As we all know, the very start of a dental care routine for your pet is a trip to the veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to inform you of any oral issues or concerns in your pet as well as the appropriate steps to take to start a dental care routine. If your veterinarian spots plaque and tartar build up in your pet, it is likely that he or she will recommend a professional dental cleaning. Since this involves anesthesia, this can seem very intimidating to many pet owners. To remove some of the fears of pet dental cleanings, we’ve found this video, made by Singing Hills Animal Hospital out in California, which goes through the dental cleaning process.
Here at Emerald Animal Hospital, we require pre-anesthetic blood-work for all of our dental patients and will choose the best blood test for your individual pet’s needs. While we follow a very similar protocol to Singing Hills, we have an assistant monitoring your pet’s respiration, heart rate, temperature, and more throughout the entire procedure. We also perform dental x-rays to ensure that a tooth is healthy down to its root (and our doctors are able to extract an unhealthy tooth if needed). Call to schedule an initial oral exam at 216-749-7161 and get your pet’s smile in tip-top shape!