It is estimated that 85% of all dogs and cats have dental disease, yet only about 3% of pets receive regular dental care.  Dental disease is typically categorized into four grades or stages, increasing in severity. As dental disease progresses, pockets form under the gums providing a haven for bacteria to buildup and enter  the blood stream affecting the heart, liver and kidneys.

  Frequently Asked Dental Questions:

Q.  My pets veterinarian just told me my pet has Grade III dental disease.  What does that mean? Click here!

Q.  Why do pets have to be anesthetized to have their teeth cleaned? Click here!

Q.  Why is pre-anesthesia blood work necessary? Click here!

Q.  I'm worried about my pet having general anesthesia.  How is their safety ensured? Click here!

Q.  My pets admit appointment is at 7:30 am, yet I was told the procedure would begin at 10 am.  Why does he have to wait so long? Click here!

Q.  Why are dental x-rays necessary? Click here!

Q.  What is involved in cleaning my pets teeth?  Click here!

Q.  This is quite a financial investment. What do I do to prevent this in the future? Click here!

For information specific topics about Feline Oral Care Click here!   For Dogs Click here!

Degrees of Dental Disease:

Photographs courtesy of Jan Bellows, DVM and Virbac Animal Health

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Why must my pet be anesthetized for dental cleaning?

There are many reasons that a pet needs to be under anesthesia.  First pets won't open their mouth on command and hold them open.  The equipment used to clean a pets teeth is about the same as used for cleaning peoples teeth.  The vibration, sound and cleaning fluids that comes from the equipment is not painful, but pets won't tolerate things of this nature in their mouth.   Additionally, pets must be anesthetized for us to obtain good dental X-rays and perform extractions.

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Why blood work is necessary:

 Anesthetic gases and associated drugs are processed through your pet's body via the circulatory and respiratory systems.  Blood work is necessary so that doctors know if there are any underlying problems with their organs, especially their kidneys and liver.  This is critical for the doctors in helping them makes decisions on the right combination of anesthesia and drugs, thereby greatly reducing risk of complications associated with anesthesia.  Significant abnormalities in the blood results may even alert the veterinarian of the need to postpone the procedure until the cause is known and treated.

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If you are worried about general anesthesia:

Most people are aware that anesthesia comes with a certain amount of risk, even though modern anesthetic agents are much safer than they used to be.  At Edmonds Veterinary Hospital we work very hard to minimize risks to patients.  Performing blood work is one step already mentioned.  Additionally your pet will have an endotracheal tube placed in his throat to keep an open airway, have an IV catheter placed and will be on IV fluids during the procedure.  The IV catheter also provides us easy access to his veins in case any type of emergency should arise.  The IV fluids help maintain their blood pressure and hydration during the procedure.  Finally your pet will be connected to an electronic monitor which measures their heart rate, blood pressure and oxygenation of their blood.  Your pet also has a team member dedicated to monitoring them as well. 

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Why do I have to bring my pet in so early?

Several things occur after your pet is admitted to the hospital for the day.  First, if not already complete, blood work will be run.  Next they will have their pre-anesthetic examination and the doctor will sedate your pet.  Having your pet rest comfortably for a short time before anesthesia and acclimate to their environment in the clinic allows for a smoother anesthetic induction.  

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 The importance of dental X-rays:

X-rays are usually necessary to determine if a tooth needs to be extracted.  There are ligaments and bone that hold teeth in place.  Sometimes there can be reasons under the gum line that we cannot see that tell us if a tooth must be removed.  As an example, when looking at an adult canine tooth, you can physically only see about 1/3 of the tooth; the remaining 2/3rds of the tooth is below the gum line.

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Dental cleaning process:

 Many of the topics have already been covered-the blood work, anesthetizing and monitoring of your pet. 

 The cleaning itself follows a step by step process.

• After your pet is anesthetized they are moved to the dental arena and place on a warming blanket to prevent their body temperature from dropping too low.
• Heavy tartar is removed from the surface of the teeth
• A full oral evaluation occurs looking for pockets, fractures, divots in the enamel and loose teeth.
• X-rays of questionable teeth occur next, followed by necessary extractions
• Next the teeth are cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler, followed by polishing and rinsing.  At this point the professional sealant would be applied in cases where pet owners can follow up twice a week at home.  
• Pain medicine may be given at this point so when he wakes up the pain is minimized.
  
• Once completed your pet awakened and returned to a kennel with warm blankets and water bottles.  
• Your pet will continued to be monitored for the remainder of the day until you arrive to take him home.

Reducing the need for dental cleaning:

Just like people, the best way to keep a pets teeth clean and smelling good is to brush their teeth daily.  It's often difficult to accomplish that with busy schedules or uncooperative pets.  At the time your pet is discharged from the hospital, we will help you choose the best dental product to minimize the frequency of future dental procedures.  We carry a full line of toothpastes, rinses, food and chews that will help with this.  Your pet will go home with a 'Dental Kit' that has samples of some of the products we carry.  We encourage you to try one, two or all and find out which one will work for you and your pet the best.  

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