• The AVMA recommends having your pet's teeth checked at their yearly examinations for potential dental problems.
• Start by withholding your pet's food and water after 10:00pm the night before the procedure.
• Pet's having a large accumulation of tartar and/or gum disease need to be started on antibiotics five days before the dental cleaning, to reduce bacteria septicemia.
• Doing a pre-anesthetic profile determines your pet's ability to tolerate the anesthesia, and also provides a baseline for future diagnostic blood work-ups (optional but recommended).
• A thorough cleaning and scaling of all teeth with a modern ultrasonic scaler is done first. Then high speed polishing is performed. The polishing delays the return of tartar buildup by eliminating tooth etchings. Any teeth that are decayed or very loose will be removed, so they cannot harbor dangerous bacteria deep in the gum lines. Retained baby teeth should also be removed as they can cause deflection of the permanent teeth and malocclusion.
• Pet's having morning dentals are able to go home by mid-afternoon. Be sure to feed soft foods for the next two days, and return to the regular diet once the short-term oral pain has subsided.
• By using Maxi-gel daily and doing antibiotic pulse therapy every three to four months, you will greatly decrease the amount of tartar build-up thus increasing the time between dental cleanings.

     - why does my pet need dental care?   When dental calculus (tartar) forms on your pet's teeth it is composed of various mineral salts, bacteria, organic material and food particles. In the early stages of accumulation, the material is soft (plaque), but it later hardens and adheres to the teeth. Continual accumulation causes inflammation of the gums and eventual recession of the gums and loose teeth.

Animals get periodontal disease, gingivitis and tooth decay just like humans. The breath becomes very odorous and the mouth becomes a dangerous source of infection. You may notice your pet having problems eating or maybe they are listless. As most of us know, the gums and teeth can be very painful. "Red gums means pain." What you don't see is the untreated tooth and gum disease allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream and causing not only infections but also eventually damage to the valves of the heart, kidneys and the liver. Regular dental check ups, cleaning and brushing at home can add years to your pet's life and prevent many disease processes.

     - prevention tips:

1. Feed hard or coarse foods, no sweets.
2. Brush your pet's teeth with pet tooth pastes (human tooth paste froths too much)
3. Antibiotic Pulse Therapy every three to four months on the pets who already have gum disease and teeth problems to keep already present bacteria down.
4. Provide rawhide, hard rubber or nylon chew toys or hard treat foods. Remember that the treat foods are a source of calories and may lead to obesity if given too often.
5. Regular dental check ups and professional cleaning by your Veterinarian is the most effective way to ensure good health for your pet.