Pets having a dental procedure are admitted in the morning and go home the same afternoon. After admission, your pet is examined by the vet and given a pain relief injection and a sedative. This is known as premedication, and reduces the dose of anaesthetic agent required as well as making your cat or dog feel calm.
General anaesthesia
Your pet is anaesthetised using an injectable anaesthetic agent through a catheter and placed on intravenous fluids to maintain the correct blood pressure. An endotracheal tube is placed into the airway to allow safe oxygen delivery to the lungs as well as a gaseous anaesthetic agent. The anaesthetic is monitored closely with highly trained staff and pulse oximetry.
Oral exam and dental charting
A general anaesthetic allows a thorough examination of the teeth above and below the gum line through periodontal probing with a special instrument. If there is a concern that an extraction is required, dental x-rays are often required to confirm this. A dental chart records the health status of each tooth in your pet’s mouth.
Scaling and polishing
Your pet’s teeth are scaled and polished using the same advanced equipment found in human dental surgeries. This removes the tartar on the crown and under the gum line, flushes away the bacteria and smoothsthe surfaces of all the teeth to reduce plaque formation.
Extractions
If extractions are required, we will attempt to phone the pet owner to discuss the procedure and treatment plan, so try to make sure you are contactable on the day of the procedure.
Local anaesthetic nerve blocks are carried out to ensure a smooth anaesthetic and pain-free recovery for your pet. Teeth are extracted with sterile dental instruments and the gums sutured using dissolvable sutures to ensure fast healing.
Resorptive lesions
In cats over 5 years old, approximately 30% have resorptive lesions – an inherited disease where the body eats away at a tooth, leaving a painful nerve exposed. If one of these is identified, then your cat will need full mouth dental x-rays to identify whether any more teeth are affected. Treatment for these lesions is to extract affected teeth to remove the pain.
Aftercare
Soft food for 7 days is recommended if any extractions are carried out and most pets eat when they get home or the next morning. Pain relief is provided if necessary and a complimentary post-dental check is recommended for pets that had an extraction.
Advanced dentistry
For complex dental procedures, Daisy Hill Vet Clinic obtains second opinions from vet dentists Dr Aaron Forsayeth and Dr Rebecca Tucker at Veterinary Specialist Services.
Our head vet, Dr Julian Nalliah, has received additional training in some of the advanced veterinary procedures from specialist Dr David Clarke attending his practical training workshop in 2015.
Occasionally, your vet will recommend that your pet’s dental problem is treated by a referral pet dentist. Book your pet in for dental procedure today by phoning us on (07) 3808 1085
