Like people, our furry pals require regular dental care to ensure a healthy mouth. Without this care, pets can develop serious dental disease that causes them pain and can negatively affect their quality of life. In addition to a preventive home routine, professional dental cleanings at Stanton Pet Hospital are a crucial aspect of this care. To shed light on what happens during a professional pet dental cleaning, we’ll take you through the steps of a typical day in the veterinary dentist chair.

#1: Pre-procedure pet assessment

Before the cleaning begins, a veterinary team member will conduct a pre-procedure assessment that includes reviewing your pet’s medical history and blood test results, checking their vital signs, and performing a complete physical examination to ensure they can safely undergo anesthesia. If we find any issues, we’ll adjust your pet’s anesthetic protocol or postpone the procedure.

#2: Pet anesthesia preparation

To prepare for anesthesia, we’ll give your pet an injection to induce a sense of calm and relaxation. Then, we’ll place an intravenous (IV) catheter and administer additional medications to prevent nausea and control anticipated pain. We’ll set up a warm and cozy area for your pet to rest while they await their procedure.

#3: Pet anesthesia induction and maintenance

Next, we’ll administer a short-acting induction drug into the IV, allowing your pet to quickly drift off. Once they are asleep, we’ll place an endotracheal tube and inflate a cuff around the tube to protect the airway from fluids. We’ll administer oxygen and anesthetic gas through the tube to keep your pet asleep for the procedure’s duration. While under anesthesia, your pet will be closely monitored by a dedicated, trained veterinary team member to ensure their safety.

#4: Pet dental X-rays

We’ll take dental X-rays of your pet’s mouth. Dental X-rays are an essential step to assess the health of tooth roots and surrounding structures. Most of the tooth surface hides below the gumline, where abscesses, bone loss, and other “invisible” problems commonly occur. Without X-rays, we could miss painful dental issues that will get worse over time, necessitating additional procedures in the future.

#5: Pet dental scaling and polishing

We’ll scale and polish your pet’s teeth. The cleaning process involves scaling tartar and plaque from the teeth and beneath the gumline using ultrasonic equipment and hand tools. Scaling removes harmful debris but leaves behind micro-scratches, so we’ll follow up with a polishing tool to remove them. This is the process that transforms your pet’s teeth from yellow-brown to sparkling white.

#6: Complete pet oral examination

Once the debris is removed, the veterinary team will conduct a thorough dental examination, which includes inspecting each tooth, assessing gum health, and checking for visible abnormalities. Together with the X-rays, the complete oral examination helps diagnose problems and determine which teeth require treatments to restore health and comfort.

#7: Pet periodontal therapies and extractions

Treating unhealthy teeth is important to prevent disease from spreading through the mouth and to address pain and discomfort. Common problems that require treatment include tooth fractures, root abscesses, deep or infected gum pockets, and tooth or root resorption. Treatments may include surgical flap creation to allow easier deep gum or root cleaning, tooth extractions, and antibiotic gel placement. After treatments, the team may apply an anti-plaque sealant to keep the teeth clean during recovery.

#8: Pet anesthetic recovery

Once the cleaning is complete, your pet will be carefully and gently awakened from anesthesia. A team member will sit with your pet to keep them relaxed and safe during this time, as they may be confused or disoriented. For the next few hours, your pet’s vitals will be closely monitored and pain medications given to control any discomfort from their procedure.

#9: Pet discharge and home care instructions 

When you come to pick up your pet at the end of the day, we’ll go over detailed instructions to help them recover at home. If your pet had extractions, you’ll need to feed them a softened diet for one to two weeks and administer pain medication for a few days. 

#10: Pet recheck examination

After a few weeks, our team will check your pet’s mouth to ensure any extraction sites have healed and irritation from the cleaning has resolved. At this time, team members will discuss a long-term dental home care plan, which might include daily brushing, special chews, water additives, or other anti-plaque products. 

Professional dental cleanings, assessments, and treatments are essential to your pet’s overall health maintenance. At Stanton Pet Hospital, your pet’s safety and comfort are our top priorities. We use Fear Free handling techniques to reduce your pet’s stress and ensure they enjoy their stay. Contact us to schedule your pet’s next wellness and oral health checkup or to discuss your pet’s recommended dental care plan.