• Most people offering this service aren't trained medical professionals.
• During the awake cleaning process, the pet may be stressed or injured. Removal of plaque involves the use of sharp instruments and if your pet moves, they may be injured. It is unlikely that even the best behaved pet will sit for the 45-60 minutes of time the process should take.
• Real dental disease is not treated. Without anesthesia,  only the plaque, tartar,  and calculus that is on the visible surface of the teeth is removed. The teeth may look pretty but the plaque and tartar that is below the gumline and on the inside of the tooth is not properly removed. This is where the majority of dental disease exists.
• Dental disease will undoubtedly be missed and go untreated. With anesthesia free dentistry, proper examination, measurements, and dental x-rays can not be taken.  

  
Above are pictures of a dog that received anesthesia free cleanings. The outside surfaces of the teeth (left) look clean, but the inside surfaces of the teeth (right) are covered with plaque and tartar. This dog was diagnosed with severe, chronic periodontal disease once proper examination was finally performed.

When performed correctly, anesthesia is considered safe.  Please visit our page on anesthesia for more information.

Unfortunately, we have seen many pets who have received frequent anesthesia free cleanings. It is not until a proper examination by a veterinarian is performed that severe dental disease is noted. It is much easier and less expensive to prevent dental disease by providing proper care  than to treat advanced periodontal disease with oral surgery and extractions. To read more about why non-professional dentistry is not recommended, please go to the AVDC website.

Please look for our next blog on questions to ask your veterinarian before your pet undergoes general anesthesia.

We want to hear from you. Please email your dental related questions to Dentist Vet.

Have a dental related question about your pet?  Send an email to Doctor Beebe.

10. Bright Bites Chews
9.  Dog and Cat Healthymouth Anti-Plaque Water Additive
8.  Nylabone Dental Toys
7.  Vetradent Bluechews
6.  Kong Dental Stick
5.  Canine or Feline Greenies Dental Chews
4.  Prescription Diet t/d or Science Diet Oral Care Diet
3.  Pet Formulated Toothpaste and Toothbrush
2.  A veterinary examination and professional teeth cleaning
1.  A person who brushes your pet’s teeth daily.

For more information on oral home care, go to http://www.dentistvet.com/home-care.html

Happy Holidays to You and Your Four-Legged Friends!

Ever bite your own cheek and find that you keep biting it? The swelling in your mouth from the original injury causes the tissue to get in the way of your chewing teeth. Then you bite your cheek again and again. In dogs and cats, this is called cheek chewers syndrome. The technical term- buccal granuloma. In some patients, this can be a long term and painful condition.

Luckily, surgery can be performed to convert the mouth back to its normal anatomy and a pain-free state.

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Have you ever chewed on your cheek or seen this in your pets?

What are the risks involved with anesthesia for my pet?
Risk is highly dependent on the health status of your pet, not necessarily their age. Anesthetic risk is also highly dependent on the training the veterinary staff has received.

Are IV Catheters placed?
IV catheters provide access to the vein to give fast acting medications and provide fluid support.

Are IV fluids given during the procedure?
IV fluids are important for blood pressure support.

Is an endotracheal tube placed during the procedure?
An endotracheal tube will help protect the airway during a procedure.

Do you use the same medications for all anesthesia procedures or are they adjusted based on the health status or type of procedure?
Certain drugs should not be used with certain health issues like heart disease. For example, an abdominal surgery will require a deeper level of anesthesia than a professional dental cleaning.

Is a specific individual solely dedicated to the monitoring of my pet during anesthesia and how often are measurements recorded?
Ideally, a veterinary technician with training in anesthesia should be monitoring the patient under anesthesia and recording values at least every 5 minutes to catch negative trends early. Having the same individual multi-task both the dental cleaning procedure as well the anesthesia monitoring increases he risk to the patient.

Is a veterinarian in the immediate area where my pet will be anesthetized?
The veterinarian should be available to help make adjustments in the anesthesia levels.

Do you regularly monitor temperature, heart rate and rhythm, respiration rate, blood pressure, oxygenation, and carbon dioxide levels?
All these parameters should be recorded at least every 5 minutes.

How is my pet kept warm during the procedure?
It is very common for dogs and cats to lose body heat during anesthesia. Keeping body temperature near normal improves recovery time and increases safety. 

Is a specific individual dedicated to my animal during recovery?
At least respiration, heart rate, and temperature should be monitored by the individual providing recovery services. They are also there to provide comfort to the animal during the recovery process.

What measures for pain control will be provided?
Providing pain control medications before, during, and after the procedure is key. 

Do you have protocols and regular training in place for anesthetic emergencies?
If an emergency arises, all members of the team should know and should have practiced their roles.

 

Board certified specialists in anesthesia are available at many hospitals for cases with higher risk. For more information on safety and anesthesia protocols, please visit our anesthesia and pain management page. 

We would love to hear from you. Please email your questions to Dentist Vet.