**Please remember, NO food should be offered after midnight unless otherwise instructed. Water should be freely accessible at all times.
Understanding your pet’s upcoming Dental Procedure:One of our veterinarians will examine your pet prior to anesthesia today. The exam will be one of our first lines of defense in detecting potential problems with your pet prior to anesthesia. The exam will cover checking your pet's eyes, nose, lymph nodes, heart, lungs, hydration, circulation and general condition. If problems are found which may significantly increase the risk of anesthesia or warrant additional care, these problems will be discussed with you prior to proceeding with the anesthesia. Some risk exists with all general anesthesia. We encourage you to discuss the anesthesia and procedures as well as the potential risk with your veterinarian.
Your pet will have a blood profile performed before anesthesia. The profile includes eight tests used to evaluate your pet's:
- White Blood Cells for infection, inflammation or leukemia
- Red Blood Cells for signs of anemia
- Platelets which are critical for proper clotting function
- Blood Protein which is important for proper healing
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine to assess kidney function
- Blood Glucose (sugar)
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) to assess liver inflammation
- Electrolytes (K, Na, Cl)
The safest anesthesia medications and techniques will be tailored to your pet's individual needs in order to maximize safety and minimize discomfort. EKG, Pulse Oximetry, Cardiopulmonary (heart & respiratory) monitoring equipment is used in all anesthetic procedures as a standard. In addition, an intravenous (IV) solution will be administered to your pet during anesthesia to ensure proper electrolyte levels and adequate blood pressure. This IV catheter also ensures that we have emergency venous access. Any patient undergoing procedures that may result in discomfort receive medication to minimize and prevent pain before and sometimes during (local blocks) their general anesthesia procedure. Additionally, post-operative pain medications will be administered.
A heat support pad/blanket will be used during the anesthesia procedure to maintain body temperature and to provide a cushion between your pet and the table to minimize discomfort.
Our anesthetic, dental and nursing protocols are routinely reviewed and accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. Our dental instrument packs and equipment are sterilized between patients. Post-anesthetic and recovery monitoring will be performed by a trained Registered Veterinary Technician with an attention to your pet’s comfort and safety.
General anesthetic procedures are performed throughout the day. Early morning admission is designed to help reduce your pet's anxiety and to allow the proper amount of time for pre-anesthetic examination, medication administration and testing to be completed.
Your pet has been scheduled for a dental procedure that will treat periodontal disease. A general anesthetic is required to perform these procedures. We believe that a complete dental health program significantly adds to the comfort and length of any patient's life.
After your pet is anesthetized, a trained registered veterinary technician will clean your pet's teeth with ultrasonic and hand scaling instruments, the same way a dental hygienist cleans your teeth. Your pet's teeth will then be polished and a fluoride treatment applied. The veterinarian will then examine the teeth and gum tissue using a dental probe and review full mouth dental-rays the same way your dentist examines your teeth. This will determine if further treatment is indicated. Extraction (pulling) of diseased teeth may be necessary if there is loss of normal attachment to the bone due to advanced periodontal disease or other diseases. Please feel free to discuss these procedures with your veterinarian or technician and make a choice below:
