TEETH CLEANING

Cat and Dog Teeth Cleaning in Fresno, CA

You go to the dentist once or twice yearly because tartar cannot be removed by brushing alone. If left unchecked, it could harbor bacteria that produce teeth-eroding acids and gum disease. Your furriest family members get tartar too!

Dental health is critical to overall health in both humans and favorite pets.

A cat and dog teeth cleaning can remove this tartar before it leads to pain, trouble eating, and other health issues. Your Fresno veterinarian at Sunnyside Pet Hospital performs professional teeth and gum assessment, treatment, and preventive cleaning services.

When Does My Pet Need a Cat and Dog Teeth Cleaning?

We’d do a disservice if we pretended that cat and dog teeth cleaning were something your dog or cat only needs occasionally. Ideally, they need their teeth cleaned at least once a year. Although there is some variation with larger dogs often needing more frequent cleanings and some pets needing dental care less.

We think of every patient as a part of our family and perform a thorough evaluation to determine the best frequency for their health and personal situation.

We understand your pet’s importance to your own family and strive to offer low-cost, high-quality dental care for your cat or dog. Contact us now to schedule a cleaning.

Signs Your Pet Needs a Teeth Cleaning

Our goal is that your pet does not get to this point, but signs they need immediate dental care include:

Pawing at their mouth
Rubbing their teeth against you (although this can also be a way cats and dogs say “I love you”)
Making strange sounds (sometimes: popping, crunching, or squishy sounds) or pain sounds when eating
Growling, hissing, or flinching if you try to touch their face
Eating strangely or not eating
Bleeding gums
Breath fouler than usual
Rotting teeth
Don’t want to play
Not closing mouth

How Old Should They Be for the First Cleaning?

We have good news—up to about two to three years, it’s OK to skip professional cat and dog teeth cleaning for most pets. Smaller dog breeds may need to start earlier. Waiting longer than this, however, opens your friend up to more severe gum infections, which can travel to the liver and heart.

Your routine annual veterinary visit will include a visual inspection of your pet’s teeth and gums so that your veterinarian can make the appropriate recommendation for your pet.

What Is the Dog and Cat Teeth Cleaning Process?

Like some humans, a cat or dog would become very stressed during cleaning and unable to sit still safely during the process. Unfortunately, we can’t explain in a way they would understand that we’re doing this because we care. For this reason, we perform every cat and dog teeth cleaning under general anesthesia. This is the safest and most comfortable way for pets to have their teeth cleaned.

We may need to get X-rays like you do when you go in for your own dental cleaning. This can reveal hidden decay we must take care of now to prevent it from spreading.

More complex dental issues may require tooth extractions, and we may recommend a blood test to identify any unknown risks that could make the procedure more dangerous for your pet than usual. We’ll discuss all of that with you, along with transparent pricing, before we begin.

We’re family-owned, community-focused, so we want you to feel good about your decision to get pet care at Sunnyside Pet Hospital.

How Long Does a Cat or Dog Teeth Cleaning Take?

The process can take several hours, so you’ll usually drop your pet off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon.

What to Expect After a Pet Dentistry Appointment?

Your pet will stay in observation for a few hours while they wake up from anesthesia. Once they can stand up on their own, we let you know it’s time to come pick them up.

They will probably want to sleep for several hours when they get home and may look groggy. This is normal. If they only needed cleaning, they will seem like their usual selves a few hours later and probably be hungry. If they had teeth extracted, we’ll send you home with pain medication and special instructions to ease recovery.

How Can I Care for My Pet's Teeth at Home?

Home brushing and chew toys cannot replace professional cleaning, but starting your dog or cat early with toothbrushing at around 6 months will allow you to make brushing seem like a regular grooming routine to them.

Companies make toothpaste in flavors that cats and dogs love to help you make this an enjoyable ritual. Always use toothbrushes and toothpastes designed for cats and dogs to avoid potentially pet-harmful ingredients like xylitol and fluoride that are perfectly safe for you.

Chew toys and plush toys can also help cats and dogs manage their tartar in a small way, so yes, you should make sure they’re available during the day.

Ways to Save on Pet Dental Care

We understand that you have many financial and personal priorities, so we strive to keep our prices fair and cost-effective. One of the ways we keep costs low is by requiring payment in full on the day of a procedure. However, you do have the option to use CareCredit or ScratchPay to delay or spread out payments. We also accept some pet insurance.