Dental care is just as important for your pet as it is for you. In fact, since pets age more quickly than humans do, dental disease can appear in even in young animals.
A dental procedure in animals requires anesthesia. In order to do a thorough job, we need to be able to look for pockets around each tooth, clean under the edge of the gum, take x-rays and polish the teeth. Polishing is an important step that helps prevent accumulation of tartar.
Step One
A pre-anesthetic exam is performed before the procedure to ensure no new health concerns have developed that would put your pet at risk while under anesthesia. Once this is completed, your pet receives pre-anesthetic medications, which help relax your pet before the procedure and minimize discomfort your pet may feel upon waking.
Step Two
We place an intravenous catheter, which administers the anesthetic drugs, gives IV fluids that help maintain your pet’s blood pressure, and serves as a port for other medications that could be needed during the procedure.
Step Three
Your pet then receives induction drugs that put your pet under anesthesia. An endo-tracheal tube is placed to deliver the maintenance anesthetic gas and to prevent tartar and other foreign material from entering your pet’s lungs.
Step Four
Before starting the procedure, your pet is placed on monitoring devices and a heating unit to keep him or her warm. Also, your pet begins receiving IV fluids.
Step Five
A technician takes x-rays of all the teeth.
The x-rays show if there is bone loss around the roots of the teeth. This can mean there is a painful abscess.
Step 6
While the doctor reviews the x-rays, the technician will clean the teeth using an ultrasonic scaling tool under the gum line as well as inside and outside the teeth. Your pet’s teeth are evaluated and their condition charted throughout the cleaning. A probe is placed under the gum line to detect and measure the presence of periodontal pockets (gum detachment).
End Result
Your pet leaves with beautiful, clean teeth, but they will not stay that way. You have to help maintain your pet’s oral health by brushing his/her teeth and following staff recommendations.