is the place where most dental pain actually lives. Professional, anesthetized dentistry is the standard of care recommended by veterinary dentists.

Most pets need a dental procedure every 1–2 years, but it depends on breed, genetics, diet, and the presence of early disease. We’ll evaluate your pet’s mouth and create a dental care plan that’s realistic, comfortable, and tailored to them.