
Post-Dental Home Care instructions

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Anaesthetic (post- operation)
Your pet has been given anaesthetic to make them sleep for the dental procedure. Their body can still metabolise the anaesthetic up to 48 hours after the operation. This can cause them to be drowsy & sleep & less active than usual, which is normal. It also causes the gut to slow down, so it may take some time before they can defecate. If there have been multiple extractions, you pet’s mouth may bleed post- operatively. This is normal and is not concerning unless it continues past 24hrs.
Food
The effects of anaesthetic can cause nausea & vomiting. Please wait at least 4 hours after the op to feed your pet. Offer moist, soft food such as tin/ sachet food for after surgery. If your pet has had many extractions, soft food may be necessary for up to 2 weeks before putting your pet back on its normal food. Water can be given at any time.
Toothpaste and Brushing
Once your pet’s teeth are clean, daily tooth brushing is the most effective means of controlling plaque and maintaining good gum health. Pet toothbrushes conform to their mouths better than human toothbrushes, although a soft child’s brush can be used. Never use human toothpaste for a pet as these contain foaming agents (people like to see foam when they brush their teeth) which are not meant to swallowed. Animal toothpastes come in special flavours (chicken, seafood, and malt) and all are expected to be swallowed.
Studies have shown that brushing teeth daily is adequate to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Daily
brushing is needed to control existing gingivitis.
Don't attempt to clean the inner surface of your pet's teeth. Saliva and the tongue cleans this surface on its own.
Dental Treats
For many people, doing anything inside their pet’s mouth on a regular basis is simply never going to happen. Luckily, daily dental pet chews can substantially reduce plaque and tartar. Occasional use is not going to be helpful and the dog must actually chew on the treat, so the right
size for the dog must be used. (Veggiedent Chews).
Aquadent is a new mouth wash which can be placed in their drinking water to aid in reducing bacteria.
Considerations
A pet with diseased teeth may break teeth on a hard chew.
Cow hooves and bones are not appropriate chew toys as they are too hard and readily break teeth.
Discharge Instructions
- Please feed soft food for the next 2 weeks (pellets can be softened with water 30min before feeding, or boiled chicken and boiled rice separately)
- Please start the medication 24hrs from the dental as pain medication and nerve blocks were done intraoperatively.
- Please come in for a follow up within a week to assess healing of the flaps (where the major extractions are)