Teeth Cleaning for Cats and Dogs
In the absence of an examination, you can’t really know what’s going on with your pet’s teeth. This is an important piece of what our cleaning services include.
Before the cleaning, your pet will be put under general anesthesia. It would be impossible to get anything done in the absence of this. A tube in its throat will support breathing and prevent inhalation of any bacteria uncovered during the cleaning.
What Does the Veterinarian Do?
As part of the process of tooth cleaning, a veterinarian may:
- • Remove any visible tartar and plaque
- • Clean out tartar and plaque that is discovered under the gum
- • Probe around the teeth for signs of disease
- • Polish rough surfaces that could attract bacteria
- • Apply a dental sealer
- • Repair or extract infected or fractured teeth that need immediate attention
- • Inspect the tongue, lips and mouth
- • Take x-rays
- • Make a dental chart
The Importance of Home Care
You won’t get the full benefits of cleaning services if you don’t implement a home care regimen. Best practices include:
- • Daily brushing using a child’s toothbrush or finger toothbrush
- • Antibacterial oral sprays and rinses
- • Food and treats formulated to prevent plaque formation.
The staff at Affordable Animal Hospital in Eagle Rock can help you with your planning.
Removing Teeth
Cats and dogs have teeth whose roots go deep into surrounding bone. It can be more difficult to extract them than to remove human teeth.
Before an extraction, your pet will be given general anesthetic. After a tooth is extracted, the “socket” from which it was removed is surgically closed to speed the healing process and to reduce pain. Our veterinarians are very well-trained and have considerable experience with this procedure, so rest assured, our patients experience some of the best dog and cat tooth extraction Eagle Rock has to offer.
Resuming Feeding
When you return home, you should be able to feed your pet as you usually do. Cats and dogs do not really “chew” their food, as you may have noticed and thus they will not be putting significant pressure on the area where the tooth was removed.