Pets have teeth too! Unfortunately, most pets also have dental disease and, with that, dental pain. Sadly, dental pain often goes unrecognized in our pets. Just like animals in the wild, it goes against a dog or cat’s instincts to show pain. To show pain is to show weakness and to show weakness is to be more susceptible as prey. This holds true for our domestic indoor pets even though they may not have any natural predators. Painful dental conditions that would send a human running to a dentist, or an ibuprofen bottle, for relief are tolerated by pets who usually do not show outward signs of discomfort.

Anesthesia-free dentistry, known as Non-Professional Dental Scaling (NPDS), is an ongoing topic of discussion as a service provided to well-intentioned pet owners who may be worried about anesthesia or feel they may not be able to afford professional veterinary dental care. Most pet parents know that good oral care is important for their pets, so this becomes an attractive option. Unfortunately, anesthesia-free cleanings are procedures that address only the parts of your pet's teeth you can see and have harmful consequences you can’t see. 

It can be an anxious time for a pet owner when their pet undergoes an anesthetic procedure. The Animal Dental Care and Oral Surgery team makes every effort to reduce the stress associated with these procedures for both the pet and their owner. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide quality veterinary dental care to our patients without general anesthesia.