Dental Care - Arcata Animal Hospital

A Keystone of Health

Dental care for dogs and cats.

Why Pets Need Dental Care Early and Often!

They say you should only brush the teeth you want to keep, and the same is true for pets. Canine and feline companions need dental care, just as much as people do, but unfortunately, oral health is often one of the most neglected aspects of a pet’s health. In fact, more than half of all dogs and cats have some form of periodontal disease by age 3, due to the lack of sufficient dental care.

Here at Arcata Animal Hospital, we want to prevent dental disease in any way we can. That’s why we offer comprehensive dental services and place such a strong emphasis on preventive care, which typically begins with the annual physical exam. During these exams, we will evaluate your pet’s teeth and let you know when it is time for a dental cleaning. If cleaning is done early and often, advanced periodontal disease can be avoided – saving your pet from pain and loss of teeth, and saving you money by avoiding more complicated and involved dental procedures.

Is Anesthesia Safe?

Yes, when anesthesia is performed with correct protocols tailored to the individual patient, and strict care is taken with monitoring, using modern equipment, and techniques, anesthesia is generally a very safe procedure. Maximizing safety and comfort is our top concern and starts with a complete physical examination of your pet to detect any physical problems. Blood work helps us to evaluate internal organ function and status, revealing any problems that might not be visible on a physical examination.

We have trained anesthetic nurse assistants dedicated to the monitoring and support of each individual anesthetized patient for their entire procedure. In addition to the trained eyes, ears, and hands of our support team, we utilize advanced monitoring and support equipment to maximize the safety of every patient under our care for anesthesia, from the moment they are induced to the time they have progressed through their recovery and are returning home.

What does Anesthesia Monitoring include?

Our support and monitoring includes:

Maintaining patient warmth with heat conserving padding, foot covers and circulating warm air blankets. Temperature is monitored continuously throughout the procedure.
Intravenous fluids flow through a special warming device to help keep our patients warm and calibrated fluid pumps ensure the proper fluid rate is administered to maintain blood pressure.
Respiration is closely monitored and recorded – both rate and quality of respiration.
Oxygen saturation of the blood is continuous monitored to ensure proper ventilation and oxygenation of our patients.

End-tidal CO2 is closely monitored to ensure our patient ventilation is adequate.
Heart rate and rhythm is monitored with a continuous ECG and simultaneous auscultation with a stethoscope.
Mucous membrane color and refill times are continuously monitored to ensure adequate perfusion.
Blood pressure is continuously monitored to ensure adequate blood flow to all organs.

Your pet is at a much greater risk of infection, pain, or other internal organ problems due to dental disease than they are from an anesthetic complication.

Our support and monitoring includes:

Maintaining patient warmth with heat conserving padding, foot covers and circulating warm air blankets. Temperature is monitored continuously throughout the procedure.
Intravenous fluids flow through a special warming device to help keep our patients warm and calibrated fluid pumps ensure the proper fluid rate is administered to maintain blood pressure.
Respiration is closely monitored and recorded – both rate and quality of respiration.
Oxygen saturation of the blood is continuous monitored to ensure proper ventilation and oxygenation of our patients.
End-tidal CO2 is closely monitored to ensure our patient ventilation is adequate.
Heart rate and rhythm is monitored with a continuous ECG and simultaneous auscultation with a stethoscope.
Mucous membrane color and refill times are continuously monitored to ensure adequate perfusion.
Blood pressure is continuously monitored to ensure adequate blood flow to all organs.

Your pet is at a much greater risk of infection, pain, or other internal organ problems due to dental disease than they are from an anesthetic complication.

Ultrasonic Scaling and Polishing

Our licensed RVTs then use an ultrasonic scaler to clean all the surfaces of the teeth, including the space just below the gum line, which is where the most damage from dental disease occurs. Once cleaned, the teeth are then polished with a fine paste to produce a smooth, shiny surface that is free of any plaque or tartar.

Digital Dental Radiographs

The first step in the dental procedure is to take dental radiographs which allows our doctors to evaluate each tooth above and below the gum line for any signs of disease.

Dental Charting

The entire oral cavity is examined and each individual tooth is examined for any pathology. A probe is passed around each tooth to check for any pockets that would indicate infection or a loss of the supporting periodontal structures that hold the teeth in place. Our licensed RVTs complete this evaluation and the information is recorded in the patient’s medical record.

Dental Surgery

Ideally dental procedures are done before there is a chance for any pathology to develop and there is no need to remove any teeth. However, if there are any teeth that are no longer healthy, they may need to be extracted. Additional pain relief in the form of local anesthetic blocks is provided in the case of extractions. Some teeth may be easily elevated and extracted, others may require more extensive oral surgery to be removed. Our doctors are highly skilled and able to perform these types of surgeries. In rare instances, if there is severe bone loss of the lower jaw from advanced dental disease, referral to a dental specialist may be recommended.

What will be done during my pet’s dental procedure?

Before and After

Anesthesia Free Dentistry

Anesthesia Free Dentistry is offered at some clinics, but it is not safe, and can be very harmful to your pet’s dental health. Please click on the link below for more information directly from the American Veterinary Dental College explaining the facts behind anesthesia-free dentistry.