Bob came to Village Animal Hospital with bad breath, mild gingivitis (red gums), and
dental calculus (the brown chunky stuff that accumulates on dog’s teeth). Bob’s owner decided to make an appointment for him to spend the day at the hospital to have his teeth cleaned. So, with Bob’s help, I am going to walk you through what happens when a pet is here for a dental cleaning.
After being admitted to the hospital, all patients are given a full physical exam by one of the doctors. If anything abnormal is found the owner is then contacted.
The doctors often recommend that blood work be done before patients are
anesthetized. Blood work will check liver and kidney function, protein levels, blood sugar levels, and hydration status. We may also do a complete blood count to check for anemia and infection. Abnormal findings on the blood work will alert the doctor to adjustments that need to be made with the sedatives that they choose to use or cause them to cancel the dental altogether.
We may also recommend that an intravenous (IV) catheter be placed in some pets
(see Bob’s photo). This allows us direct access to a vein for any medications or fluids that the doctor feels should be given during the procedure. Fluids are often given to patients with elevated liver and kidney values on blood work, older pets, and patients that are dehydrated.
Once pets have all of their pre-anesthetic work done, they are ready to be sedated. First, pain medications are given by injection to relax the pet and cause them to wake up in less pain. After about 20 minutes a sedative is given in their vein that makes them very sleepy. Once they are asleep a tube isplaced in their windpipe and they are connected to our anesthesia machine. The gas anesthetic keeps them asleep during the procedure so that they do not feel any pain and remain calm.
As soon as they are comfortably asleep, pets are covered with a towel and this
machine blows warm air onto the pet to keep them warm while they are sedated. Being under anesthesia and being exposed to the cool water used for the dental can cause the pet’s body temperature to fall. So, by using this machine we ensure that they stay nice and toasty warm.
Patients are hooked up to a monitor for their entire dental procedure. The monitor shows us heart rate, respiratory rate, and their blood pressure. Their body temperature is also monitored during the procedure to make sure that they are not getting too cold.
If dental radiographs (x-rays) are going to be done, they may be done before the
cleaning. Our radiographs are digital and show up on a computer screen immediately after being taken. These images show the doctor MANY things under the gum line that they can not see otherwise. These things include abscessed teeth; roots left from broken teeth, and even fractures in the jawbone.
Now we are ready to start the cleaning! From this photo you can see the calculus that has accumulated on Bob’s teeth and how his gums are slightly reddened.
The large pieces of calculus are then removed using a hand piece called an
ultrasonic scaler. The teeth are hand scaled above and below the gum line to remove any remaining calculus and debris. After all of the debris is removed the teeth are polished (see picture) with minty-scented toothpaste and rinsed with an antibiotic rinse.
The pet’s nice clean teeth are then evaluated by the doctor. They will then decide if any teeth need to be removed to better the health of the pet’s mouth. Extractions are done at this time by the veterinarian and follow-up radiographs may be done.
The pet is then taken off of the gas anesthesia and allowed to wake up. Monitoring is continued until the pet is awake. Once awake, the pet is transferred to a cage until they can stand and walk around. At that time they can be discharged by a doctor or technician.