If you need immediate assistance please call (480) 751-3073 or send us an email
FREE dental evaluations can be performed by one of our trained technicians Monday – Friday 9am-5pm by appointment. Please call to schedule an appointment to come in. During the evaluation with the veterinary nurse, if your dog or cat is found to have severe dental disease, then a Doctor will need to assess your pet as they may need to prescribe antibiotics prior to the dental cleaning. If this is required, you may have to wait for the next available doctor. If you are unable to wait or if the doctor is not available, then an appointment may need to be rescheduled at a time that is suitable to both you and our doctor.
We recommend having your pet’s teeth cleaned before they require extractions. Performing preventative dental cleanings for dogs and cats while tartar is minimal, and only low grades of periodontal disease are present has many benefits. Benefits include: Lower cost to you for your pet’s dental care, decreased stress to your pet and more options for the type of dental performed. An animal that has a Grade I periodontal disease has the option of undergoing a conscious sedation dental or a traditional dental. However, an animal with Grade III periodontal disease only has the option of a traditional dental with anesthesia. Differences in these procedures are explained below.
For a traditional cat or dog dental cleaning, your pet is placed under anesthesia. The use of anesthesia is generally very safe. Before administering any drugs, we perform a blood profile that will allows us to access the function of your pet’s internal organs. A doctor will perform a physical examination. These two steps are performed to answer the question, “Is this animal healthy enough to undergo anesthesia?” Once your pet is anesthetized a technician trained in anesthesia monitors the animal’s pulse rate, respiratory rate, and temperature.
Traditional dental cleaning cost: $442
Price Includes: Basic chemistry/CBC blood profile, pre-anesthetic evaluation, anesthesia, ultrasonic scaling, oral charting, dental probe, low speed polish, fluoride treatment, IV fluids, antibiotic injection, pain injection, dental x-rays.
Not included in the dental cleaning costs, the additional costs may or may not include: extractions, fistula repairs, and/or mass removals. Post-Operative Pain medications or antibiotic medications to go home after the procedure are additional costs as well.
Conscious sedation dentals are an alternative to tradition dental cleaning for some pets. These dental cleanings are performed under heavy sedation (“Twilight anesthesia”), instead of full anesthesia. Since we are not performing anesthesia a blood profile is usually not required (Unless the pet is over the age of 7 years). This service is only offered to pet’s who are estimated to be in Grade 0 – 1 periodontal disease. These periodontal grades are difficult to predict in the awake patient, and there is a chance some teeth will be found that are a grade higher. At this time anesthesia may need to be induced to properly clean and assess the affected tooth. The conscious sedation dental option is also not available for brachycephalic breeds (Pugs, Bulldogs, Persians, etc.), or sick animals.
If tooth extractions are required and anesthesia is induced there will be additional cost (does NOT include extraction or medication cost)
Price includes: Sedation, ultrasonic scaling, oral charting, dental probe, low speed polish, fluoride treatment,
SQ fluids, antibiotic injection, and dental x-rays.
*If your pet is over the age of 5, it is required that a blood profile be performed & an IV catheter be placed to deliver IV fluids at additional cost.
At TSVC Dental & Surgery Center, we do not support or recommend anesthesia free dentals.
We cannot explain the purpose of cleaning your pet’s teeth to him/her, therefore it is impossible to expect your pet to fully cooperate while we attempt to perform this service. Imagine that someone holds you down to attempt to clean your teeth and never mentions their intentions. This would be a terrifying experience for all involved. Additionally, a thorough oral examination is impossible in an awake patient and leaves your pet with incomplete dental service, leading to a false sense of preventing dental disease. It is impossible without anesthesia or sedation to perform the most important aspects of the dental cleaning such as removing tartar from below the gum line and cleaning out the pockets.
These lesions are also known as “Cat Cavities.”
Often a cat’s gums in the affected area will be cherry red in color. A good way to determine if your cat is affected is to touch the gum with a Q-tip above the suspected lesion, and if the cat’s jaws chatter this condition is highly suspected.
Resorption occurs at the level of the tooth root as well as the crown of the tooth. The affected tooth is predisposed to infections when these lesions are present. If the roots are being resorbed, the recommendation is to perform a crown amputation. If the resorption is above the gumline, we would recommend extracting the tooth. Dental x-rays or CT are necessary to determine what course of action is needed.
We recommend brushing your pet’s teeth 2 times weekly. You can buy pet toothpaste and toothbrushes here at TSVC or at a local pet store. Pet toothpaste is safe if swallowed. Do not use a human toothpaste as these cannot be swallowed. Some pets tolerate a finger brush very well, but be careful when using these as your pet may accidentally bite you. Dentacetic wipes may be used as an alternative to brushing. If you are unable to brush your pet’s teeth on a regular basis, ask about our “Brushless Diamond Pet Plan” option for maintaining your pet’s teeth year-round.
You can also use dental chews, such as Oravet. These uniquely shaped, tasty chews are designed to improve your dog’s oral hygiene. With its vanilla mint flavor, it has been a HUGE hit for our doggy patients and their pet parents, AND they come in four different dog-friendly sizes! Oravet Chews are the ONLY dog approved product on the market with the ingredient Delmopinol – a common human grade oral product that creates a protective shield over the teeth that will not allow plaque biofilm and bacteria to adhere to the teeth! Unlike other dental products, given daily Oravet chews also have statistically shown to greatly improve halitosis (bad breath!). Our dogs LOVE Oravet! If you purchase other chews from a local pet store, please keep in mind that they must be “enzymatic” to be really effective.
*Most chews are safe and very beneficial to the teeth, however, if your pet swallows any chews whole, they must be discontinued as they can cause a blockage and may require surgery. Other rawhides/chews tend to cause more problems with diarrhea or vomiting as they are cured with formaldehyde. Oravet chews are easily digestible and break down easy when swallowed in larger pieces.
We also recommend starting your pet on Plaque Off. Simply add this powder to your pet’s food daily. When your pet eats their food, this product bonds to tartar, breaks tartar off the teeth, and helps prevent new tartar from forming. This product works well for dogs and cats that do not like to chew on dental chews, or are too sick for a sedated dental cleaning.
Greenies can be beneficial to the teeth; however, make sure your pet does not swallow them whole as they can cause a gastrointestinal blockage which may require surgery.
Dental cleanings are recommended starting at the age of one year old, for all pets with tartar and gingivitis, or for those pets that may require tooth extractions. At The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic Dental & Surgery Center, we have great discounts available with our monthly payment preventative care plans that include Pet Dental Health Care Cleanings. The “Brushless Diamond Pet Plan” option includes dental cleanings every 6 months to keep your pet’s teeth healthy and in the best condition. Our dental cleanings are significantly discounted to make this procedure affordable and keep your pet in optimal health.
Call TSVC Dental & Surgery Center to schedule your dental appointment today (480) 751-3073!