Who an online consultation is for
Veterinary dentistry is a narrow speciality, and not every city has a vet who focuses on teeth. An online consultation lets you get a dentist's opinion without travelling to Kyiv — or first find out whether the trip is needed at all.
The online format is most useful if:
- you live outside Kyiv and there is no veterinary dentist nearby;
- you want a second opinion — for example, a clinic has suggested extracting several or many teeth and you want to understand the reasoning;
- you already have dental radiographs from another clinic and would like a dentist to review them;
- you have noticed a symptom — bad breath, tartar, a broken tooth, red gums, double canines in a puppy — and do not know how urgent it is;
- treatment is already done and you need help monitoring healing or have questions at home.
How the online consultation works
The consultation is text-based and takes place on Telegram. There is no call to schedule: you describe the situation and send the materials in your own time, and I review them carefully.
Both formats — in clinic and online — are described on the Consultation page.
- 01
Message me on Telegram
Briefly describe the problem: species, age and weight of your pet, when the symptoms started. My Telegram is @dr_vetstomat.
- 02
Send photos, videos and documents
Photos of the mouth from different angles, a short video, lab results, reports and radiographs if you have them.
- 03
Answer a few follow-up questions
I take a history: diet, previous treatment, medication, chronic conditions, how your pet behaves while eating.
- 04
Receive recommendations and a PDF
An explanation of what I could see, which problems may be suspected, which tests are needed and what to do next — in a structured PDF you can return to at any time.
How to photograph your dog's or cat's teeth
The quality of the photos decides how useful the consultation will be. You do not need a professional camera — a phone, good light and a few calm minutes are enough. Start with these four shots:
- 1Side view — both sidesLift the lip with a finger and photograph the canine and back teeth from the side. Then repeat on the other side.
- 2Front teethGently pull the lips up and down so the incisors, canines and gums are all in the frame.
- 3Back teeth up closeDraw the cheek back towards the corner of the mouth. Tartar and inflammation show best on the large upper teeth.
- 4optionalVideo while eatingYou can also send a short video of your pet while eating.
What else helps
- Take several shots of the same angle — at least one will be sharp.
- Photograph the gums as well as the teeth: redness, swelling or a growth matter as much as tartar.
- If there is swelling on the face or under an eye, photograph it from the front and from the side.
- Cats are easier to photograph with two people: one holds, the other takes the picture. If your cat resists, stop — one calm photo is better than stress and scratches.
What can and cannot be assessed online
To be honest about the limits: photos and videos show the crowns of the teeth, the gums and your pet's behaviour, but not the roots, the bone or the depth of periodontal pockets. That is often exactly where the main problem is.
So online I can give a preliminary assessment and a plan, but the final diagnosis for each tooth is made after an examination under anaesthesia, periodontal probing and dental radiography.
A second opinion on a treatment plan
Sometimes a clinic recommends extracting several or even most of the teeth, and the owner has doubts. Wanting to understand a decision that cannot be undone is completely normal.
For a second opinion, send the treatment plan or discharge notes, dental radiographs (if taken), photos of the mouth and lab results. I will explain how well the plan matches what the radiographs show, which options are still worth discussing and what to ask your vet.
A second opinion is not criticism of colleagues. Often it confirms the plan, and the owner goes ahead with more peace of mind. Why extraction is sometimes genuinely better than saving a tooth is explained in the articles on extractions in dogs and in cats.
Reviewing dental radiographs from another clinic
If your pet has already had dental radiographs, you can send them for review. Original files (clinics can export them) are best — not a photo of a screen taken at an angle, where small changes around the roots are easily lost.
Important: an ordinary radiograph of the head or skull is not a dental radiograph. The teeth overlap on it, and an individual root usually cannot be assessed. A dental assessment needs intraoral images of each tooth.
If treatment is needed: preparing for the trip to Kyiv
Treatment takes place at KYIV VET PODIL clinic in Kyiv's Podil district. To keep the trip as short as possible, part of the preparation can be done in your own city.
