# Dental Cleaning & Anesthesia



## proudpeyotemama (Feb 20, 2012)

Hello everyone! 

Ote's teeth are terrible lately - above her canines the tartar build up is ridiculous. I give her dental chews, bully sticks and brush her teeth about once a week but it is to the point where even when I scratch with my nail I can not get the chunk of plaque off. It sits right where the tooth and gum meet and looks extremely uncomfortable. I have a call in with my veterinarian now to talk about options, but I figured I get your opinions as well. I would love to get her a dental - BUT she can not be put under anesthesia due to her size and liver shunt issues which are unresolved. Do you think I should chance it, or just leave her teeth alone and continue with our regular dental regimen and hope the plaque eventually comes off?

Thanks!


----------



## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Oh Aly Dotties are the same,all are awful.My old vet said she could never have an anaesthetic,as she has Ataxia and her size 2lbs,well that vet retired so new vet wants to do them under anaesthetic then put her on a drip after .I'm so worried like you.I'm going to another vet for 2nd opinion.Going to ask if he could just do a premed as she 's very good when I clean them.She has chews and I brush them every night,but the tartar is still thick


----------



## zellko (Jul 3, 2013)

I'm so glad you started this thread as Piper needs dental work and I'm worried about putting her under as she only weighs 2.5 lbs and is still a bit under weight. I got all excited about the no anesthesia dental cleaning 'till I read about it and it doesn't seem worth it. I hope there are lots of posts from chi people with experience.


----------



## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Would it be possible to sedate her partially instead of putting her fully under? Dental disease can lead to problems with the liver and because she already has liver issues, it's probably a good idea to get that taken care of. Hopefully you vet will have some good options for you! Gingivitis is no fun.


----------



## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

My mostly holistic vet does dental cleanings with just an injection of IV valium- no general. I don't think she can do extractions that way though I'm not totally sure. Also my old vet removed a retained baby tooth on Kerri with just the pre-anasthetic, so it is not an all or nothing thing.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Ellie Huahua (Feb 10, 2015)

My 2 bigger dog's back teeth have plaque. 
My 2 little dog's teeth are bad but the Vet told me nothing to worry about yet, just start brushing them.
I know some people have tried everything with their dogs so I don't know if I'll be much help but I've just started using 'dog clean teeth gel' where you spread a spot over affected teeth and let the dog smack its lips to do all the work. After time you use a toothbrush/rubber toothbrush to remove any loose plaque, it sounds promising but only time will tell to be honest. There's all different brands so it should be easy to find at your local pet shop ... my Grampa spotted mines in Tesco :laughing5: .

Someone on 'Holistic Chihuahuas' suggested using a silver coin (make sure the date on the coin is before/older than 1964 which will ensure you are using real silver), you use the ridges on the side of the coin to gently scrape off the plaque.
This is the first I've heard of this and they are good with their knowledge, but I'm too scared to even try it, I would rather try everything else first. Plus the fact I don't know if a dog's mouth is too bad to be putting a coin in it.

Here is a link I've found on some natural cleaning methods, just in case anyone would like to try or look more into. 

Canine Dental Care | Natural Ways to Prevent Dental and Gum Diseases in Dogs


----------



## proudpeyotemama (Feb 20, 2012)

The veterinarian got back to me! Although they do not do a non-anesthetic procedure at their office, he was able to refer me to a service which will do the dental with no sedative at all - just hold her in place. She is very good for me when I clean her teeth, so I am not worried about that at all. I have a call in with the business in order to find out prices and set up an appointment. Ote was with her dad for a year or so until his passing, and he most likely did not brush her teeth, so I'm guessing that's where the build-up came from. Hopefully after this dental procedure it will be maintained by me continuing our weekly dental routine of brushing and chews at home. I'm very thankful that I was able to find out about this procedure - with her liver issues I would never even want to have her given a light sedative. Too many reactions, it would not be worth the risk. However, I know the importance of dental care in canines, so I am thankful we found a "happy medium." Teeth will be clean and no anesthesia needed!


----------



## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

That's good news,i have tried every vet i know in uk and all do anaesthetic,even holistic.I have one more to phone who deals with neurology


----------



## Ellie Huahua (Feb 10, 2015)

Wow, that is great for little Ote!! And also really useful to know!  x x x


----------



## proudpeyotemama (Feb 20, 2012)

The company is called Houndstooth Dental or Pet Tooth Fairy - they go all over the U.S. if anyone is interested!


----------



## nabi (Nov 25, 2004)

Zari had a dental done here in Ecuador without anesthesia...she just had mild plaque..if she needed more intensive cleaning/or extractions they would have had to use anesthesia...she did fine and was was very comfortable with the Dr holding her after for pics...so no anxiety at all..


----------



## Snoopdoggychi (Mar 6, 2015)

Right from pups I got my fur babies used to having there teeth cleaned, I don't just mean brushed, I use a dental tool with a dimond shaped tip to scrap the plac away, then brush there teeth as normal... The vet showed me how to flick the plac away from the top of the gum... My boy Jo, gets a thick ledge of plac build up and it stops him eating, once I flick it off it comes off in a large chunk, he runs off to his food bowl, for a good old chomp... But none of my dogs have bad teeth, nor do they see a vet, I genrally deep clean their teeth once every three months, when they get their wormers... And I would be telling porkies if I said they love it, because they don't , however they do tolerate it, and have learnt that the quicker they sit still, the quicker it's over, they are all very good though...


----------

