Dr. Wise performs dental procedures fully equipped with anesthesia, patient vitals monitoring and x-ray viewing

All Creatures has come to a crossroad in dental care for your pets. With the advent of modern digital radiography (X-rays), and ongoing training in anesthesia and surgery, Dr. Wise has been able to address many painful abscesses and tooth root problems that are not adequately discovered with just a simple, anesthesia-free cleaning. We are pleased to provide the highest standard of care for your pets using this diagnostic technology and skill within our hospital.
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There is so much more to dental care than meets the eye. Hidden disease causing your pet longstanding pain, is not detected without the benefit of anesthesia to obtain clear, safe x-rays. These x-rays will take from 15-30 minutes while your pet is under light anesthesia. Most problems arise within the tooth root and bone and that is exactly what the x-ray is able to see.

Clean teeth and acceptable breath are normal for your pet so when you notice a change in either one of these you SHOULD have a concern for your pet's health. Noticeable discoloration or a foul smell can mean anything from a dead tooth to oral cancer. Gum color and texture can also be used to assess overall health. Most oral cancers are rapidly spreading and deadly and gums that bleed or are bruised looking can indicate blood disorders that are life threatening. Tartar and gingivitis can make it easier for mouth bacteria to enter your pet's bloodstream (and infect liver, kidneys, bladder, and even bones). We know that by the time our pets are 3yrs old, 80% have periodontal disease.
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A thorough oral cavity exam is essential to detect any problems and this is done while your pet is anesthetized. Many pets just need to have their teeth cleaned

DENTAL EXAM:

A mouth exam is done during your pet's annual physical, or when it is brought to our attention. You can not evaluate painful areas or look at the bone and tooth roots without the benefit of anesthesia and x-rays. Then we can determine the extent of the problem and render the appropriate recommendations. Most cases will require pre operative blood work.
Many of our dental patients are older and some kind of chronic disease is present. The physical exam of the entire body is essential too because these patients may already be compromised. Some pets require weeks to months of treatment for conditions found on the physical exam or blood work before the dental procedure can be safely performed.

DENTAL CLEANING PROCEDURES:

Routine scale and polish under anesthesia:
The appointment is made for an exam before this is done so we can discuss the procedure, give advice for blood work, find out if any other procedures need to be done while your pet is anesthetized (express anal glands, remove small tumors, pedicure, ear cleaning, clip matted hair, etc.), and start any pre operative medications. Pre op medications may include long acting pain medication, antibiotics, IV fluids, and/or ECG Exam. The day your pet is here for the dental he will go through the same protocols as the surgery patients with pre anesthetic medications, IV catheterization, general anesthesia, airway security, and intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate and blood oxygenation monitoring.
The first thing the doctor and the dental technician will do is chart a map of all teeth that are missing and any that appear to be loose and those that the x-rays determine will be extracted. The doctor performs the dental cleaning and polishing and any needed extractions and/or oral surgery. Numbing injections are placed into the nerve areas so your pet has no feeling of pain during or after the procedure.

Extractions and oral surgery:
​​​​​​​Most teeth that are removed are causing your pet pain to begin with so removing those teeth will be very helpful in the long run. Sometimes all teeth must be extracted due to severe gum disease as with some forms of viral diseases in cats, or through neglect or trauma they are no longer viable. Sometimes we have oral tumors and growths that need to be removed and sent to the lab for biopsy.