A dental cleaning is a procedure done to clean the teeth and extract any loose teeth. The age at which the procedure is done varies - smaller breed dogs and cats will need a dental cleaning done at a much younger age, some as young as 2 years.
Larger breed dogs may not need a dental cleaning until they are in their senior years. Below I've outlined the procedure along with some questions you should ask when scheduling a dental cleaning.
- Pre-Surgical Blood work - It is always a good idea to do blood work before your pet under goes anesthesia, especially if your pet is considered a senior. Blood work will generally consist of a CBC and a chemistry profile. A CBC would check for anemia and infection. The chemistry profile checks organ function, mainly kidneys and liver and it also checks blood sugar. The blood work may find problems that your veterinarian will not find on a physical exam. No matter how good your vet is unless he/she has x-ray vision they will not be able to look at your pet and know how well the organs are functioning. It's always good to know as much about the health of your pet before they under go anesthesia. If your veterinarian does not mention blood work, ask about it.
- Anesthesia - More than likely your pet will not say awww, so in order to perform the dental cleaning your pet will need to go under anesthesia. The idea of anesthesia can be scary but if your veterinarian uses gas anesthesia it is actually pretty safe. Talk to your veterinarian and don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask the doctor if the anesthesia will be safe for your pet. If your pet is older or has other health problems the doctor may be hesitant to have your pet under anesthesia. You may also want to ask what kind of anesthesia will be used.
- Oral Exam - Once your pet is under anesthesia the doctor has a chance to give a full oral exam. Any loose, broken, or missing teeth are noted in the chart along with any oral tumors or lesions. The gums around the teeth are probed and any pockets are noted.
- Scale and Polish - At this point usually a veterinary technician takes over and scales all the tarter and plaque from the teeth and then polishes the teeth. This is very similar to what humans have done when we have our teeth cleaned. After polishing the teeth some clinics will apply a product called Oravet. This product claims to seal the teeth and prevent future tartar buildup, it will need to be reapplied on a weekly basis.
- Extractions - When the technician has completed the cleaning the doctor extracts any teeth that are loose. In some cases broken teeth will need to be extracted or a root canal will be recommended. Ask if your veterinarian will do a local nerve block before doing the extractions, it makes a difference with the amount of pain your pet will have after having a tooth extracted.
- Pain Medications/Antibiotics - If your pet needed extractions then ask if the doctor will be sending pain medications. Your veterinarian will be able to make a recommendation about pain management. The doctor may also send antibiotics if your pet had infected gums and/or extractions. If your pet didn't have any teeth extracted or have gum disease then antibiotics and pain medications may not be necessary, your veterinarian will make the final call about medications being sent home.
When you are ready to have a dental cleaning performed on your pet you will be leaving your pet at the veterinary hospital for at least the day. When you pick your pet up a staff member will more than likely go over any recommendations and give you any medications that are being sent home. Again, don't be afraid to ask any questions.
At this time, ask about the blood work that was performed - did they find any abnormalities that you need to know about. Ask about any home preventative care they recommend that might save your pet from needing a future cleaning or at least need them less often.
Once your pet is home it may still be tired from the anesthesia. Older pets take longer to recover and may not be back to normal for a couple of days. If your pet is not back to normal the day following an anesthetic procedure you should call and let the doctor know; he/she may want to do a follow up visit - it is always better to be safe then sorry. Having the dental cleaning performed will make your pet healthier and feel better and you will feel better every time Fido jumps in your lap and you don't have to smell his stinky breath.
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Charla Dawson - I work as a veterinary nurse in a busy veterinary hospital in Wichita, KS. I love my job but it can be difficult when the abuse cases come ...
