Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental?

Does your pet’s breath smell a little ‘ruff’? It may be time to book them in for a dental scale and polish at your local veterinarian. Yes, dogs and cats need dental care just as much as people do. Research has shown that when plaque builds up on your pets’ teeth it can cause periodontal disease which in turn can lead to bacterium entering your beloved pets blood stream. In the long term this can affect your furry friend’s heart.

“Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases seen in small animal practices” (Lund et al. 1999, Robinson et al. 2016).

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Content:

1. Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental
2. Does Pet Insurance Cover Teeth Cleaning
3. Does Pet Insurance Cover Tooth Extraction
4. Conclusion

Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental

When your veterinarian mentions a dental, they could be referring to a general scale and polish to remove minor plaque build-up, or a major scale and polish with tooth extractions. Many small dog breeds are prone to developing dental problems and require their teeth to be cleaned yearly, for example: Yorkshire Terriers, Toy French Poodles and Dachshunds.

Not all pet insurances are the same, and there are various plan options. It is always important to read the fine print to understand exactly what is and is not covered. Certain dog breeds require dental care yearly and therefor can be budgeted for by their owner. Sometimes there can be a medical emergency with regards to a healthy tooth that is chipped or damaged and needs to be extracted. This type of accident may be covered under an accident plan.

It is highly recommended to have your pet signed up with a medical fund such as Petcube’s Emergency Fund from when you welcome your pet to your home to be prepared for any medical emergencies that your pet may encounter.

“Periodontal disease is a frequent problem seen in veterinary practices. Primary-care veterinary practices, where diagnosis of periodontal disease is predominantly based on visual oral assessment of conscious dogs, report an average prevalence of 9.3 to 18.2% within the dog population. Detailed examinations of anaesthetised dogs report much higher prevalence of between 44 and 100%.”: according to Dr C Wallis’s research.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Teeth Cleaning

Teeth cleaning for your pet will most likely only be covered by top tier plans with pet medical insurances. It is generally not considered an emergency such as if your pet were hit by a car or bitten by a snake.

Dr. M. Niemiec says: “Periodontal disease is the most commonly diagnosed problem in small animal veterinary medicine. In the vast majority of cases, however, there are little to no outward clinical signs of the disease process, and, therefore, therapy often comes very late in the disease course. Consequently, periodontal disease is also the most undertreated animal health problem.”

Does Pet Insurance Cover Tooth Extraction

Most pet insurance plans will only cover tooth extraction if it is considered part of an accident or an emergency; and not due to lack of dental hygiene.

All of this can add up very quickly, that is why it is important to have a medical fund for your pet. This way your budget will not limit your treatment options, and you will be able to do what is best for your furry friend.

Conclusion

If your pet’s breath is too smelly for you to handle, then it is most certainly time to take them in for a check-up with your veterinarian and possibly book them in for a dental scale and polish.