HOT TOPIC: ‘Can’t you just clean my pet’s teeth without an anaesthetic?’
Anaesthesia means NO PAIN! We offer pain-free and fear-free dentistry with human-grade, ultra-safe anaesthetics.
You may have seen information floating around the pet industry recently advertising anaesthesia-free dentistry. 30 years ago many vets did this in the consult room, but it has been proven to be ineffective for the following reasons:
1. THE JOB IS NOT DONE PROPERLY – You cannot ask your pet to ‘open wide’ and sit still so you can probe and assess all four surfaces of 42 teeth! It is physically impossible to do a thorough physical examination of the entire oral cavity whilst a pet is awake.
2. DENTAL DISEASE CONTINUES TO WORSEN IN HIDDEN-AWAY PLACES – Yes, for the most relaxed, tolerant dogs, you may be able to scale away any easily-visible tartar present on the OUTSIDE of the teeth. But what about the inner surface and in between the teeth? What about the plaque BELOW the gum line? Removing the calculus on the external face of the tooth is pointless if there is underlying dental disease. Your dog’s teeth might look pretty from afar, but it is a waste of time and money for everyone involved.
3. AWAKE DENTALS ARE PAINFUL AND STRESSFUL – An awake dental procedure can have a negative psychological impact on your pet. For one, being held still during the procedure, but what happens when they touch on a loose or cracked tooth, or an infected area of gum? In our opinion this is a cause of unnecessary pain to your pet.
4. PROFESSIONAL EXPERTS DO NOT RECOMMEND AWAKE DENTISTRY – Anaesthesia free dentistry can potentially mask serious underlying disease and cause your pet unnecessary pain and psychological effects. You can read more about it at the Australian Veterinary Association website.
Has it been a year or more since we last checked your pet’s teeth? Call us today on 9878 3033.
