We carry out dentistry on dogs, cats, rabbits & guinea pigs.
 
At Blackness vets we believe that the health of your pet's teeth plays a very important part in their overall wellbeing. Tartar build-up on teeth is unfortunately very common in both dogs and cats, this leads to gum disease which can lead to fracture or loss of teeth or even allow bacteria to spread to other organs, such as the heart or kidneys.
 
How do I know if my pet needs a dental?
 
Your pet will receive a dental check-up at his yearly booster, or you can ask for an appointment if you are concerned about your pet's ability to eat, the smelliness of his breath or any damage you may have noticed to his teeth. It is usually possible to get a rough idea of the health of your pet's teeth during a consultation.
 
For a more detailed examination, and for any treatment such as a scale and polish or extractions, a full general anaesthetic is necessary. This will allow the vet to examine the entire dental arcade, the tongue, gums and palate in a safe and thorough fashion. It may not be possible to determine the number of extractions necessary until this examination takes place, and in many cases, not until the tartar has been removed.
 
As rabbits and guinea pigs are herbivores, their teeth continue growing throughout their life. This can lead to problems if they do not wear them down evenly by eating a balanced diet of hay and vegetables. If your rabbit or guinea pig is having problems eating, they may need to have their teeth burred or rasped down under anaesthetic to prevent ulcers developing on the tongue.
 

At Blackness Vets we are able to offer a wide range of diagnostic facilities.
We can decide the most appropriate combination of techniques to use on your pet to help us reach a diagnosis.

Laboratory:
We have a comprehensive, modern, in-house laboratory including modern haematology, biochemistry and blood-gas analysis machines. This enables us to give you same-day results on many diagnostic tests.
We can carry out complete blood profiles or single tests to provide us with a full biochemical analysis of your pet's blood. Also, we provide centrifugation, microscopy and urinalysis.
 
Our new daily fast courier service allows us to take samples for more specific tests to an external laboratory.
 
Ultrasound:
We have a modern portable ultrasound machine for pregnancy diagnosis and investigation of problems in the chest and abdomen.
 
Radiography:
For investigation of medical and surgical cases, we have the latest digital X-Ray equipment.
 
Blood pressure:
Why get your pet's blood pressure measured?
High blood pressure or systemic hypertension is an important disease process in older animals, especially cats.