# Teeth cleaning



## carolee (Jan 16, 2008)

Hi everyone. The vet told me it is time for Milo's teeth cleaning. I brush his teeth at least 5 times a week but it looks like there is still some tartar build up. She says that he has to be anesthetized for the cleaning and that worries me greatly. Is it necessary for the dog to be anesthetized for something as simple as a teeth cleaning? 

Milo is super laid back and just sits quiet when i brush his teeth, clean his eyes or groom him. He really is such a good doggy and knows how to be quiet and trust his human - I wonder how necessary it is for him to be sleeping during a teeth cleaning. It would be the worst thing in the world if anything happened to him because of the anesthesia. It would break our hearts 

I have tried to look up non-anesthesia dog teeth cleaning clinics, but I hear there are big risks with going to those as well. Has anyone ever done an anesthetized teeth cleaning for your maltese? How about an anesthize-free one? How did it go? 

Does anyone in the Culver City/ West LA area know of a good anesthesia-free clinic for dog teeth cleaning? 

Thank you so much

Hugs,

Carol, Ken and Milo


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Non-anesthetic cleanings can be okay for dogs with very mild tartar and no need to clean under the gumline. This generally means the vet would not yet recommend a routine cleaning with anesthesia. Without anesthesia, you cannot polish the teeth as you would with anesthesia so the grooves left can invite more tartar. You also need to be sure the person doing it is reputable and has proper training. 

Dental cleanings with anesthesia are quite safe with proper pre-operative work up and anesthetic protocols. Dogs will not sit still and open their mouths wide while you clean all surfaces of the teeth including getting any tartar under the gum line. They must be anesthetized for this. You can always get a referral to a veterinary dentist for a second opinion. They're the experts on teeth!


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

:goodpost:


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

Here is the top of the line veterinary dentist in Los Angeles - and he is in Culver City!

An excellent non-anesthetic dental service is Hounds Tooth Dental, but they are a little farther away. They will clean, scale and polish the teeth while the dog is awake. They have excellent handling skills.

If you decide to use non-anesthetic, the good ones will refer you to a vet or dentist if they think they cannot clean adequately. Also, you want to be sure to use a reputable one because its very easy to hurt these little ones if they don't know what they are doing. I met a woman at ASEC in Santa Monica with a small Maltese who had broken her jaw during non-anesthetic cleansing.... :shocked:


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## carolee (Jan 16, 2008)

QUOTE (JMM @ Oct 27 2009, 08:27 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844144


> Non-anesthetic cleanings can be okay for dogs with very mild tartar and no need to clean under the gumline. This generally means the vet would not yet recommend a routine cleaning with anesthesia. Without anesthesia, you cannot polish the teeth as you would with anesthesia so the grooves left can invite more tartar. You also need to be sure the person doing it is reputable and has proper training.
> 
> Dental cleanings with anesthesia are quite safe with proper pre-operative work up and anesthetic protocols. Dogs will not sit still and open their mouths wide while you clean all surfaces of the teeth including getting any tartar under the gum line. They must be anesthetized for this. You can always get a referral to a veterinary dentist for a second opinion. They're the experts on teeth![/B]


Thank you for your advice!!! I will let my husband know about this info too because he's the one who is absolutely NOT for anesthesia - my vet even offered to talk to him about it. He thinks its too risky but I can understand why it may be necessary - especially with those sharp tools around their gums. They're not like people who know the results of getting cut in the gum, or worse!


QUOTE (tamizami @ Oct 27 2009, 01:44 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=844257


> Here is the top of the line veterinary dentist in Los Angeles - and he is in Culver City!
> 
> An excellent non-anesthetic dental service is Hounds Tooth Dental, but they are a little farther away. They will clean, scale and polish the teeth while the dog is awake. They have excellent handling skills.
> 
> If you decide to use non-anesthetic, the good ones will refer you to a vet or dentist if they think they cannot clean adequately. Also, you want to be sure to use a reputable one because its very easy to hurt these little ones if they don't know what they are doing. I met a woman at ASEC in Santa Monica with a small Maltese who had broken her jaw during non-anesthetic cleansing.... :shocked:[/B]


THank you SO much for the recommendations!!! Both sound like wonderful options - have you brought your pups to either?


