Why a Dental?
Scientific studies have shown that dirty diseased teeth and the associated gingivitis lead to damage of the kidneys, liver and heart valves. Damage to the heart valves results in Congestive Heart Failure and a potentially shortened life span… not to mention a significant reduction in quality of life. In addition, bad teeth hurt, and they stink, which affects your quality of life, not to mention that of your favorite frisky feline or French bulldog.
What is involved in a Dental?
A veterinary dental cleaning is very similar to the cleaning that you may receive from your dentist… except more involved (you hopefully would visit the dentist well before your teeth deteriorated to the point at which we see most dogs and cats). In the procedure, we anesthetize and intubate the patient; we start injectable antibiotics (a cleaning stirs up a lot of bacteria); we scale the teeth (scrape them clean) with special instruments; we clean into the gingiva — the gums; and finally we polish and fluoride the teeth. For patients under five years-of-age there is optional pre-anesthetic blood work. Pre-anesthetic blood work is required for patients over five years-of-age. All patients are monitored under anesthesia with a pulse oximeter and an electrocardiograph (if needed). We routinely do dentals on pets who are in their teens. In most cases, the risk of NOT doing a dental far far far outweighs the risks associated with a dental procedure.
What does a Dental cost?
The cost of a dental varies depending on its length (1/2 to 1 & 1/2 hours); the number of teeth extracted … if any; the animal’s size– bigger dogs need more meds; and whatever additional procedures are needed or requested.
If you have any questions, feel free to telephone us at 323-9912, or send us an e-mail.
Michael S. Samuels, D.V.M.
Central Animal Hospital
