Eliminating
bad breath isn't the only reason to keep your pets mouth
healthy
By the age of three, dogs and cats
show signs of plaque and tartar build-up that lead to minor
infections which can become a major health problem. When
plaque accumulates on your pet's teeth, bacteria excrete toxic
waste products that break down the gum tissue and eventually enter
the blood stream and then affect the heart, liver, and
kidneys....serious medical conditions.
We use top of the line, state of the
art technology in dental radiology, specifically designed for
veterinary use. This specialty equipment enables us to give a
complete evaluation of the health of your pets teeth below the
surface of the gumline where periodontal disease can
hide. This gives us the opportunity to better determine if a
questionable tooth can be saved, thus saving your pet a longer
anesthetic time,(saving you money) and making a more informed
decision. Treatment may include full periodontal
treatments; probing and measuring for periodontal disease, dental
x-rays, root planing, hand and ultrasonic scaling
(including below the gumline), probing gingival pockets,
extractions and polishing as well as full examination of the mouth;
gums, tongue, and throat.
Anesthesia is a must for animal
dentistries, no matter how well behaved the animal. Without
it, any improvements to the mouth are merely cosmetic and not
of any significant health value. Please leave your pets oral
health in the hands of those trained and legally licensed to handle
your pets medical needs.
Anesthetic procedures; Every
pet that undergoes anesthesia at Governor Animal Clinic must first
be given a complete exam by one of our doctors, and, depending on
the age of your pet, they will be given a blood test to determine
the health of their body's system.
While your pet is under anesthetic,
the technicians administer either subcutaneous or I.V.
fluids, this will prevent dehydration. This procedure also
helps to keep your pet's blood pressure at a healthy level,
protecting the heart and kidneys.
A long acting injection for pain is
given, which allows your pet to wake up from the procedure calmly
and pain-free.
Our inpatient nurses use
state-of-the-art monitoring equipment to continuously check
respiratory rate, heart rate, blood-oxygen levels and carbon
dioxide levels. They take your pets temperature and blood
pressure at regular intervals so that the doctor is constantly
updated during procedures.
As always, if you have any questions
or concerns, don't hesitate to call our knowledgeable staff, they
will be happy to answer questions, explain procedures, show you our
facilities and equipment, and set your mind at ease.
Staying for the day; During the
lifetime of your pet there will be times when a procedure (ie;
teeth cleaning) will be scheduled that will require an admittance
into the hospital for a few hours.
This admission takes place first
thing in the morning, when a technician will place your pet into
it's own individual kennel in one of our specially equipped
wards.
Detailed notes are kept of all
treatments, progress, special needs and care that is required. Our
veterinarians make regular ward rounds to check on in-patients, and
our technicians are continuously monitoring them throughout their
stay with us.
Your pets are handled with care and
tenderness, and we make it a point to use your buddys name whenever
we are handling them. We treat your pets as if they were our
own, which includes hugs and pep-talks.
If your pet will be undergoing
surgery or an anesthetic procedure they will be given a sedative
and an analgesic (painkiller) injection. The sedative greatly
reduces the amount of anesthetic agent required, giving a further
margin of safety.
At anytime during your pet's stay
you would like an up-to-the-minute report on how she/he is doing,
you may call and speak directly with the technician in charge of
your pets care.
