Heidi's mom here!
What Heidi said is true - having a good, thorough dental cleaning is a must.
I will go through everything, from start to finish, about what happens when a pet gets their teeth cleaned.
And to start: Why does my dog (or pet of choice) even need this?
There are cosmetic reasons for having the teeth cleaned; the teeth look nicer and the breath is less eye-wateringly stinky. More importantly, there are health reasons for having the teeth cleaned. Pets, unlike humans, do not sit still or tolerate having their gums poked or their teeth scraped. Animals must be anesthetized to fully examine their mouths. A full examination uses specialized dental instruments to evaluate the health of the gums - are there gingival pockets? Is anything infected? Do the gums bleed easily? Are there any teeth loose or broken? Is the pulp exposed on any of the teeth? Answering "yes" to any of these questions means your pet could be in pain or at risk of developing more severe dental problems.
One big concern of having the teeth cleaned well and a full mouth evaluation being performed is that gum disease can lead to heart problems. Congestive heart failure can be a direct consequence of bacteria making their way into the blood stream through diseased gums, or gingiva, and destroying the heart valves.
Why is anesthesia needed?
A good article to explain why "No-anesthesia-needed dental cleanings" are not effective and end up being a waste of money.
Next time: Check-in for the dental cleaning.
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