Periodontal disease can affect the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain, so we recommend teeth scaling annually to inhibit plaque and tartar growth. We perform this procedure without anesthesia or sedation. Only compliant dogs are eligible, and some may be turned away for behavioral reasons. The procedure takes up to an hour and costs between $55 and $70. If a dog is not compliant, there is no cost.

 

A sedation-free procedure will not be as thorough as a veterinary dental cleaning during which an animal is immobile. However, for those pets that cannot undergo general anesthesia (e.g., senior pets, pets with heart murmurs, congestive heart failure, congenital defects, etc.) this is a healthy and safe option. If any pet shows signs of loose, cracked, or rotten teeth, abscesses, or gum tumors, we will refer to a veterinarian for treatment. We will email before and after pictures of the pet’s mouth to you or your vet if a referral is recommended.
 

To guarantee your pet’s safety, two people perform the procedure, scaling one quadrant of the mouth at a time. The animal experiences no pain, receives a break between each quadrant, can eat hard food immediately after, and will have noticeably better breath and white teeth.
 

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STEP BY STEP GUIDE
1. Flush the mouth with a chlorhexidine and water solution to reduce the number of
bacteria.

2. Use an oral irrigator (similar to the water pick for humans) to push out debris, plaque,
and tarter from between the teeth.

3. Use hand scaling tools (similar to ones used on humans by a dentist) to manually
remove the hardened tartar and plaque off the teeth and under the gum line. 

4. Use the oral irrigator to clear any remaining debris.

5. Rinse again with chlorohexidine and water solution.