What To Expect During Your First Canine Dental Cleaning
Posted on: 1 April 2015
Just like going to the dentist can be nerve racking for you, it can also be nerve racking for your dog. Your first trip to the dog dentist to get a canine dental cleaning will go much smoother if you are calm and understand what is going to happen. Your dog will be able to sense that you are calm, and this will calm down your dog as well.
Scheduling An Appointment
Just like you should visit the dentist twice a year, so should your canine. To help you remember, after you schedule your bi-annual dental cleaning, call up your vet and set up your dog's appointment as well.
You can start taking your dog to the dentist as soon as they hit their first six months, and continue to take them every six months for the rest of their lives.
Your dog's teeth need lots of care just like yours do. The best way to ensure that your dog has great dental health is by taking them in for a canine cleaning twice a year.
The Visit
Check with your vet to see how long they expect the appointment to last, but count on at least an hour or two. Just like at your dentist, things can easily get behind schedule.
Blood Tests
The first thing that is going to happen is your vet is going to run a few blood tests. That means they will be drawing blood from your dog.
They use these blood tests to make sure that everything is okay with their kidney and liver. If your vet spots an infection, they can easily treat it with some antibiotics.
It is important for your dog's kidney and liver to be in good condition because in order to perform all the steps of their dental cleaning, they are going to be put under anesthesia.
Anesthesia
If everything shows up fine with the blood tests, your dog will be put under anesthesia. No need to get worried, as this is a routine part of canine dental care. This makes it easier for the vet to work on your dog's teeth, since they will not be moving around.
Your dog's teeth and gums can be very sensitive, so it will also lessen any pain they would feel if they had to be awake for the procedure.
Tooth Scaling
Tooth scaling is a process that your vet will use to remove all the tartar and plaque that has built up on your dog's teeth. They will also use this process to remove any plaque and tartar buildup below the gum line as well.
They will use ultrasonic cleaning equipment to perform this task. This cleaning equipment will allow them to remove all traces of tarter from your dog's mouth in the gentlest manner possible.
Tooth Polishing
After the tooth scaling, your vet will polish your dog's teeth. This will make it easier for you to clean your dog's teeth and will make it harder for plaque to accumulate on your dog's teeth.
General Inspection
While your vet is completing the tooth scaling and tooth polishing process, they will also take the time to closely examine your dog's teeth. If they notice that a tooth has been damaged, they may consult you about the possibility of fixing it right then, or scheduling a later appointment to correct the damage.
For more information, contact Woodside Veterinary Hospital or a similar location.
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