
24 Jan Is Teeth Cleaning Safe for Your Dog?
Is teeth cleaning safe for your dog? There are many reasons why people do not have their dog’s oral cavity examined and teeth/gums cleaned under anesthesia. For those who say it’s primarily due to cost, you’re wrong! Of the top 10 reasons why people do not have their dog or cat’s teeth cleaned, examined, radiographed and charted, the cost is number 9.
What does prevent some people from having their dog’s teeth cleaned and examined is the fear of anesthesia. That fear is real and is either due to something that happened to a pet in the past or from hearing/reading a story of an anesthetic complication that didn’t go well.
The question above should be broken down into two separate questions. First, is the question of whether anesthesia is safe for your dog. The second question posed asks if the process of teeth cleaning/polishing and radiography (x-rays) is safe and does no harm to your pet.
Is Anesthesia Safe for Your Dog?
Let’s address the first fear…anesthesia. One should have a righteous fear of anesthesia. If your veterinarian doesn’t, then something is wrong. However, if you examine your dog’s blood work (including urine, thyroid, and SDMA for older dogs) and it’s ok, then we can formulate an anesthetic protocol tailored for your individual dog.
One anesthetic protocol should not necessarily be one for all. Dr. Kennedy, our Board-Certified anesthesiologist ™, reviews difficult cases for those dogs (and cats) that owners want an anesthesiologist monitoring. Regardless, whoever you use, you MUST have a dedicated anesthetist whose sole job is monitoring your dog.
Also, make sure that proper anesthetic monitoring is done to include the following: heart rate, EKG, blood pressure, end tidal C02, pulse oxygenation, respiratory rate, and core body temperature. This must be recorded every 5 minutes, nothing more. This is recorded until your dog is fully alert and awake.
Is Dental Cleaning Safe for Your Dog?
The last question is, how safe is the actual dental cleaning? This is actually a very good question, as an aggressive hand can etch enamel. Without proper safe polishing, the tooth surface becomes irregular and can attract calculus more easily. The proper setting is needed on the scaler, as well as proper water irrigation.
Also, one has to perform subgingival cleaning, as well as probing all surfaces of the tooth and chart appropriately. Dental X-rays are needed to assess the tooth as a whole. Since 60% of the tooth is below the surface of the gumline, dental imaging is essential. So, the answer is yes, based on the expertise of the person performing the procedure.
Dog Teeth Cleaning at Your Pet Dentist
We recommend annual anesthetic dental procedures and, when necessary, the utilization of our anesthesiologist to monitor those cases. In the right hands, a dental procedure will help keep your dog’s mouth clean and free of ongoing disease or pathology.
If you have any questions about your dog (or cat) regarding dental care, give us a call!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (01/24/2025) Photo by Jonathan Daniels on Unsplash