Veterinarian Care.us - Pet Care Articles

Oral health is extremely important to your pet’s quality of life. Diseases of the teeth, gums, and bone are common and most are treatable and we can have a very positive result. In general, oral procedures are performed under general anesthesia including simple cleaning and polishing of the teeth. We want you to be well informed about all the steps in the process.

In preparation for a procedure, dogs and cats generally should be fasted overnight, but ferrets and other small mammals are only fasted the morning of the procedure (just pick up the food and water in the morning.)

It is extremely important that we have a phone number so we can contact you at any point during the procedure as we frequently encounter a problem that requires additional attention and your permission is needed to perform it.

The morning of the procedure, you will meet with the surgical nurse to quickly review what is to be done, how you can be contacted, answer any questions you have, and help in any way they can. To them, guiding your pet through the procedure to a successful conclusion is their single most important task.

Once your pet has been admitted to the hospital, any remaining pre-anesthetic testing is done and an intravenous catheter is placed (very much like you or I might have done). The doctor reviews any test results and rehearses what will happen with the surgical nurse. Good preparation is a must. Once we are ready to begin, the following steps are performed for all dental procedures:

Another complete examination is performed prior to the procedure.

The patient is anesthetized and examination of the mouth and teeth is performed under anesthesia. The number, stage, and severity of problems involving the teeth, gums, and surrounding bone cannot be accurately assessed and properly addressed without a thorough examination under anesthesia.

Tartar (calculus), debris, and pus are cleaned away from the teeth and out of the gingival sulcus using specialized hand instruments and a high frequency ultrasonic cleaner with a periodontal tip. Tartar is very hard and nearly impossible to remove without proper instruments. The amount of time spent on this task varies depending on the grade of tartar and gingivitis. The higher the grade, the more time we have to spend cleaning below the gum line. In cases of deep periodontal pocket, abscess formation, or root exposure (Grades IV and V) we may have to spend two to four times as long cleaning than we do for a Grade II.

Hand instruments are used to clean any difficult areas and to explore the periodontal space. The gingival sulcus is measured with a periodontal probe.

We examine each tooth, noting any abnormality on the patient’s dental chart.

Dental x-rays are taken of teeth suspected to have a periodontal pocket, apical abscess, resorptive lesion, loosening, or fracture.

All procedures are followed by a thorough polishing with a high speed polisher to smooth the enamel surface and thereby help prevent future tartar formation.

Thorough irrigation.

Specific therapies such as gingivoplasty, Doxirobe Gel implantation, mass excision, or tooth extraction are performed.

We frequently use combinations of pain medications such as narcotics, non-steroid anti-inflammatories, and local blocks. In cases of severe infection, or discomfort associated with infection, we may use injectable and/or oral antibiotics before, during, and after a procedure.

Application of a Fluoride Treatment and the sealant OraVet if indicated.

Patient recovery and monitoring.

Discharge and home care instructions. Post operatively home care and plaque control is essential. Antibiotics for up to three weeks post surgically are generally recommended, but depending on the severity of infection, antibiotics may be continued for some time.

Follow up therapy. All oral surgery patients are seen again at 1 week post operatively to examine the surgery sites and evaluate patient status. Depending on the severity of disease, repeat cleaning and polishing is scheduled at 3, 4, 6, or 12 months. The sooner we follow up, the better we are able to slow or prevent the progression of periodontal disease and bone loss. For many pets, 6 months is too late. If we wait longer, the infection will cause more damage.

Our goal is to have a routine cleaning and polishing. In more severe cases, this can take some time, perhaps many follow up cleanings and rechecks.

Dr Paul Skellenger is the Veterinarian for Veterinarian Care. us and has over 20 years in Veterinarian medicine and experience with dental care and small animals. For additional information you can contact one of our Veterinarians in your area.