Cat and Dog Teeth Cleaning in St. John, IN

Is dental care a fixture in your pet’s daily routine? If not, consider starting today! Dogs and cats need to keep their teeth and gums clean to prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar. Allowing this material to accumulate can result in an oral infection, and lower your pet’s quality of life.

In addition to daily teeth brushing, which we recommend for all pets, our hospital can provide professional cat and dog teeth cleaning services here in St. John, IN. These cleanings allow our team to examine your pet’s teeth and gums more thoroughly and remove stubborn buildup. Regular teeth cleanings and daily at-home care are the surest ways to prevent dental disease and keep your companion healthy!

If you need help starting a dental care routine for your four-legged family member, give us a call at (219) 627-3264 or set up an online vet visit to speak with a vet.

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How We Perform Teeth Cleanings for Dogs and Cats

Coyne Veterinary Center uses advanced technology to perform oral exams and teeth cleanings. Before we clean your pet’s teeth, we use CT scan to develop a detailed, 3D-rendered image of your pet’s teeth, gums, and underlying bone. This helps us check for underlying damage and fully evaluate your pet’s dental health, and chart our findings for future reference.

When we clean the teeth, we use an ultrasonic scaler to remove hardened material from the entire surface of each tooth, from root to crown. If necessary, we can also perform an extraction if a tooth is damaged beyond repair.

Additional Information

Below, you can find more detailed information about our St. John, IN, animal hospital's teeth cleaning protocols, and how we ensure the health and safety of all our patients before performing their teeth cleaning procedure.

WHEN?

We recommend that dogs and cats have their first teeth cleaning at around 2 years old, though this can vary from pet to pet. We also recommend annual teeth cleanings for the best protection against dental diseases.

  • The evening before your pet’s surgery, do not allow them to eat or drink after 10pm
  • Arrival between 6:30 am-8:00 am (M-F)
  • Please allow at least a half hour to go over authorizations with a technician and whoever is dropping off should be authorized to make surgical decisions for your pet.
  • Your pet must be current with these vaccines and blood tests:
    • Rabies vaccine
    • Distemper vaccine (dogs)
    • Bordetella (within last 6 months)
    • Fecal test (negative within last 12 months)
    • Influenza vaccine (dogs)
    • FVRCP (cats)
  • I.V. Catheter (included)
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC) – Allows our vets to check for underlying issues that may result in surgery complications
  • Comprehensive Plus Panel (for pets 5 years and older, comes at an additional charge)
  • ProBNP Test – Identifies any underlying heart issues that show no outward clinical signs, and which could affect your pet’s health while under anesthesia
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) – This procedure evaluates your pet’s heart function, and helps us determine whether your pet is fit for anesthesia
  • Chest X-rays (highly recommended for pets 7 years old and up) – These X-rays can identify diseases of the heart and lungs
  • Tooth Extractions
  • Dental CT Scan

In case of an oral mass:

Surgical cautery, which helps to decrease bleeding

Biopsy – We’ll send a biopsy sample of the mass to a lab for evaluation and to identify what type of mass it is

Cerenia – An anti-nausea injection to relieve anesthetic-related nausea

Laser therapy – Helps with managing pain and inflammation, and aids in the healing process

Elizabethan collar – Prevents pets from irritating the incision site, which could cause infection

Microchip – If you want your pet microchipped, we can perform the procedure while they’re undergoing their dental

Post-Operative Pain Management

To help your pet readjust after their procedure:

  • Please withhold all food and water until 8am the following day (after the dental procedure). This will help to prevent any issues as your pet fully recovers from the anesthesia
  • Limit running, jumping, and/or climbing activity for the next 14 days
  • Leash walk only for the next 14 days, including in your own backyard
  • Our team will provide you with personalized care and medication instructions at check out!

If you have chosen an e-collar, please make sure they are wearing it for the full two weeks. If they are having trouble eating or drinking out of their bowls, it is OK to remove it and supervise closely during meal time.

Cat and dog teeth cleanings are fully anesthetized procedures. This ensures your pet’s safety and comfort, and allows our team to provide the most thorough and effective dental care possible.

In-between care is extremely important. This typically involves brushing your pet’s teeth daily with pet-only toothpaste (never use human toothpaste). Supervised dental chews or toys can also help to supplement your pet’s dental care.