FAQ About Your Pet's Dental Health

If you are ready to learn what is included in the cost of a dental cleaning, click here to find out!

Take a moment to read these important facts about your pet's dental health!

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Cleaning

Why Does My Pet Have Bad Breath? breath

Halitosis can come from several different sources. The most common source is the mouth. Some bacteria in the mouth produce sulfur compounds as waste products which impart an unpleasant smell to the breath. Normal breath in dogs and cats should not smell bad.  Persistent, foul smelling breath is most often because of bacterial buildup in the teeth and gums.  Another source for bad breath can be kidney or stomach disease, which should be ruled out by your veterinarian. If they just ate something odoriferous their breath may smell bad temporarily, but should clear in an hour or so.  

My pet has dirty teeth. I have tried cleaning them myself with canine toothpaste and brushing, but it doesn’t seem to help much. I do not want my pet to undergo general anesthesia. Is there anything else I can do?

Teeth must be professionally cleaned to remove calculus and plaque. Bleeding gums is a sign of gingivitis and developing periodontal disease. While daily brushing is recommended, it cannot keep all the teeth entirely clean indefinitely. Animals, just like humans, must have periodic professional cleanings. To do this thoroughly and completely, the procedure must be done under anesthesia.

How do you evaluate my pet's teeth?

The doctor evaluates your pet's teeth on a scale of 1 to 4 with 1 being minor dental disease and 4 being substantial dental disease.  Take a look at the charts below for examples of each grade of dental disease in both dogs and cats.

dental disease chart feline

Why do you use anesthesia to clean my pet's teeth?  I have heard about clinic’s that do it while they would be would be awake?  Isn't that the same?

Non-anesthetic cleaning is only a cosmetic action. It may clean the surface you see, but 2/3 of your pet's teeth are below the gum line where you and  even the veterinarian cannot see with the naked eye.  it and so is 2/3 of the disease which can cause tooth loss and pain. Therefore an appropriate professional dental cleaning involves anesthesia to allow a thorough examination and diagnosis of each tooth, dental x-rays to assess bone and tooth root health, scaling, polishing, and a fluoride treatment by a trained and experienced veterinarian and technicians..

Are taking x-rays of the teeth important?  How much does it cost?

Yes! Dental radiographs (x-rays) are one of the most important diagnostic tools available to our veterinarians!  Dental x-rays allow the internal anatomy of your pet’s teeth which are the roots and the bone that surrounds the roots to be examined.  Dental radiographs are taken using digital sensors placed inside your pet's mouth and provide a superior quality image for examination of individual teeth or sections of the jaw.  In fact, at Healthy Pet we have the ability to take digital dental x-rays which allows the veterinarian superior image quality and the ability to enhance the images to diagnose potential problems.  Digital radiographs allow for a much more accurate diagnosis of dental disease and provide a base line for diagnosis of future dental issues.  Full mouth radiographs are done in every professional dental cleaning at no extra cost to you as It is the only way to find underlying problems not visible to the naked eye.

What types of monitors do you use for anesthesia?

At Healthy Pet Veterinary Clinic, we are proud to say that we offer the latest technology in surgical monitoring to keep your pet safe during anesthesia.  Our patients are monitored with a pulse-oximeter, which measures the amount of oxygen in the blood; a blood-pressure monitor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a CO2 monitor, which measures the amount of exhaled carbon dioxide, body temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate. The doctor and technicians monitor all of these parameters simultaneously and will be immediately aware of a change in your pet's condition while under anesthesia.

What is the risk of anesthesia?

Generally, anesthesia poses less risk than most people think. In the almost 20 years that Healthy Pet has been in business our doctors have performed thousands of procedures with patients under anesthesia and are very confident in our surgical protocols.  Our top priority is the safety of your pet when undergoing any procedure under anesthesia.        

Is my pet too old for anesthesia?

For older animals the actual risk needs to be evaluated by the doctor because each patient is different. Blood profiles, chest x-rays, and other tests may be performed before the procedure to fully evaluate the risk. But most older pets can undergo anesthesia without complications.

Why does it cost so much just to clean my pet's teeth?  It's the same as me going in for a cleaning at the dentist, right?

As some of the previous answers just described, cleaning your pet’s teeth is much closer to a full surgical procedure done under full anesthesia for a human rather than a trip to the dentist’s office.  During your pet’s dental cleaning procedure, a doctor is leading the surgical team that includes licensed veterinary technicians who care for your pet.  In addition to our trained and dedicated personnel, we use some of the latest technology in equipment and up to date procedures to keep your pet safe.

I think my pet might need to have a professional dental cleaning.  What do I do next?

That's easy!  Give us a call at 608-294-9494 and we will schedule a pre-surgical evaluation.  During the pre-surgical evaluation our veterinarian will give your pet a full physical exam and fully educate you about the professional dental cleaning procedures.  The technician and veterinarian will explain what will happen with your pet on the day of the dental procedure and inform you of any potential risks.  Depending on the age and health of your pet, the veterinarian may recommend other diagnostic testing to be done before your pet has their dental cleaning.  A pre-anesthetic chemistry panel with complete blood count (CBC) is included in the cost of the dental cleaning.  This is done to maximize patient safety and alert our staff to the presence of dehydration, diabetes, kidney or liver disease in your pet which could complicate the procedure. The CBC will show if your pet has adequate oxygen carrying capacity, and to diagnose potential infection or anemia. These tests are also helpful for creating a baseline that may allow for faster, more accurate diagnoses in the event that your pet's health were to change in the future.

What is included in the cost of a dental treatment?

Click here and you'll see everything that is included in the cost of a dental treatment for your pet.

Location

Our location and directions to our clinic

Office Hours

Due to staffing shortages, medical questions and prescription refills called in after 12pm on Friday cannot be processed until the following Monday.

Healthy Pet Veterinary Clinic

Monday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8am-Noon Open As Normal / Noon-4p No doctor in the clinic, but we are open for boarding admits and previously processed medication refill pickup.

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "This clinic is very clean, friendly, and gentle. My Guinea Pig Bear had a tumor and they have worked hard to care for him and follow up to be sure he is healing well from surgery removal as well as be available to answer any questions I have.I was even able to set up an affordable payment plan for his medical bills. All in all a very trustworthy Vet Clinic."
    Kaija Swift
  • "Very nice and clean clinic with helpful staff. We used them to board our rabbit while we were on vacation. They have a dedicated rabbit room with multiple large cages. Rabbits get daily individual 'out-of-cage' exercise time."
    Tim Goihl
  • "Fantastic clinic..everyone there ..they take the best care of princess my cat lol.highly recommend."
    mr potato head