A DENTAL IS NOT "JUST A DENTAL"

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Studies show that 68% of cats and 78% of all dogs by  age three have periodontal disease and need dental care. 

Dental disease in pets causes many problems such as:

• Bad Breath 
• Infections that spread to internal organs (Liver, Kidney, Heart)
• Mouth & Gum Pain
• Loss of Teeth
• Future Owner Expense
• Potential Infection Spread To Humans  ("Conjunctivitis")

February is National Pet Dental Month.  We offer dental discount pricing starting January 15th.  Please call us at 281-856-7023 or email us at lvh@longenbaughvet.com for more information on our prices.

Dental Procedure:

We follow the protocol below with our dentals:

1.    PRE- SURGICAL BLOOD PROFILE

We are checking a complete blood count, liver, and kidney values.

If any values are abnormal, we may postpone the surgery

 to investigate the cause.

2.    PRE-SURGICAL EXAMINATION

We are performing a complete examination to make

sure that the patient is healthy.

3.    PRE-SURGICAL EKG

We are checking the heart muscle performance.

4.    PRE-SURGICAL/POST SURGICAL PAIN MEDICATIONS

We use several types of pain management medications,

 and give them by injection and/or orally.

5.    SEDATIVE/ TRANQUILIZER

We give these medications to relax the patient before

general anesthesia.

6.    INTRAVENOUS CATHETER

We insert an intravenous catheter usually in a front leg.

 This allows for I.V. fluid and medication administration

before, during, and after surgery.

7.    INHALANT ANESTHESIA

We use Isoflurane or Sevoflurane, the safest gas anesthetics

 for patients.  All patients are intubated for maximum

oxygenation and anesthesia control.

8.    DENTAL PROCEDURE

    We do a full set of digital x-rays to evaluate the teeth under the gums.

We evaluate each tooth individually above the gums, curette under gums, then clean and polish the teeth. We extract only if necessary. All teeth are "charted" for further reference.

9.    SURGICAL MOITORING WITH EKG, PULSE OXIMETER, RESPIRATION,

TEMPERATURE, BLOOD PRESSURE.  Your pet is monitored

 by a technician from the start of surgery until the pet is out of recovery.

Your pet is given PAIN MEDICATION during and after the dental procedure if necessary.

           Patients are sent home with pain medications and antibiotics if necessary.  

          An estimate good for 30 days is given prior to scheduling the dental.

Read Below for Reasons NOT to choose Anesthesia Free Dentals for Your Pet

• Scaling (scraping surface of the tooth with an instrument) the plaque and tartar from the outside surfaces of the teeth does not remove the plaque and bacteria from beneath your pet’s gum line and does not decrease the risk of your pet getting periodontal disease.
• Anesthesia free dental cleanings require your pet to be restrained while the visible tartar is removed. In some cases, this can be very stressful for the pet. It is not fair to put your beloved dog or cat through the process without anesthesia.
• There are few visible signs of periodontal infection before it has progressed too far to treat and save teeth.  Anesthesia is needed to best evaluate periodontal disease with the help of a dental probe and x-ray examination to truly sense what is going on below the gum line.
• A thorough oral health exam can’t be done on a dog or cat that is awake. During a thorough oral health exam, all surfaces of your pet’s mouth are evaluated, and radiographs are taken. This allows a veterinarian to identify painful problems including broken teeth, periodontal disease or even oral tumors. An oral health exam and x-rays can’t be done on an awake pet.
• Teeth that have been scaled and not polished are a prime breeding ground for more bacteria growth which perpetuates oral disease. Anesthesia free dental cleanings provide no benefit to your pet and do not prevent periodontal disease at any level. In fact, it gives you a false sense of security as a pet owner that because the teeth look whiter that they are healthier. The costs of anesthesia free dental cleanings are cheap to begin with. The ultimate costs to both your wallet, and pet’s dental health, are far more of an expense.

Please call us at 281-856-7023 if you have questions about our dental services or to book your pets dental consultation!