Senior Dog Comfort & Care

You may be wondering why you must have your dog anesthetized for a dental cleaning. It’s the only way to thoroughly evaluate your dog’s mouth (including X-rays), properly clean their teeth above and below the gumline, and treat painful issues, like pulling fractured or loose teeth. When dogs aren’t anesthetized, dental care is insufficient — no X-rays to assess tooth and bone damage, no cleaning below the gums, and painful issues can’t be corrected.

While the anesthesia risk goes up ever so slightly as dogs age, dental disease spreads beyond the mouth, and those risks can often be more dangerous to your dog. Veterinarians are skilled at minimizing the risks. A physical exam, bloodwork, urinalysis, and possibly more tests are done before a dental cleaning to determine if there are any medical conditions that may increase the risk associated with anesthesia.

While under anesthesia, your pet’s vitals will be monitored with specialized equipment (like what human hospitals use), they’ll receive IV fluids and medications, and be kept warm. This combination allows for the best care and management of your dog while sedated.