1466 Melrose Ave Chula Vista, CA 91911
What Happens During Your Pet's Teeth Cleaning
To safeguard the comfort and health of their teeth, gums, and bodies, pets need dental care just like people do! This usually includes a combination of at-home care and professional dental cleanings with a veterinarian.
What to Expect During a Pet Dental Appointment
For your pet’s comfort and safety, pet dental cleanings and examinations take place while pets are fully sedated under general anesthesia. Depending on your pet’s breed, age, medical history, and veterinary records, we might recommend running a diagnostic blood test before your pet’s dental appointment to ensure their liver and kidneys are healthy enough to efficiently process the general anesthesia medications.
If your pet’s lab results are good, we can begin the pet dental appointment by administering a sedative to help your pet relax before we administer the general anesthetic via IV. This anesthetic ensures your pet feels no pain and experiences zero stress during their dental exam and cleaning and also makes it easier for our veterinarian to thoroughly examine and clean your pet’s teeth and gums. We use state-of-the-art equipment to monitor your pet’s vital signs to ensure safety and comfort throughout the examination.
Other than general anesthesia, a pet dental cleaning and exam is similar to a human’s dental appointment. We scale and polish our patient’s teeth, examine the gums for signs of gum disease, and look for signs of any other potential problems such as cavities, broken teeth, or infections. At this time, we might also take a set of digital dental x-rays to screen for problems that might not be visible to the naked eye, such as issues happening inside your pet’s teeth or below the gum line.
If any serious issues are found, such as severe tooth decay, broken teeth, or abscesses, our veterinarian will take steps to resolve the problems during the dental appointment.
Once your pet’s teeth are cleaned and the examination is complete, we wake your pet from general anesthesia and monitor them closely in recovery. Pets usually return home the same day. We might recommend feeding your pet a soft diet for a few days following their dental cleaning and might also prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication.
Comprehensive Pet Dentistry in San Diego
At Pacific Pet Hospital, we provide comprehensive dental services to cats and dogs and also provide pet parents with education regarding caring for their pets’ teeth at home between professional dental cleanings and exams.
To learn more about pet dentistry or to schedule a dental appointment for your dog or cat, we welcome you to contact our office today.
