Is there anything I can do to help my dog prepare for a dental appointment?

There's not a whole lot that you, the dog owner, can do to prepare. It is an anesthetic procedure, so we ask that food be taken away after 10 o'clock the night before. And water's fine. We ask you to get the pet here early to start with pre-medications that morning and don’t give the dog breakfast either.

Sometimes we will have the owners give some pain medicine preemptively or antibiotics in a severely diseased mouth preemptively. But those are about the only things we ask owners to do to get ready for their dental procedures.

Preparation for a dental procedure typically just involves withholding food. Sometimes we use Gabapentin or Trazodone which are some of our fear-free meds because we always want to do things in the office to lower the FAS, which is the fear, anxiety, and stress of our patients and our clients. By minimizing these things, we get a better quality of anesthesia and shorten the procedure. That's why we like to preemptively medicate some of the patients, although many of them don't need it. We preemptively medicate them here to make it safer and easier for them.

Preparation for a dental exam might include providing calming medications, antibiotics, or pain medications as recommended by your veterinarian. You should also have soft or canned food available for your dog after the procedure. It is essential to follow your veterinarian's specific instructions, as each office's requirements might vary.

At home, you can help minimize the need for dental cleanings by brushing your dog's teeth and using products such as rinses and water additives. However, once your dog requires a dental cleaning, the best preparation is to schedule an appointment. The veterinarian will typically check your dog's blood work to ensure they are safe for anesthesia before the dental procedure. On the day of the appointment, follow the instructions provided, such as having your dog come in fasted.

Keeping them healthy is crucial. The preparation will be outlined and described by the veterinarian depending on whether it's just an evaluation to look at the teeth or if we're actually planning on having the teeth cleaned that day.

Yes, all dogs get dental x-rays. It's an important part of evaluating the mouth because it allows us to see underneath the gum line and to look for things associated with periodontal disease such as bone loss.