Our dental care includes dental cleaning and polishing, dental radiography, and oral treatment.
Have you looked in your pet’s mouth lately? Dental disease affects nearly 80% of dogs and 75% of cats, by the age of 3.
Dental care is more than just a cure for bad breath. Poor oral health can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss as well as heart, liver, and kidney problems. Common sign of oral disease are yellow/brown tartar near the gum line; red, swollen, or bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; abnormal drooling; pawing at the mouth; loose or missing teeth, or difficulty eating/loss of appetite.
In our practice, dental care includes:
The newest addition to our dental protocol includes digital radiography. Our new Digital Radiology System helps diagnose potentially harmful conditions in your pet’s mouth. This system emits less radiation to your pet and hospital personnel, while decreasing your pet’s time under anesthesia.
What to do and what to expect on the day of your pet’s dental procedure:
Expect to spend about 20-30 minutes filling out our consent form, which explains the services and options. We prefer clients to read through the consent form a few days prior to the scheduled procedure so we can answer any questions you may have. You can visit one of our offices to pick-up a copy of the dental cleaning and periodontal treatment consent form.
Upon arrival, the receptionist will verify with you the requested procedures and consent form, and then they will have you speak to one of our technicians. If you have any specific questions, you can always ask them at this time.
The procedure on your pet will be performed during that morning or early afternoon. On average, pets generally spend about one hour under anesthesia, and they are closely monitored throughout the procedure.
One of our technicians or assistants will contact you in the early afternoon after the anesthetic procedure is done and your pet has recovered from anesthesia. Our staff will monitor your pet throughout the remainder of the afternoon.
Discharge of your pet is the same day, anytime after 4 pm and before 6 pm (our office closes promptly at 6 pm). During discharge, a doctor will go over the procedures performed and the patient home care instructions with you.
What to do and what to expect after you take your pet home:
Your pet will still be sleepy upon release and should be allowed a safe, warm, and quiet environment to rest. All animals metabolize the anesthesia differently; it is not uncommon for some to be back to normal activity the following day and others quite “tired”. We advise owners to put their pet on a leash or in a pet carrier, as even the best-trained pets can act unexpectedly after anesthetic procedures.
Try to take your pet straight home. He/she will just want some quiet and familiar place to rest and recover.
Offer some food to your pet a few hours after you arrive home, but only a small amount. They tend to overeat after “being fasted” for almost 24 hours, and this can lead to vomiting. Offer a small amount of water right after you come home.
If medications have been sent home, please follow all the instructions for medicating your pet that same evening.
Next day, your pet will most likely act normally, like nothing happened. Sometimes they don’t know what their limitations are, so try to keep them quiet and not very active for a few days (walk them on a leash, keep them confined in the house; for cats, lay tall standing cat trees down or lower perches).
If you have any questions regarding our dental care, please contact our office and speak with our trained hospital staff.
