Dear Pet Owner:
Congratulations on booking a dentistry for your pet. There are many health benefits
resulting from a dentistry, and your pet will feel much better! We understand and share in your compassion for animals, and
it is our goal to provide for them the highest standards of veterinary medical care. We are dedicated to keeping your pets healthy
and we appreciate the confidence you place in us.
This package is designed to help you understand what will be
involved in your pets upcoming dentistry. Included in this package is a pamphlet describing pre-anaesthetic testing (bloodwork)
we offer, information about Intravenous Fluids and several pages helping you better understand what the dentistry will entail. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions about anything you read in the package. We will be more than happy
to answer them for you.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide medical care for your pet. We look forward to seeing you and
your pet soon!
Sincerely,
The Staff of Sarnia Animal Hospital
Dentistry Package
Dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats, even though you may be unaware that your pet is suffering
from it. Over 68% of all pets over the age of three have some form of periodontal or dental disease. Most pets will show few symptoms.
It is up to the pets family and veterinarian to uncover this hidden and often painful condition. Dental problems in pets are different
from those in humans. In man the most common problem is tooth decay which, due to the loss of calcium from the enamel, results in
painful, infected cavities. In pets, tooth decay represents less than 10% of all dental problems. The most common dental problems
seen in pets are caused by periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is a term used to describe inflammation or infection of
the tissues surrounding the tooth. Accumulation of tartar and calculus on the teeth contributes to gum recession around the base of
the tooth. Infection soon follows and the gums recede, exposing sensitive unprotected tooth surfaces. Untreated infection then spreads
into the tooth socket and ultimately the tooth loosens and is lost. The mouth of all mammals is home to thousands of bacteria. Many
ofthese bacteria will breed on the surfaces of the tooth and form an invisible layer called plaque or biofilm. Some of this is removed
naturally by the pets tongue and chewing habits, but if allowed to remain on the tooth surface, the plaque thickens, becomes mineralized,
and then is visible as tartar and ultimately calculus. The tartar presses on the gums, which recede, causing inflammation and infection
called gingivitis. The gums continue to recede until ultimately the tooth socket is infected and the tooth is lost. As the oral infection
increases, tonsillitis and pharyngitis can also occur. In addition, the bacteria are absorbed into the bloodstream and can be carried
to other organs. Heart valve infections(endocardiosis or endocarditis), kidney and liver problems are frequently caused by "bad teeth."
Plaque becomes mineralized in some pets much quicker than in others. Specialized canine and feline products as well as feeding specifically-formulated
dental diets may help reduce tartar build up, as does regular home care such as tooth brushing. Today there are many products designed
to reduce tartar in our pets. Once tartar has been formed it will be necessary to remove it by professional scaling and polishing
under anaesthesia. Pet food manufacturers have recently developed new dental diets that can help reduce the formation of plaque and
tartar in your pet.
Comprehensive Dentistry
The goal of dental scaling and polishing is to remove the tartar and invisible
plaque. We will perform pre-anaesthetic blood tests(if you have chosen to do so) to ensure that kidney and liver function are satisfactory
for anesthesia.We also recommend intravenous fluids be given during and after the dentistry to provide a more stable anaethesia and
quicker recovery. Sometimes antibiotic treatment is instituted before a full dental prophylaxis is carried out. Tooth scaling will
be performed using both hand scalers and ultrasonic cleaning equipment to remove tartar both above and below the gum line. The tartar
beneath the gum line causes the most significant gum recession. The teeth are then polished in order to help prevent subsequent plaque
build-up. It may be necessary to carry out other procedures such as extractions at the same time. Special applications such as fluoride,
antibiotic preparations and cleaning compounds may be indicated to decrease tooth sensitivity, strengthen enamel and reduce plaque
accumulation and bacterial infection. These procedures will be fully discussed both before your pets dental cleaning and when you
bring in your pet for the procedure. Since it can be difficult to predict the extent of dental disease in advance of the procedure,
it is imperative that we are able to reach you during the procedure to discuss any additional treatment that may be necessary.
In general, complications are rare during a dentistry. With modern anaesthetics and monitoring equipment, the risk is very low. However,
as with all surgical procedures, there is always a small risk:
Anaesthetic Complication- It is always possible that any pet
could have an adverse reaction following the administration of any drug. Such cases are impossible to predict, but fortunately are
extremely rare. Pre-operative bloodwork is a useful screening test that may detect pre-existing problems which could interfere with
the pets ability to handle anaesthetic drugs. We also recomend intravenous fluids be given during and after the dentistry to provide
a more stable anaethesia and quicker recovery. It is important that you properly fast your pet prior to surgery according to
our instructions. In addition, any signs of illness or previous medical history should be reported to us prior to any sedation, anaesthesia
or surgery.
In the vast majority of cases, there are absolutely no adverse affects following a dentistry.
Plaque and tartar
begin forming in as little as six hours after your pets dental cleaning. A home dental care program is a must for all pets. We can
provide you with instructions on how to brush or rinse your pets teeth. Human dentifrice or toothpaste should not be used for pets.
These are foaming products and are not meant to be swallowed. Additionally, many types of human toothpaste contain sodium, which may
cause problems in some pets. We sell different flavours of animal toothpastes here.
We will provide you with home care instructions
when you come to pick up your pet. If you have any questions about the procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us.
BENEFITS TO IV FLUIDS FOR ANAESTHESIA & SURGERY
· Intravenous fluids help to maintain
normal blood pressure under anaesthesia.
· Intravenous fluids provide venous
access in emergency situations and help keep the organs perfused.
· Intravenous fluids
result in a more stable anaesthesia, and a quicker recovery for our patients.
BENEFITS TO POST OPERATIVE LASER THERAPY
Laser
Therapy reduces pain and inflammation, stimulates nerve regeneration, muscle relaxation and immune system response. This significantly
reduces healing time.
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