There’s a well-known saying that dogs’ mouths are exceptionally clean. While this may be true relative to humans, it remains a fact that a full 80% of our four-legged friends summer from some form of gum disease.
Gum disease might seem symptomless at a glance, but in dogs, it can quickly lead to a wide range of serious, debilitating, and expensive health complications. That’s why it is important to take your dog’s dental hygiene seriously.
This also means understanding the common complications from dog dental cleaning, so that you can prepare for a smooth and stress-free trip to the doggy dentist. Here are the dental dog cleaning risks you need to know.
Anesthesia Complications from Dog Dental Cleaning
Even with simple procedures such as dog teeth scaling, the veterinarian will likely place the animal under general anesthesia.
One of the most common dental cleaning risks for dogs concerns anesthesia. Putting any living creature under general anesthesia comes with risks, and dogs are no exception.
Chief among these is the risk of an allergic relation, which can cause the animal to go into anaphylactic shock. However, such cases are very, very rare. Your vet should always conduct anesthesia monitoring throughout the procedure.
This involves monitoring all vitals and ensuring there are no alarming spikes or fluctuations. This way, your vet will always be able to prioritize your dog’s safety.
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The other main risk of professional teeth cleaning concerns “food aspiration.” This is when food from the dog’s stomach ends up in the airways due to improper inhalation, which can happen when a dog is sedated. This is a serious choking hazard.
To ensure the safety of your four-legged friend, your vet will remind you not to feed the dog at all for a window of time prior to the procedure – usually about 12 hours.
If your dog is diabetic or has special dietary needs, make sure to tell your vet beforehand. They will be able to advise you on how to approach feeding before and after cleaning.
Insufficient Insurance Coverage
It’s no secret that dog dental cleaning costs are high, and can easily run you up hundreds or even thousands of dollars. On top of this, very few pet insurance plans offer dental.
If you want to save money and keep maintain good oral health for your canine, you should consider insurance packages that offer the option of dental as a paid add-on.
Affordable pet care found here shows examples of comprehensive, low-cost insurance that you can use to keep your dog covered, in every eventuality.
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A Healthy Dog is a Happy Dog
Your dog is a part of the family, so it’s only right to be concerned when they are facing a medical procedure.
Remember, complications from dog dental cleaning are vanishingly rare. With the right precautions, that risk can be made even smaller still.
For more insights on keeping your dog healthy and happy, we have got you covered. Make sure to consult our dedicated Pet & Animal hub for the tips and facts you need to make informed decisions for your four-legged friend.