Do you have your teeth cleaned regularly? It’s not much fun, is it? There are those of us who have periodontal disease and have to have their teeth cleaned three or more times a year. As nasty as those cleanings might be, for man's best friend, having to undergo a dog dental cleaning is even worse because they have to be put out or anesthetized.
Brushing your dog's teeth on a regular basis will prevent plaque and tarter from forming. Once formed on your dog's teeth, the only way to rid your dog of the plaque and tartar buildup is to have your vet give your dog a professional dog dental cleaning.
Why Have Your Dog's Teeth Cleaned?
Dogs can get periodontal disease just as we can. In the final stages of this disease, the tissues that surround the dog’s tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding the tooth in place erodes and the tooth gets loose. This is very painful for Fido. Be a responsible pet owner and have your dog's teeth cleaned on a regular basis. This will ensure your dog will have healthy teeth and gums. With healthy teeth and gums your dog can be your loyal companion for many years to come.
How Dog Dental Cleaning Is Done
First of all, a veterinarian can’t clean your dog’s teeth when the dog is awake. Dogs just don’t take kindly to having their teeth scraped. The first step in dog dental cleaning is to give the dog a general anesthesia. Next, the vet will most likely take X-rays to assess the health of your dog’s teeth and the bones in its mouth. Following X-rays, the vet will proceded to the dog dental cleaning and will do most if not all of the following:
- Flush the mouth with an antibacterial solution to kill the bacteria
- Clean the teeth with handheld and ultrasonic scalers
- Remove all tartar from above and below the gum line (This is extremely important and can only be done if the animal is under anesthesia.)
- Use a disclosing solution to show any areas of remaining calculus which are then removed
- Polish the teeth to remove microscopic scratches
- Inspect each tooth and the gum around it for any signs of disease
- Flush the mouth a second time with an antibacterial solution
- Apply a dental agent to retard plaque build up
- Record any abnormalities or additional procedures on a dental chart
- Determine the best follow-up and home dental care program for your dog
Cost of Dog Dental Cleaning
As you can seen, a dog dental cleaning is not a simple process nor is it inexpensive. Some veterinarians charge a flat fee, while others charge based on the dog’s weight. Check with your vet for pricing, then shop around.
Risks Involved With Dog Dental Cleaning
When your dog requires anesthesia, there are some risks involved. In fact, it can be dangerous, especially for an older dog. You should realize that general anesthesia can be more dangerous for dogs than us humans and the death rate for this procedure is far greater for dogs. If you are about to have your dog anesthetized, be sure to ask your vet specific questions about the risks involved for your dog.
To minimize risk, a good vet will first examine the dog thoroughly to make sure it’s healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. Your vet may also run blood, urine, and red and white blood cell counts and depending on the general age and condition of your dog - even an electrocardiography test before beginning the procedure and anesthetizing your dog. Your vet may even do radiographs (X-rays) to check for any dangerous heart, kidney or other conditions. All in all, modern anesthesia is generally safe, even for older dogs.
While your dog is anesthetized and undergoing the dog dental cleaning, your vet will monitor its vitals – body temperature, heart rate and respiration, and other important factors. This helps ensure the dog’s safety.
How Long Will A Dog Dental Cleaning Take?
While the length of the procedure can vary greatly – depending on the severity of your dog’s dental problems, a straightforward cleaning should take 20 to 40 minutes. Naturally, if your dog requires more than normal treatment, or even a tooth extraction, this will take more time.
Postoperative Care
Most dog dental cleaning procedures require that the dog stay in the vet’s hospital for just one day. However, if the vet has concerns about the dog’s recovery from the anesthesia, they may want the dog to stay overnight for observation.
If the dog's teeth cleaning was relatively simple, it won’t require any special care afterwards. However, if the vet had to extract a tooth or do some advanced periodontal treatment, you may have to administer antibiotics, feed your dog softer food or use an oral rinse until its mouth has healed.
Benefits Of Dog Dental Cleaning
Regular dog dental cleaning can protect your dog from all kinds of periodontal disease, including gingivitis, periodontal abscesses and bactermia, proliferating gum disease, swollen gums, salivary cysts and abscessed teeth.
But the most important benefit of dog dental cleaning is that dogs with healthy teeth and gums live longer, are happier and play more. If your dog doesn’t get regular cleanings, it will most likely have an infected mouth by the time it is six or seven years old. This infection sheds bacteria into the dog’s bloodstream 24 hours a day. While this will not kill the dog, it will stress its immune system. As time goes by, the bacterial load worsens and the dog’s immune system becomes progressively less competent and your dog can end up with kidney disease or liver problems.
How Often Should You Have Your Dog's Teeth Cleaned?
It would be nice if there were a clear-cut answer to this question, but the real answer is, “it depends.” It depends on the dental care you’ve given your dog. For example, if you’ve been brushing the dog’s teeth on a regular basis since it was a puppy, it may never need to have its teeth cleaned.
It depends on the dog’s age – very few dogs that are three years old or less will need a cleaning but many over the age of seven will – especially if it hasn’t gotten good dog dental care.
And, finally, it depends on what your vet finds when doing an oral exam. If your finds only a small amount of plaque and no tartar, you may be able to solve the problem just by changing the dog’s diet or by giving it different chew toys. On the other hand, if the dog’s teeth show tartar or other periodontal problems, your vet will undoubtedly recommend a good cleaning, scaling or other dental work.
As you have read, a dog dental cleaning is not a simple or an inexpensive procedure; however, if it can save your dog’s teeth and help them live a longer and happier life, it is well worth the time and expense!
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