Dr. Katie Peterman, DVM
Practice limited to veterinary dentistry and oral surgery
Dr. Peterman (McDougall) received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Washington State University in 2007 and completed a rigorous three-year veterinary dentistry and oral surgery residency. She has over ten years of experience treating dog and cat teeth in a general practice setting, and now focuses exclusively on diseases, trauma and dysfunction of the oral cavity in dogs and cats; taking referrals from local and regional veterinarians. She grew up in Montana, graduating valedictorian from Billings Senior High School and elementary and middle school in Missoula.
Dental and other oral problems in dogs and cats are common and often painful, but the problems are hidden and not obvious to pet owners or even many veterinarians. Periodontal disease, fractured teeth, tooth root abscesses, malocclusions, painful inflammatory conditions and sadly, oral cancer, can be difficult to diagnose. Complete and comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment requires general anesthesia in animals. Dr. Peterman’s nearly 20 years of experience with sedating and anesthetizing dogs and cats safely, kindly and gently is unparalleled.
A healthy mouth is the cornerstone of a healthy animal, and Dr. Peterman advocates for animals while helping owners decide on the best path forward for their pets. Dental disease can be silent, but fortunately most conditions are treatable and even curable. Raising awareness of pet dentistry is paramount, and she regularly instructs veterinarians, veterinary students and veterinary technicians on diagnosing and treating pet dental problems. She teaches small animal dentistry and oral surgery to Washington State University veterinary students, helping advance the field and improve pet health.
Dr. Peterman has studied the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of wild grey wolves and recently published a peer-reviewed study on the topic.
She resides in Missoula with her family and pets, including her “grand dog” Rico, a pitbull/American Staffordshire terrier; Maple, the blue heeler in charge; and three cats: Lefse and Lentil the lynx point brothers and Coco the tabico.
