Anesthesia for dental procedures

When I inform a pet owner that I recommend a prophy, or teeth cleaning, I’m often asked, “Do you have to put him under anesthesia to do that?” But the REAL question they’re asking is, “Is it safe to put my pet under anesthesia?” If there’s one thing I could effectively convey to the general… Read more

Broken teeth–what should you do?

Earlier today, I examined a dog who had been adopted from a shelter. She was very sweet, albeit a little shy, and we could quickly see she’s a good snuggler. During my exam, I noticed some broken incisors and a broken canine tooth. Given her background, we’ll never know how she broke these… Read more

Periodontal Therapy (Prophy)

      It is very important for you to know that not all veterinary hospitals approach anesthesia and periodontal procedures in the same way.  Advancements in veterinary medicine have allowed these procedures to be much safer than ever before.  You can be confident that your pet… Read more

Prophy? What’s that?

A prophy is often called a “teeth cleaning,” but I’m afraid that description doesn’t quite do justice to what is included in a routine prophy. A better description is “periodontal therapy”, but even that may still leave you asking, “What?” During a prophy, the heavy layers of tartar and calculus… Read more