What is Dental COHAT?
A dental COHAT, or Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment, accurately reflects the level of veterinary dental care that all animals should receive. This is a multi-step process that thoroughly assesses the oral cavity for various aspects of dental disease and providing appropriate treatment for pathology uncovered.
All steps of the dental COHAT are performed personally by our veterinarian involving:
- Preliminary Exam: Comprehensive history from owner and awake physical examination
- Thorough Exam: Thorough oral and dental examination, only possible when pet is under general anaesthesia. All teeth surfaces are examined, and the periodontal space (space beneath gums) of each tooth is then probed with a special instrument, one of the many indicators on the health of each tooth.
- Dental X-Rays: Full mouth dental x-rays are taken to fully assess the internal layers and roots of each tooth hidden beneath the gums. Many teeth often appear normal on the surface, but painful and infectious disease beneath is diagnosed only with dental x-rays.
- Scaling and Polishing: After the complete oral assessment is complete, all teeth are scaled with an ultrasonic dental scaler to remove plaque, tartar and calculus, and then polished to smoothen the teeth surfaces to reduce the attachment of tartar.
- Further Treatment: Diseased teeth are further treated. This may involve teeth extractions and dental surgery to permanently remove the source of chronic infection and pain. Sometimes Root Canal therapy (Endodontics) can be considered to keep the teeth.
- A pre-anaesthetic blood test is recommended which is vital for minimising anesthesia-related risks. It tests the liver and kidney function and blood cell counts before the procedure. The fee ranges from $243 to $550 depending on the panel chosen. You may discuss with our attending veterinarian and decide if you would like to go for it during the consultation.
