The Most Common Disease Your Pet Has - And You Probably Don't Know It

By the time most dogs and cats turn three years old, they are already living with a disease their families cannot see.

Periodontal disease - the inflammation and infection of the tissues that surround the teeth - is the most common clinical condition diagnosed in adult pets. Up to 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats develop it before age three. It is painful. It is progressive. And left untreated, it doesn't stay in the mouth. Bacteria from infected gums travel through the bloodstream, raising the risk of heart, kidney, and liver disease.

It is also, in the words of those who treat it, an epidemic.

For the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA, that word matters. The organization has spent more than 130 years confronting the largest preventable crises in animal welfare. In 2026, it is taking direct aim at the next one.

A Familiar Fight at a Different Stage

We have been part of this community since 1887. For much of that history, the defining welfare challenge was population control - homeless litters, overcrowded shelters, and the painful trade-offs that came with them.

That problem didn't solve itself. It took decades of accessible programming, and community investment - and the work continues to this day.

Dental disease, HBSPCA leadership believes, is the same fight at a different stage. The condition is widespread. The science is clear. And the barriers are entirely practical - families don't know where to start, the cost of a private dental procedure can run from several hundred to several thousand dollars, and Canada is in the middle of a shortage of veterinarians, with Statistics Canada reporting more than 1,200 vet vacancies open across the country.

Spay and neuter taught this community that humane, accessible, professional care at scale is what changes outcomes for an entire population. Dental, the HBSPCA believes, is the next chapter.

From Pilot to Program

The HBSPCA Dental Suite opened in 2025 as a pilot, focused first on animals already in the shelter's care and the most urgent cases - pets in tremendous pain, with abscesses, fractured teeth, and infections that could no longer wait. Quietly, that work has been changing lives.

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This year, the doors open wider.

The HBSPCA is now welcoming registrations from pet families across Hamilton and Burlington for low-cost public dental services. The program operates alongside the shelter's Pet Health Outreach Centre, which serves clients facing financial hardship, and continues to prioritize animals in HBSPCA care.

The goal is straightforward: prevention over crisis. By making professional dental care accessible before disease becomes severe, the HBSPCA aims to reduce suffering, support responsible pet ownership, and help keep pets healthy and at home - where they belong.

Meet the Veterinarian Leading the Program

Anchoring the dental program is Dr. Dave Kerr, a Burlington-based veterinarian whose work has been guided by one principle: every pet deserves a comfortable, pain-free mouth. Dr. Kerr graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1984 and has spent his career finding ways to bring accessible, high-quality dental care to animals and communities that need it most - including international work with the Canadian Animal Assistance Team in underserved communities around the world.

Hear directly from Dr. Kerr about what brought him to the HBSPCA and why this program matters to him:

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"Being able to help animals in need and mentor at the same time aligns well with my current life's mission," says Dr. Kerr. And that mission extends well beyond the animals in the chair.

That word - mentor - points to something important about what makes this program unique.

A Teaching Program, Not Just a Treatment Program

The HBSPCA is a partner of the Ontario Animal Welfare Network, and Dr. Kerr hosts visiting veterinarians and veterinary students through that partnership. The cohort includes students from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph and from international veterinary schools. Every procedure performed in the suite is also a teaching case - a chance to raise the standard of dental care across the profession, not only inside the walls of the HBSPCA.

How It Works

All dental patients begin with a consultation appointment at the HBSPCA Companion Animal Hospital, where a veterinarian will assess the animal's overall health, evaluate the extent of any dental disease, determine whether a procedure is appropriate, and provide a treatment plan and cost estimate.

The consultation fee is $85.00, required at the time of booking. New spots open up monthly - so if availability is full, check back soon.

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is strongly recommended - and in some cases required - to confirm a patient is healthy enough for anesthesia. Vaccinations can be brought up to date before the procedure, and microchip implantation can also be completed safely while your pet is under anesthesia.

Dental procedures can be difficult to fully assess during an initial consultation, as much of the dental disease may only become visible once your pet is under anesthesia and a full oral exam and dental x-rays can be completed. Our suite is equipped with full dental x-ray capabilities - allowing us to see what even the most thorough visual exam can't. The veterinarian will provide an estimated treatment level and pricing range beforehand - ranging from professional cleaning to complex extraction cases, for both dogs and cats - however the severity of dental disease and the final cost of the procedure may change based on findings during surgery.

A pricing guide is available at https://www.hbspca.com/hospital-shelter/dental

What Comes Next: Three Suites. One Mission.

The current suite is the beginning.

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As construction approaches on the HBSPCA's new 55,000 sq ft Animal Welfare Hub - Canada's first fully integrated, pet-first campus - the dental program will expand to three dedicated dental suites under one roof. Three suites. One mission. A community-scale response to a problem that has been hiding in plain sight in the mouths of the pets we love.

None of that happens without community support. The Dental Suite exists today because donors believed in it. The next two suites, and the families who will need them, depend on the same belief.

Be Part of What's Next

If your pet is due for a dental - or if you've been putting it off because of cost or access - now is the time. Book a consultation at HERE and take the first step toward a healthier, happier animal.

And if you want to help make sure every pet in this community has access to the care they deserve for years to come, we'd love for you to be part of building what comes next.

Visit unleashlove.ca to support the Unleash Love Capital Campaign and help us expand the dental program - and so much more - in our new Animal Welfare Hub.

The HBSPCA was built on a simple promise: that the animals in this community deserve professional, humane, and accessible care - and that no family should have to choose between their pet's wellbeing and their household budget. Spay and neuter showed what's possible when care is made accessible to everyone.

Dental is next.