How often do your dogs have their teeth cleaned at the vets?

[micki76]

I thought anasthesia was a lot safer now,

ANY time any living thing goes under, anything can happen. Our vet is fairly state of the art and is a major diagnostic center for the Dallas area. They give IV fluids for all surgeries, even dentals.

We just had Chester's teeth done 2 weeks ago for the first time and he's nearly 9. He lost a couple of teeth due to them being broken off. Not decay or anything, just broken from chewing hard things. My dogs always get lots of chewies, so they don't build up much tartar, but I could tell his teeth were bothering him. His vet did xrays and sure enough, the crowns were broken off with just the roots left.

We had Millie's done yesterday and it had been almost 6 years. Hers didn't have much build up either, but after Chester's issues, I just wanted to make sure.

Chester also had a few growths removed. He is acting like a 6 month old puppy now that he feels so much better. It's a hoot to watch him and Tucker actually playing!

[caseysmom]

Micki....my question remains, is it safer now. I weigh the risk of anasthesia versus the risk of gum disease. I think I am asking a valid question and I realize "anything can happen". The vet my daughter interns with told us that anesthesia is a lot safer now, hence my question.

[Giselle]

I would have to agree. Anesthesia is much safer now. There are new protocols and even highly susceptible breeds (i.e. Collies and Greyhounds) can undergo modern anesthesia safely.

IV fluids should definitely be used with dental patients. Of all common medical procedures, I would say that dentals usually take the longest time. Now, I'm talking about common medical procedures like spays, neuters, minor cyst/skin tag removals, etc. Dentals on a dog with bad teeth could easily run up to an hour or more, especially if you're removing molars or canines. Spays and neuters, on the other hand, merely last around 15-20 minutes at most and some clinics offer IV fluids as an option.

[caseysmom]

I would have to agree. Anesthesia is much safer now. There are new protocols and even highly susceptible breeds (i.e. Collies and Greyhounds) can undergo modern anesthesia safely.

IV fluids should definitely be used with dental patients. Of all common medical procedures, I would say that dentals usually take the longest time. Now, I'm talking about common medical procedures like spays, neuters, minor cyst/skin tag removals, etc. Dentals on a dog with bad teeth could easily run up to an hour or more, especially if you're removing molars or canines. Spays and neuters, on the other hand, merely last around 15-20 minutes at most and some clinics offer IV fluids as an option.

Thats a good point I didn't think of the time issue, of course the risk of them waking would be less so the dose could probably be lower, or at least not as devastating during a dental.

[bckrazy]

Never... so far. : )

Gonzo is almost 7, and his teeth are pretty much spotless since he's been eating Raw. Fozzie has unbelievably white teeth, but he's just now turning 2.

Knuckle bones are FANTASTIC, and that's all I gotta say.

[Spiritwind]

Thats a good point I didn't think of the time issue, of course the risk of them waking would be less so the dose could probably be lower, or at least not as devastating during a dental.

At both vet hospitals I have worked at, the animals were kept on gas (ISO) while the dentals or surgeries were done.... so if the animal would start to wake or start to move alittle they would increase the ISO... and wait till the animal was back down (usually just a few seconds) and start up again...

[Ginger's Mom]

Well, as I expected, when Ginger went for her yearly check up today they said she needed a dental. I will be making an appointment for her to have that done sometime in April. She doesn't like to chew bones, no longer enjoys bully sticks unless a visiting dog has one, and is such a timid dog I never bothered to get her used to having her teeth brushed. Maybe I will try to get her used to it after her dental cleaning.