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## Alexa (Aug 6, 2009)

:ThankYou: for the useful link of the non-anesthetic teeth cleaning.

I haven't heard about this possibility before. 

Does anyone has experiences with this treatment or has tried it yet?

Thanks in advance!

Alexandra


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

I'm for any viable option that doesn't require risky general anesthesia to complete. As with any procedure, weighing the risks against the benefits is what your DH is no doubt doing. Kudos to him for his concern...I know anytime humans have to undergo general anesthetic, there's always a risk, albeit usually minimal, involved. Ya'll will definitely choose the best option in your particular case.  Let us know how everything goes! :biggrin:


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## carolee (Jan 16, 2008)

We are going to give Houndstooth a try. Milo has an appointment for a dental cleaning next Saturday! I talked to the lady and she was very nice and the best part about it is I get to be right there to watch the whole thing!!! 

I'll update this thread with the results of the cleaning. Wish us luck!

-carol and milo


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## carolee (Jan 16, 2008)

I took MIlo in to Houndstooth today and his teeth were cleaned in under half an hour. The lady was quick and calm - when milo struggled she'd say "stop it" and waited till he was still (which happened really quickly). He pretty much just lay there on her lap and let her do her thing. After that she helped me clip his nails and gave me some tips on brushing his teeth as well as diet. She was very nice and it was a quick and painless procedure. There was a little bleeding on the gums but just the kind we get too when we get our teeth cleaned by a hygienist. After it was done milo jumped off and went about exploring her house and yard like nothing had happened. Although he didn't enjoy the procedure, he didn't seem traumatized or hurt at all. 

What I liked about it the most was I got to sit there and watch every second of it. It made me feel better to know I could see my baby, instead of sitting outside in a waiting room worrying my wits off. 

I am definitely glad I chose this option instead of anesthesia, especially since it was just a basic cleaning! 

Hope this information helps!

hugs,

Carol and Milo.


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## gopotsgo (May 21, 2009)

QUOTE (carolee @ Nov 7 2009, 04:17 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=848581


> I took MIlo in to Houndstooth today and his teeth were cleaned in under half an hour. The lady was quick and calm - when milo struggled she'd say "stop it" and waited till he was still (which happened really quickly). He pretty much just lay there on her lap and let her do her thing. After that she helped me clip his nails and gave me some tips on brushing his teeth as well as diet. She was very nice and it was a quick and painless procedure. There was a little bleeding on the gums but just the kind we get too when we get our teeth cleaned by a hygienist. After it was done milo jumped off and went about exploring her house and yard like nothing had happened. Although he didn't enjoy the procedure, he didn't seem traumatized or hurt at all.
> 
> What I liked about it the most was I got to sit there and watch every second of it. It made me feel better to know I could see my baby, instead of sitting outside in a waiting room worrying my wits off.
> 
> ...


I'm so glad it went well. My Lily had her teeth cleaned under anesthesia when she was spayed, shortly after we rescued her. She had a lot of plaque and the teeth looked very good afterward. She has also had a non-anesthetic cleaning done about 8 months afterward and the teeth looked the same afterward (but they didn't look bad before it). Its hard for me to think they did a good job in such a short time but my Lily does have a small mouth. I think to get a really good cleaning it should be done under anesthesia but if the teeth are brushed frequently and they look good, maybe only every two years or so.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

We've had non-anesthetic cleansings before and will be going again soon. I have not been to Dr. Tsugawa, but Deb (dwerten) has with hers and she loves him. He is very thorough and experienced, but pricey. I'd probably bite the bullet and go with him if/when mine need a serious cleaning. I know that Houndstooth also recommends him when they can't adequately clean the teeth or see that extractions are required.


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## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

Where is Houndstooth located? I couldn't find it on their site.

HUGz! Jules


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

Kathy is in Wilmington, but I think they have other associates at other locations.


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