Great news! We are expanding our collection of veterinary videos to include a series on How To. These new videos will show our veterinarians and technicians demonstrating various procedures that you can accomplish at home.

The first video is now live on our new How To Videos page. This first how to veterinary video shows Dr. Marian Shuler Holladay:

• Discussing the value of cleaning your dog’s ears
• Describing the physiology
• Demonstrating the proper ear cleaning procedure

We intend on growing the video collection over the coming months to show you some of the techniques you can use at home to keep your pets healthy and happy. If you have any questions about the procedures or videos themselves, give us a call at (843) 884-4921 or (843) 884-4494.

We invite you to browse through the various pet care information in our Articles section. Among others, there are topics about Periodontal Disease, Gum Disease, Kidney Disease, Pet Food Advice, and Canine Influenza. It is a great location for you to discover information about pet care, written in layman’s terms.

Preventive medicine pays dividends. You play with and watch your pets on a daily basis. Abnormal behavior, or seeing something that just seems strange may be an early indication of a serious problem. The more you know about your pet health, the more you are able to prevent major issues from developing in the future.

We have put up a new page on this site at menu item Rebates for you to go to the manufactures’ pages to get your rebate. The links on that Rebates page are live so you just have to click on the appropriate link and go directly to the rebate offer.

A guide to understanding prevention, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease in Mt Pleasant dogs and cats

Did You Know???

• A sticky film, known as plaque, forms on teeth from the combination of food, the proteins in saliva, and bacteria. It builds up between teeth and gums causing irritation, redness and swelling.
• If plaque is not removed, it hardens into a crust called tartar. These bacteria can then lead to an infection known as periodontal disease.
• Periodontal disease can lead to pain, periodontal damage, bone loss, tooth loss, weakened immune system, diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiac disease, and organ damage.
• 85% of all dogs over 1 year of age have some degree of periodontal disease, but only 3 % of them are actually treated!!!
• Dogs are diagnosed with dental disease more than any other type of infection.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

• Patients with periodontal disease may have some or all of the following symptoms. If your pet has an occurrence of any of these, please schedule a visit with your veterinarian:
• Brown-yellowish crust on teeth
• Bad odor from mouth (halitosis)
• Red or swollen gums
• Gum recession
• Pain and/or bleeding when eating or when gums are touched
• Decrease in appetite, difficulty eating
• Loose, missing teeth
• Facial swelling
• Change in behavior or attitude

Getting a Dental Checkup with your Mt Pleasant Veterinarian

Getting regular checkups from your veterinarian in Mt Pleasant is the first step to preventing periodontal disease in your pet. It is a quick and painless checkup for your pet, but is vital in keeping them happy and healthy. The earliest stage of periodontal disease, which is known as gingivitis, is reversible. The earlier gingivitis is detected the easier it is to treat.

Your Mount Pleasant veterinarian will check your pet’s teeth for tartar build up on the teeth surfaces. They will also check for color changes of the gums, bleeding, swelling, and gingival recession (when the periodontal line recedes from the tooth).

How is Periodontal Disease Treated?

• The first thing your Mt Pleasant veterinarian will recommend is a professional dental cleaning. This is a special type of cleaning performed by a veterinary professional, which removes plaque and tartar from the tooth surface, as well as beneath the periodontal line. The gums are checked for the formation of pockets. If a pocket is found, a procedure called root planing is performed in which the root surface is cleaned and smoothed so that periodontal tissue can firmly reattach to the tooth root. After the tartar has been removed, the teeth are polished until the surfaces are smooth. This will help prevent the build up of more tartar and plaque.
• Radiographs (x-rays) will help your veterinarian determine how much the periodontal disease has affected your pet’s mouth. This will show how much of the bone has been damaged or lost, which causes mobility of teeth. It will also show whether or not any of your pet’s teeth need to be treated with perioceutic antibiotics(antibiotics placed around the infected tooth)
• Often times, pets may need certain teeth extracted because of the severity of the disease in the mouth. Your veterinarian will be able to see which teeth have been damaged, once the teeth are cleaned and x-rayed.
• Your veterinarian office in Mount Pleasant will most likely prescribe a series of antibiotics and pain medications for your pet. The antibiotics will help to fight off the infection in your pet’s mouth, and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body. Pain medication will help to eliminate any discomfort your pet may have before or after the procedure.

Preventing Periodontal Disease in your Pet

• The most important step to preventing periodontal disease in your pet is regular brushing at home. It is important to use pet-friendly brushes and toothpaste, since human toothpaste can cause upset stomachs in your pet and can be toxic.
• It is also very important to have regular 6-month checkups with your veterinarian so early signs can be detected. This can help your pet to live a longer and happier life.
• Having your pet’s teeth professionally cleaned every 6-18 months can help prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar. It allows your veterinarian to clean under the periodontal line, where bacteria can wreak havoc on your pet’s body.
• There are other products that can help keep your pet’s teeth clean between professional dental cleanings. Dental chews, oral rinses, water additives, and dental wipes are all available the veterinary clinic in Mount Pleasant, SC.

This is just a quick note to let you know that we have created our Facebook page. Please take a look and be friends with us. CLICK HERE to go to our page.

Thanks!

Dog and cat gum disease is swelling or soreness of the gums around your pet’s teeth. Together with food remains and saliva around gum and tooth, may result in plaque creation (accumulating about teeth. The bacteria have toxins that create inflammation in the gums. If left untreated, these bacteria can spread to the roots of the teeth causing an infection known as periodontal disease. In some cases, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body harming different organs such as the kidney, liver, and the heart.

Signs of pet gum disease in Mount Pleasant are not always easy to see, and can sometimes be painless. The first stage of pet gum disease, known as gingivitis, is reversible, so it is important to keep your pets’ teeth cleaned and to have them checked regularly by your veterinarian.

