Brutus is admitted to the hospital after Jennifer reviews the treatment plan with his mom.  Jennifer hands her a card with our phone number and tells her that she and Valene are his dedicated nurses for the day and Dr. Whitney is his doctor.  Brutus is brought back to the treatment area.

Dr. Whitney performs his examination, listening to his heart and lungs, and palpating his abdomen.  His pre-anesthetic bloodwork shows normal values for his kidneys, liver, blood sugar and blood cells.  Brutus is cleared for his procedure today.

On his examination we discover a fractured tooth with pulp exposure.  These are very painful so the procedure would include extraction of that tooth.

Brutus is given a "pre-anesthetic" medication that helps him relax and also provides "pre-emptive analgesia".  By giving him pain medicine before the extraction, he will wake up with minimal soreness.

An intravenous catheter is placed to administer medications and fluids.  Intravenous fluids maintain blood pressure, prevent dehydration and expedite anesthetic drug metabolism.  The catheter also provides a means to administer emergency drugs, if needed.

After medication is given through the catheter to induce anesthesia, an endotracheal tube is placed to begin the gas anesthesia.  It also enables us to monitor breathing and prevents aspiration of fluids and particles.

Brutus' eyes are lubricated for protection, nails are trimmed and ears are checked and cleaned.

Next, digital dental radiographs are taken.  These are a vital part of the assessment as they show us the condition of the roots and surrounding bone.  They help us to make decisions regarding the treatment of each tooth.  The radiographs are stored in each patients computer medical record.  Radiographs are also taken after extractions to ensure that all of the roots were removed, which helps to prevent complications.

 A warm air blower is used to maintain Brutus' body temperature.  Brutus is having his temperature, heartrate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure and ecg monitored.

Brutus' mouth is rinsed with an antibacterial solution.  The cleaning of each tooth begins using the ultrasonic scaler to remove the cement-like tartar.  Each tooth is then probed to check for pockets under the gumline.  An air blower is used to flush under the gumline to flush out debris from under the gum.  The teeth are polished with a fluoride paste to smooth the enamel.

Dr. Whitney performs the extraction of the broken tooth with a "gingival flap" technique.  The tooth is separated and each root is elevated out.  The area is closed with sutures.  The before and after extraction radiographs are shown.  We are confident there are no remants remaining.

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Our dental unit contains the ultrasonic scaler, drill, water/air blower, and polisher.  Sterile dental packs contain curettes, elevators, probes and forceps.

Jennifer makes a detailed record of Brutus' procedure and the condition of each tooth.  This is called charting the mouth. Copies of Brutus' before and after pictures are taken to include with his discharge instructions.   Brutus experienced a normal recovery.  He was awake and moving around shortly after the anesthesia was discontinued. 

Valene reviews Brutus' medication and written discharge instructions with his mom at his scheduled discharge time.  His courtesy progress examination is scheduled in 10 days to make sure his extraction site is healing well and to review home care.  Home dental care is important to maintain Brutus' clean teeth!  Then Brutus is reunited with mom and goes home to enjoy his clean teeth.

Studies have shown that 85% of all dogs and cats over one year old have some degree of periodontal disease.  Imagine what our mouths would look like if we never brushed!!

The pet owner is an integral part of our dental team.  Home care is the single most important procedure the owner can do to maintain oral health.  If performed regularly, daily brushing will dramatically increase the interval between teeth cleaning appointments.

Plaque is constantly being made and deposited in the mouth. Humans have a buildup of plaque in the morning, that makes our breath smell bad.  Proper home care can keep plaque buildup under control.  The goal of dental home care is to remove plaque from tooth surfaces and gingival sulci before it mineralizes into calculus, a process that occurs within days of a teeth cleaning.  Success depends on the owner's ability to daily brush the teeth, as well as the dog or cat's acceptance of the process.  True oral cleanliness can only be achieved through the mechanical action of toothbrush bristles above and below the gingiva.

Home care is best started at a young age before the adult teeth erupt.  The perfect time to introduce dental home care is at the first puppy or kitten visit.  The client-animal bond as well as the client-veterinary bond is enhanced when daily brushing is performed following instructions given at the animal hospital.