orange cat sitting with mouth open

What is Periodontal Therapy for Dogs and Cats?

Periodontal therapy is a comprehensive plan that aims to treat the infection and inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth known as periodontal disease. A Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) is performed under general anesthesia and includes scaling, curettage, root planing, sulcus irrigation, scaling, polishing, pocket reduction, and even extraction of teeth affected with advanced disease. 

After anesthetizing the pet, a clinical and radiographic evaluation of the pet’s mouth is performed and findings are documented on a dental examination chart for future reference and comparison. If a tooth has lost most of its supporting tissues, extraction should be considered particularly before more significant bone loss has occurred. More frequent professional care may be considered.  It is recommended to practice daily home dental care as well as have a professional prophylactic cleaning at least once yearly to maintain a healthy mouth.

Periodontal Disease Treatment for Houston Pets

Give us a call today if you have questions about periodontal therapy for your pet!

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (3/24/2025). Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Scroll to Top