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Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required for you pet’s safety. Prior to anesthesia and surgery your pet will receive a physical exam to confirm your pet’s healthy state. If we find a problem in the pre-anesthetic blood work or on exam we will notify you, so it is important that we have a way to contact you on the day of surgery.
Anesthesia
For most surgical and dental procedures, general anesthesia is in order. General anesthesia is a state of unconsciousness, muscle relaxation and analgesia (loss of pain perception) produced by injectable drugs and/or inhaled gases. We have chosen injectable drugs and inhaled gases that maximize safety and minimize dangers. Nevertheless, occasional problems can arise due to pre-existing conditions not evident during routine pre-anesthetic examinations and due to rare unpredictable reactions. Injectable drugs are given under the skin, into a muscle, or by vein. A tube placed into the trachea or windpipe delivers inhaled anesthetic gas to the lungs. Usually combinations of anesthetic agents are used to provide a balanced anesthesia, that is anesthesia that provides the best levels of painlessness, muscle relaxation, ease of recovery and safety. While the routine surgical procedures described below are typically performed in less then one hour, the patient generally may take 6-12 hours to fully recover.
The Dental Procedure
Dental prophylaxis (or routine dental care) is a procedure to restore your pet's oral health. Poor oral health is generally due to large amounts of dental tartar and gum inflammation and infection. Poor oral health is a drain on a pet's overall health. Chronic dental disease can cause bacteria to spread through the blood stream on occasion, and this in turn can cause heart valve problems, kidney problems, liver problems and even joint disease. After general anesthesia, your pet undergoes a detailed oral exam. Each tooth is cleaned of dental tartar using a hydrosonic-cleaning instrument. Then each tooth is inspected for abnormalities, fractures, enamel defects, looseness, and other abnormalities. A probe is used to inspect along tooth roots. In most cases the teeth are found to be healthy and are then polished. However, a tooth that is found with a significant abnormality generally needs to be removed. Extraction of teeth is accomplished by loosening their attachments with a dental elevator (a dental instrument) and then using traction. Carnassial teeth are the largest teeth in a pet's mouth, and are often the most common sites for tooth root abscesses (pockets of infection). Carnassial teeth require special extraction techniques such as tooth splitting and drilling. On occasion following extraction sutures may be placed in the mouth to close tooth sockets. These sutures are absorbable and do not need to be removed. An antibiotic injection is given during the dental cleaning procedure.
Your pet will go home the day of the dental cleaning procedure should it be fully recovered from anesthesia. However, should your pet still be under the effects of anesthesia, it will stay overnight as a precaution.
General Aftercare
Once you are home with your pet, allow them to rest and settle-in. Do not feed them for 2-3 hours. When feeding, offer half the amount of food and water you would normally feed. There is usually no need to soften food. If there were extractions you may notice a little blood in the saliva. This is normal and should not persist. If you are given antibiotics follow the directions carefully and use the antibiotics
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