Stitch Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I thought I read somewhere that there was an effective alternative to having your dogs teeth cleaned by the vet - one that didn't require general anaesthetic??? Anyone heard of it??? My problem child has never wanted to chew bones, she did eat chicken necks for a while but, as per my other post, has colitis so can't have bones at all now. I clean her teeth with doggy toothpaste etc. but they never really stay clean for long. I guess if they get too bad I will have to go with the general but I don't like to subject her to that - I would hate to lose her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 (edited) I haven't tried these myself but had seen them around: http://www.naturalpaws.com.au/grooming-tee...roduct-360.html http://www.cactuscanyon.com/dog-teethcleaning.htm I believe your Vet can order a cleansing gel as well that you may like to try. (Maxiguard Oral Cleansing Gel) Edited July 1, 2009 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Also this one I came across a few years ago: http://www.holisticanimalmedicines.com/pla...ver-remedy.html It is an Australian site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di* Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I thought I read somewhere that there was an effective alternative to having your dogs teeth cleaned by the vet - one that didn't require general anaesthetic???Anyone heard of it??? My problem child has never wanted to chew bones, she did eat chicken necks for a while but, as per my other post, has colitis so can't have bones at all now. I clean her teeth with doggy toothpaste etc. but they never really stay clean for long. I guess if they get too bad I will have to go with the general but I don't like to subject her to that - I would hate to lose her. The All Natural Vet (at Russell Lea) will do cleaning under sedation rather than general anaesthetic where appropriate--obviously not suitable for all dogs and not for major dental work. Not sure whether other vets offer this. I've also found electric toothbrushes do a more thorough clean than finger brushes--I have one dog whose teeth do not stay clean despite daily bones. Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 The All Natural Vet (at Russell Lea) will do cleaning under sedation rather than general anaesthetic where appropriate--obviously not suitable for all dogs and not for major dental work. Not sure whether other vets offer this.Di Is that using hand scaling or ultrasonic scaling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Even if some dogs do eat bones and chunks of meat their teeth a posisitoned in a way they can't self clean. I think that the make up of the pugs mouth means they all should have a dental at least once in their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 I don't think my vet does teeth cleaning under sedation as he suggested the general anaesthetic. You are right when you say that cleaning their teeth with a toothbrush really doesn't do much. It seems to temporarily get rid of the bacteria that cause the mouth to smell but it comes back real quick. Perhaps the cleansing gels that SAS suggested might be the answer?? Anyone used them?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Stitch - I know that there are risks with any anaesthetic, but generally, it is quite safe. Your vet wouldn't suggest a GA if he/she didn't think your dog was up to it, and if you are concerned, you can always have a pre-anaesthetic profile done to make sure she is in good health. If she has teeth that are bad enough to require a dental, I wouldn't leave it too long, as it will only get worse and require her to be under GA for longer, particularly if teeth need to come out. Also, dirty teeth can lead to other health problems to internal organs if left to get bad, and if this does happen, the risks for GA increase. The sooner you get it done, the shorter the period she will be under GA, the less work she'll need done and therefore a cheaper bill for you at the end of the day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di* Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 The All Natural Vet (at Russell Lea) will do cleaning under sedation rather than general anaesthetic where appropriate--obviously not suitable for all dogs and not for major dental work. Not sure whether other vets offer this.Di Is that using hand scaling or ultrasonic scaling? Sorry, not sure would have to look it up. Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 The sooner you get it done, the shorter the period she will be under GA, the less work she'll need done and therefore a cheaper bill for you at the end of the day!! Exactly! A general anaesthetic is a neccessity for thorough dental assessment and treatment. Ultrasonic cleaning results in a lot of free water, bacteria and frequently chunks of debris. Under a general anaesthetic, the patient has an endotracheal tube in place, with the cuff inflated to protect the airway. The back of the mouth / throat is packed with swabs to prevent any water or debris from heading that way. With ultrasonic scaling we are able to clean the subgingival area (under the gumline) without causing damage to the tooth or soft tissue, the same as with people. Each tooth surface is cleaned including on the tongue side, in all the grooves and between the teeth. It at some point involves opening the jaw fully to inspect the teeth, probe any pockets under the gumline and access the very back teeth. All of this is incredibly difficult to do in a concious dog and IMHO unsafe to do in one that is only sedated. Sure, you might be able to do some handscaling of the outer surfaces and crack tartar off but this does not deal with the issue of plaque and bacteria under the gum line and may really only make a cosmetic difference. At home dental treatments like brushing should, ideally, be performed daily and if not that often, at least 2-3 times per week. There are lots of things that can help, such as appropriate bones, dental foods, brushing, mouth rinses etc but they will all work better with a 'blank canvas' of fresh clean teeth as it is difficult to use any of them to remove tartar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Thanks Rappie for your reply. I guess I am just super cautious with this little dog. She doesn't seem to do general anaesthetics well. She is 6years old and my alpha bitch. Unfortunately recently my confidence was shaken in the vet that I usually take any dog of mine that needs surgery. It is a big vet hospital and they did a spay, on one of my young adults that I was rehoming, which developed complications, all of which they took responsibility for but which caused me a lot of worry at the time and the dog a lot of pain. Is this a simple operation or one that I need to find a vet that is familiar with this kind of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 It is a VERY routine procedure and most vets should be able to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrm88 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 It is a very routine procedure, I would say that if it is a basic dental scale & polish, it is less complicated than desexing. Depending on the vet, they should be able to do a basic scale & polish in 10 - 20mins maybe even quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 It is a very routine procedure, I would say that if it is a basic dental scale & polish, it is less complicated than desexing. Depending on the vet, they should be able to do a basic scale & polish in 10 - 20mins maybe even quicker. yep - our simple scale and polish is a 10min procedure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louloud Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Dentals are a very routine procedure and the animal only needs to be deep enough under general anaesthesia so that they stay still (as long as they just need a scale and polish no extractions), we dont do humans under general anaesthetics for a basic scale and polish do we? If you are worried about how she will handle the anaesthetic, quiz the vet on what pre meds, induction agent and anaesthetic gas they use and possibly think about pre anaesthetic bloods to look at renal and hepatic function? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineDream Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 (edited) Could you do the tooth scaling yourself? Tango and I climb up on the couch, I roll him over so he's on his back and I do his teeth while he's upside down with a human tooth scaler - used to do Cadence's too...Tango just goes to sleep while I've got my hands in his mouth........ Edited July 1, 2009 by TangerineDream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 I have tried to do that but even though I have been able to remove the large obvious amounts of tartar I know it will need more detailed removal. (Sigh) I guess I will just have to make the big decision and I will discuss the general anaesthetic with the vet as has been suggested. Thanks guys, I am usually very practical but I just turn to jelly when it comes to the thought of this girl having anything done to her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 there is a Vet in Qld that does Laser Teeth Cleaning. I will try and find out the details for you. it is just like a normal consult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted July 3, 2009 Author Share Posted July 3, 2009 Thank you for that Inspector Rex, that would be fantastic!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) No worries Stitch. I have sent an email off to my friend in QLD that has her dogs teeth done by Laser and as soon as I get the details I will post them.It is about $110.00 per dog. No just have to find one in Vic for my dogs as mine cannot tolerate bones and don't like me brushing their teeth either. Edited July 4, 2009 by InspectorRex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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