Bob underwent a dental clean today for his Grade 2 dental disease. All his teeth were thoroughly cleaned and checked and no extractions were required. He has been given pain relief during the procedure and a long-acting antibiotic injection.
Reason for admission and estimate
Please give his pain medication as per label from tomorrow morning with food.
He will require an appointment in 5-7 days to re-assess his mouth and discuss home care.
Please call us if you have any concerns.
Dental prophylaxis - Discharge instructions
Overview
Most dogs and cats have some level of dental disease and are susceptible to bad breath, infection, pain, and tooth loss. When left untreated, infections can spread to the kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart and lead to serious disease.
The procedure
Your pet underwent general anesthesia to have its teeth cleaned and polished with an ultrasonic scaler. We have also cleaned under the gum line. A dental prophylaxis or prophy is performed to treat or prevent dental disease.
The veterinary dental procedure may have included:
General anesthesia
Full oral examination, diagnosis, and staging of any dental disease
Radiographs (depending on outcomes of assessment)
Teeth scaling to remove tartar and plaque
Teeth polish
Gum irrigation to remove debris and remaining polishing paste
Application of anti-plaque system such as an oral sealant
Assessment of abnormal gum pockets
Tooth and gum procedures depending on findings
Administration of pain relief and antibiotics, where required
Extractions
If your pet had a tooth or teeth extracted, there may be absorbable sutures in the mouth. These are put in place to reduce bleeding and close any gaps. These sutures will not require removal as they will dissolve over the next few weeks.
What to expect the night of the procedure
Your pet will experience some grogginess for 1-2 hours following general anesthesia.
Your pet may also experience some tooth and gum sensitivity for the next 24-48hours.
It is not uncommon to see a small amount of blood or extra saliva coming from your pet’s mouth over the next 24 hours.
Feeding guidelines following the procedure
Only offer a small amount of food and water the night of the procedure as your pet may be groggy and nauseous.
If your pet is back to normal the next morning and has not vomited its meal from the night before, start feeding their normal amount of food and water.
Feed soft food over the next 3-5 days. If your pet’s normal meal is dry food, simply moisten it with warm water and allow soaking for 15 minutes before offering it to your pet.
When to call the veterinarian
If your pet stops eating for more than 24 hours
Vomiting constantly
Lethargic
Lots of blood coming from the mouth
Difficulty breathing
Medication
If your pet was prescribed medication, please administer the medication as per the directions on the label.
Preventative Care
Your pet will require ongoing dental homecare to help protect its teeth from future dental disease. Even after a thorough dental clean under general anesthesia, plaque can start to form on tooth surfaces within 24 hours. Lack of home care even for just 1-3 weeks can result in gingivitis in most pets.
Your veterinary team may recommend:
Dental chews
Brushing its teeth with pet-approved toothpaste
Dental rinses
Veterinary therapeutic diets
Chew toys
Your veterinary team will discuss these options with you.
Please note that if your pet has had some teeth extracted, do not start teeth brushing or offering dental chews/toys until the gum has healed, approximately 7 days. Your pet's gum will be checked at the follow-up consultation.
Required fields.
The following *required fields need to be completed:
