Dental Services at Companion Pet Hospital

At Companion Pet Hospital, we offer full dental services, which begin with a complete oral health assessment under general anesthesia. Prior to the procedure, your pet will receive a full physical exam and have blood work checked to ensure that he or she is healthy enough for anesthesia.

Your pet will be monitored closely by a licensed veterinary technician while he or she is under anesthesia. We use state-of-the-art equipment to monitor your pet’s heart rate and rhythm (ECG), oxygen saturation (Pulse Oximeter), respiration (Capnograph), and blood pressure. Fluids are administered via an IV catheter to help maintain circulation and blood pressure, and a heating blanket is used to help maintain your pet’s body temperature.

The Steps of a Professional Dental Cleaning

• The tartar will be removed from the surface of the teeth using an ultrasonic scaler.
• Full mouth x-rays will be taken to evaluate the structure of the teeth, including what’s hidden under the gum line.
• The veterinarian will examine and probe all of the teeth to look for abnormal pockets between the teeth and gums, bone loss, oral masses, and loose teeth. We will formulate a treatment plan based on these findings, and extractions may be necessary.
• If so, we will use a local anesthetic agent to perform nerve blocks (similar to the Novocain injections that your dentist would administer) to help manage pain. Under some circumstances, an antibiotic injection may also be given.
• Once the treatments are completed, the teeth are polished and a fluoride treatment is applied.
• Your pet is then recovered from anesthesia in a warm, comfortable bed under the supervision of a licensed veterinary technician.
• Your pet will be ready to go home by the end of the day and we will discuss a preventative care strategy for the future, which most likely includes daily brushing!

  View the slideshow below to follow Munchie through his dental cleaning.