If you have a dog or cat, you’ve probably heard, “your pet needs a dental” from your vet before, but what does that mean? And why do our pets need dental care when they lick their own butts?
Our dogs/cats teeth build up bacteria just like ours do, and that turns into plaque when left untreated. Plaque is the off white, sticky film that shows up after you skip brushing your teeth for a while. Plaque turns into tartar, which is the hardened material that can only be removed from the teeth with professional dental equipment.
Where it’s a little different is pets are placed under anesthesia for their dental cleanings. This is for a few reasons, first is so trained professionals can get full mouth radiographs and clean all aspects of the pet’s teeth. Understandably, pets don’t want to sit still with their mouths wide open like we must at our dentist. Secondly, the equipment used is the exact equipment we have all heard when we go to the dentist, which would be a bit scary for our pets who don’t understand what’s happening. Lastly, if dental extractions are needed- it can feel uncomfortable, and we don’t want your dog or cat to feel any discomfort. That’s why anesthesia is so important- it allows us to provide a comprehensive and fear free service.
After your pet is placed under anesthesia one team member is dedicated to monitoring their vitals and another team member performs the dental. After cleaning & radiographing your pets’ teeth, the doctor confirms that all teeth look healthy and your pet is woken up!
This process usually takes about an hour, unless extractions are needed, but a reputable vet clinic is going to monitor your pet for a couple of hours afterwards to make sure they wake up comfortably. Find out more in our previous articles about dentals, “Bad Breath” and “How do I brush my dogs/cats teeth?”.