Pet owners often ask: “How do you DO it?”

Large dogs lay on the floor between our legs and we use our legs to hold them still. Small dogs and cats are wrapped in a towel and held in the lap. We then use one hand to control the mouth and expose the teeth, and the other to scale and polish. The cleanings generally take anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the amount of calculus build-up and how cooperative the animal is. Obviously, some animals will not cooperate with the procedure, and we will stop the cleaning if an animal exhibits too much stress.

If your pet is elderly, has a heart murmur, or has any serious or chronic medical condition, they may need to be on antibiotics for the dental cleaning procedure. In these cases, we recommend that you consult your regular vet prior to the cleaning, since he or she is familiar with your pet's medical history.

* Unlike a dental cleaning done under anesthesia, anesthesia-free teeth cleaning does not include bloodwork, charting, x-rays, or deep subgingival cleaning, among other things. If your pet has periodontal disease, we strongly recommend they receive a veterinary dental cleaning. With the exception of special cases, we do not provide anesthesia-free cleanings for pets with advanced periodontal disease or any other serious oral medical condition unless it is in conjunction with periodic veterinary dental cleanings done under anesthesia.


 


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