By Dr. Maya Santos, DVM · June 18, 2026
Prey animals hide weakness and pain instinctively. Your dog and your cat are evolved descendants of animals where showing pain could mean getting eaten. So they adapt. They switch to chewing on one side. They eat slower. They drop food more often. They become slightly less interested in toys or chews. These changes are so gradual that most owners attribute them to "getting older."
By the time a pet stops eating or yelps when you touch their face, the dental disease has typically been present and progressing for 2–4 years. Roots are diseased. Bone is lost. Abscesses may have formed and resolved and reformed multiple times.
A professional veterinary dental cleaning removes tartar above and below the gumline — including the subgingival pockets where anaerobic bacteria cause the most damage. It includes full-mouth digital X-rays that allow us to evaluate the roots of every tooth, which are invisible to the eye. Many diseased teeth look completely normal from the crown but are abscessed at the root.
The most common reaction I hear from owners after their pet's dental: "She's like a puppy again." Pain elimination has a profound effect on energy, behavior, and apparent happiness in pets. Many owners don't realize how much chronic pain was affecting their animal until it's gone.
Book a wellness visit and we'll assess your pet's dental health and let you know where they stand.
Book an Appointment →About the Author: Dr. Maya Santos, DVM is the founder of Greenfield Animal Hospital. She is a UC Davis DVM graduate, Fear-Free Certified veterinarian, and has practiced in this community for 15 years.