How to prepare your pet for the day of the procedure is covered in a separate article: preparing for dental treatment.
- 01
Online consultation
We go through the situation and make a list of the tests needed.
- 02
Tests at your local clinic
Complete blood count and biochemistry, echocardiography, abdominal ultrasound. With concurrent conditions the list may be extended.
- 03
Review of the results
You send the results in advance; the vets review them and confirm your pet is fit for anaesthesia. I will tell you during the consultation how recent the tests need to be.
- 04
Surgery date
We choose the date and time of the surgery and plan the journey.
- 05
Diagnostics and treatment
Under anaesthesia: a full examination, periodontal probing, dental radiography and clinically indicated treatment following the COHAT protocol.
Remote follow-up after treatment
After dental treatment it matters to keep an eye on healing, appetite and wellbeing. Once you are back home, far from Kyiv, part of the follow-up can be done online: you send photos of the gums and short videos, and I check that everything is going to plan.
If something in the photos is concerning, I will tell you whether your pet needs to be seen locally or come back for a recheck. What is normal in the first days after extractions and what is not is explained in the article on aftercare following extraction.
How much an online consultation costs
An online consultation costs 1 250 ₴. Below are approximate prices for an examination and the basic COHAT protocol, in case treatment is needed afterwards.
Where you can contact me from
An online consultation is not tied to a city. You can write from Lviv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Poltava or a small town — all you need is Telegram and a phone with a camera. If treatment turns out to be needed, I will help you plan the trip so it is as comfortable as possible for your pet.
When to see a vet
- Swelling of the face, cheek or under an eye, especially if it is growing quickly — go to the nearest clinic the same day rather than waiting for an online consultation.
- Bleeding from the mouth that does not stop.
- An injury to the face or jaw, or your pet cannot close its mouth.
- A broken tooth with a pink or dark dot in the centre — this is an exposed pulp and should not wait.
- Your pet has not eaten or drunk for more than a day, is lethargic or has a fever.
What you can do at home
- If eating is painful, switch to soft or soaked food for now.
- Remove hard treats, bones and tough toys until the cause is known.
- Write down when the symptoms started and what has changed: appetite, which side your pet eats on, drooling, odour.
- Gather documents: previous lab results, discharge notes, radiographs, a list of medications.
- Take photos and videos following the diagram above — it will speed up the consultation.
What not to do at home
- Do not give painkillers from your own medicine cabinet: ibuprofen, paracetamol and other human medicines can be dangerous for dogs and especially for cats.
- Do not start leftover antibiotics without a prescription: they may mask the symptoms for a while and make diagnosis harder.
- Do not try to scrape tartar off yourself — you can injure the gums and enamel.
- Do not force the mouth open if your pet is in pain: it is dangerous for both of you.
Frequently asked questions
An online consultation costs 1 250 ₴. You receive written recommendations and a PDF action plan. Current prices for all services are on the Prices page.
A preliminary assessment — yes; a final diagnosis — no. Photos show the crowns and gums, but not the roots or bone. The final diagnosis for each tooth is made after an examination under anaesthesia and dental radiography.
Start with an online consultation. I will help you understand how urgent things are, which tests your local clinic can do and whether treatment is needed. Blood tests, echocardiography and ultrasound can be done locally, so you arrive for the procedure with the results in hand.
Yes. Original files of the dental radiographs are best, not photos of a screen. An ordinary skull radiograph does not replace dental radiographs because the teeth overlap on it.
No, it is text-based on Telegram: you send photos, videos and documents, I ask follow-up questions and prepare written recommendations and a PDF you can return to at any time.
Yes. Many cats find travel and an examination in an unfamiliar place stressful, so starting online can be convenient. But tooth resorption in cats is often invisible in photos — it is confirmed on dental radiographs.
Sources and professional guidelines
- WSAVA Global Dental GuidelinesGlobal guidelines for veterinary dentistry
- AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and CatsClinical guidelines for dental care
- AVDC NomenclatureAVDC nomenclature and terminology
© dr.vetstomat. Original content.
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