The Stages of Pet Gum Disease

Stage 1: Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It is the only stage that is reversible with proper treatment. Patients with gingivitis usually have mildly sore gums that can be red or puffy, and may bleed.

Stage 2: Periodontitis
During this stage, the gums begin to pull away from the teeth, known as recession. This allows plaque to spread to your pet’s tooth roots causing an infection, damaging the bone and fibers that hold the teeth in place.

Stage 3: Advanced Periodontitis
This is the final stage of gum disease. The fibers and bone holding the teeth in place are destroyed, causing teeth to shift or loosen and can affect your pet’s bite. If treatment can not save the teeth, they may need to be removed by your veterinarian in Mount Pleasant.

Symptoms of Pet Gum Disease

Patients with periodontal disease may have some or all of the following symptoms. If your pet has an occurrence of any of these, please schedule a visit with your Mount Pleasant veterinarian:

• Brown-yellowish crust on teeth
• Bad odor from mouth (halitosis)
• Red or swollen gums
• Gum recession
• Pain and/or bleeding when eating or when gums are touched
• Decrease in appetite, difficulty eating
• Loose, missing teeth
• Facial swelling
• Change in behavior or attitude
• Plus that appears between teeth and gums
• Excessive drooling
• Unwillingness to eat hard foods
• Crying out while eating
• Dropping food from mouth

Did You Know?

• Bad breath, also called halitosis, is not a normal condition for pets.
• Small breeds with crowded teeth and dogs that groom themselves are more prone to getting gum disease.
• Pets with diabetes are also more susceptible to gum disease and tooth loss. The bacteria can cause a rise in blood sugar making diabetes more difficult to control.
• American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 70 percent of felines and 80 percent of canines exhibit evidence of gum disease by the age of three.
• The inflammation and infection associated with gum disease may damage other organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys, or lead to other serious health problems.
• If left untreated, gum disease can progress to more serious forms of periodontal disease.
• Up to 60 percent of the symptoms are hidden beneath the gum line.

How Can Pet Gum Disease Be Prevented in Your Pet?

1. At home dental care is the easiest and most effective way to prevent gum disease. Regular brushing at home prevents the build-up of bacteria and plaque on your pet’s teeth. Be sure to use pet friendly toothpastes only. Human toothpastes can be toxic to your pet.
2. Having your pet checked by your veterinarian in Mount Pleasant every 6 months can also help prevent gum disease. They can catch gum disease in its earliest stages, which can be reversed with proper treatment. These checkups can help your pet live a longer and happier life.
3. Professional dental cleanings every 6 to 18 months removes the build-up of plaque and tartar. It allows your veterinarian to clean under the gum line, where bacteria can lurk.
4. A great way to help keep your pets’ teeth clean between professional dental cleanings is to use certain veterinarian recommended products. Dental chews, oral rinses, water additives, dental wipes, and certain diets are all available at your Mt Pleasant veterinary office!

The bad news:
– Your pet should see a dentist regularly.

The good news:
– Your Mt Pleasant veterinarian is a dentist.

The Post and Courier recently had a terrific article about the need for having your pets’ mouths examined regularly. You can find it at:

Pet Tooth Care by Mt Pleasant SC Veterinarians

The article opens with a description of  irreversible heart damage caused by periodontal disease in an otherwise healthy Lab. This, of course, is pretty much the worst case – however there are other less severe problems that can occur.

The four stages of periodontal disease in increasing severity are:
ONE: Gingivitis – correctable, inflammation.
TWO: Periodontitis (early) – up to twenty-five percent loss of tooth support.
THREE: Periodontitis (established) – between twenty-five and fifty percent loss of tooth support.
FOUR: Periodontitis (advanced) – over fifty percent loss of tooth support, usually requiring removal of tooth.

Prevention includes having your pet’s mouth examined regularly by your Mt Pleasant veterinary clinic, selecting a suitable food, and home care. Drop by or call us to ask about your best course of action for your particular pet.

We just put a new page on our website. It is called After Hours Care and can be found in the menu area.

There are three emergency veterinary clinics around the Low Country area that can assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Veterinary emergencies don’t just happen during regular working hours so we put contact and location information on this page to assist you.

We know that once we see one flea, many of his pals and offspring are close behind and an infestation can take two to three months to control.

Despite fewer fleas in the cooler months, Charleston SC veterinarians recommend that you endorse a prevention plan that spans the entire year. Treating the secondary infections caused by the bites of fleas takes time and money. Please adopt the yearly flea prevention plan recommended by your Mount Pleasant veterinarian.

It is called Forms in the menu area.

Right now, we have only one form on that page, but it will really enhance your first visit with us in that it is the New Client Form.

You can now print out the form, fill it out at your leisure at home, and bring it with you instead of taking the time doing so when you visit either of our Mount Pleasant SC Veterinary Hospitals.

As always, we invite you to let us know how we can better serve you. One of the ways to do that is by using our Contact Us Page.

Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital Receives Award

Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails recently presented an award to Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital. The award was from the Mayor and the Town Council in appreciation of over 50 years in business and continual contribution to the Mount Pleasant business community. Receiving the award were Dr. Kevin Shuler and retired Dr. KC Shuler.

The 50 years started when the late Dr. J.O. Shuler opened Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital in 1959.  MPAH was the first full time veterinary hospital in the town of Mt. Pleasant.  It had the first X-ray machine “East of the Cooper” and was used in emergencies for both people and pets.  In 1968 Kenneth (K.C.) Shuler joined his uncle J.O. in practice.  KC’s son Kevin and his wife Laura joined the practice following their graduations from Veterinary School and took the helm after Dr. K.C. retired in 2005.