Dental Post Operative Instructions
Instructions may vary from pet to pet and you will be sent home with specific instructions regarding your pet’s care and any medications that have been prescribed, but this is a general guideline to what everyone can expect.
Cleaning
Your pets’ teeth have been cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler, polished, and a dental sealant applied. We have cleaned under the gum-line as well. Due to the scaling, occasionally, a pets’ mouth with be sore for the next 24-48 hours.
Dental Extraction
If your pet had a tooth or teeth extracted there may or may not be absorbable sutures in the mouth where the tooth was. These will not need to be removed and will dissolve on their own over the next few weeks. It is common and normal to see some blood and extra saliva from your pets’ mouth over the next 24 hours.
Feeding
Offer ½ of their usual amount of food the night you take them home. We recommend waiting at least an hour after they arrive home to allow their stomach to settle. You may want to moisten dry food with a small amount of warm water and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes to help soften the kibble before offering it to your pet. Offer a small amount of water as well.
Your pet can return to normal food and water amounts tomorrow.
Monitoring
If your pet stops eating, vomits or becomes lethargic during normal office hours, please call our office at 206-328-2675 to speak with a team member. If these symptoms occur after normal office hours, please contact an emergency hospital.
Medication
If your pet was prescribed medication, please administer the medication in accordance with the directions on the label.
Anesthesia Notes
Some pets experience euphoria and show odd behavior hours to days after a procedure. This can be normal and should resolve without further treatment.
For your pets’ safety, he/she was intubated. You may notice some coughing for the next couple of days. This is normal due to a small amount of irritation to the throat from the endotracheal tube. If coughing seems excessive, please contact our office.
Preventative Care
We recommend preventative maintenance to protect your pet from dental disease in the future. We have a variety of preventative products available such as chews, toothbrushes and paste. Feel free to inquire further on these products.