Aware on the one hand of the serious nature of dental disease in our pets, from halitosis to septicaemia and multi-organ failure and on the other of the current financial constraints that everyone is suffering, we are offering free dental checks and savings on the cost of any treatment required.

Of course, every campaign needs a mascot and fortunately our search has been rewarded. Step to the plate Sally, a little terrier cross with the looks and temperament to melt most hearts, but get close to those chops and it's anything but kisses you want as you are met with her doggy death breath!

A look in her mouth revealed a significant build up of plaque and tartar on her teeth that was in turn triggering a nasty infection on her gums (gingivitis); the source of the horrendous pong (halitosis).

Not to worry; we could soon sort out Sally's problems but would she be our mascot and pose for the camera? With much anticipation she was booked in for an anaesthetic and dental treatment the following day.

Though a little disgruntled because she hadn't had any breakfast, Sally soon settled into her comfortable kennel.

Gingivitis commonly allows bacteria into the blood stream affecting other organs, so we firstly needed to make sure that she was well enough to cope with her anaesthetic.

Following a thorough veterinary examination, checking her heart and lungs we ran couple of simple blood test in or own laboratory, making sure all was in order. Satisfied that Sally was in good enough shape for her treatment we were all set to go with her anaesthetic; but first her photo-shoot.

If you are a teacher or a vet, the old phrase "never work with children or animals" does tend to somewhat limit your potential for job satisfaction! Fortunately, Sally was a natural, posing beautifully for her pre make-over pics, prior to her anaesthetic.

Once asleep, the extent of the problem was soon apparent. Using an ultrasonic dental de-scaler, exactly the same as the one used by our own dentist, we were able to carefully break down the tartar, removing it without damaging the gum or the enamel surfaces of the teeth.

Tartar removed, it was then possible to properly asses the health of each tooth and the degree of gum recession. Unfortunately, Sally's lower right canine (fang) tooth was showing signs of advanced periodontal disease; the colour had changed to a translucent white and its root was significantly exposed, not to mention it had a precarious wobble!

When the tooth was wiggled, pus squeezed up from its socket, a sure sign that the gnasher had to come out. Using a special elevator to loosen any remaining attachment the offending fang was gently removed.

After a final check to make sure all the tartar had been shifted, the remaining teeth were thoroughly polished. This has two functions, not only does it make each tooth look sparklingly clean, but more importantly it also gently smoothes the enamel surface making it more difficult for plaque and tartar to build up in the future.

With her procedure complete, Sally was soon back in her kennel, quietly finding her bearings as she recovered from her anaesthetic. Within an hour or so she was tucking into a small meal of a special recovery diet with memories of her missed breakfast completely banished.

At her post dental check a couple of days later Sally was full of beans, the empty socket left by her removed tooth already healed, her gorgeous good looks unaffected and best of all her breath was minty fresh.

Kisses all round!