Care of Your Pet Following Dental Treatment
Your pet has had a dental procedure performed under general anaesthetic. Please read and follow the advice below to ensure your pet makes a swift recovery. If you are concerned about any aspect of your pet's health following its operation then please contact the surgery. Our out-of-hours emergency number is 02083008111.
Management of Your Pet
1. A clipped area may be present on one of your pet's forelegs, this is where the anaesthetic was injected. A little bruising in this area is not unusual and will recede with time. The hair will usually grow back in 4-6 weeks.
2. Your pet may appear drowsy, this is because of the anaesthetic and should wear off during the next 24-hours. Your pet will also have had painkillers to keep it comfortable post-operatively.
3. Your pet may cough occasionally following its procedure. This is because a tube was placed in its windpipe to help it breath during it's anaesthetic. If a cough is present it will normally resolve over a number of days.
4. Food and water should be offered in small amount this evening but may not be wanted. If teeth have been removed some swelling and soreness of the gums will be present. Pleas ensure you feed your pet a soft diet for the following week unless otherwise instructed by your vet.
5. Today's procedure included scaling and polishing of the teeth. To help keep the teeth in pristine condition we recommend that you begin brushing your pet's teeth on a regular basis using Virbac's Enzymatic Toothpaste. For further advice and help on undertaking dental hygiene the nurse's clinics are available.
6. Once your pet's gums have healed we recommend changing it's diet onto a dental care diet - at Parkvets we recommend Hill's T/D.
What to Watch for
If your pet is repeatedly sick or seems excessively lethargic then contact the surgery for advice.
If marked bleeding, oozing or swelling of the mouth occurs contact the clinic for advice.
Medication to help discomfort may have been provided, follow the instructions carefully on when to start them and what dose to use. If your pet shows marked signs of distress even with medication then contact the clinic for advice. Remember to keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Post Operative Reassessment
Following most dental procedures your pet will require a follow up reassessment with the vet or nurse.
During this appointment we will check that your pet has:
- Recovered from its anaesthetic.
- Healed from any surgery that we performed.
- A plan in place to reduce the speed of return of dental disease.
If you have any concerns prior to this appointment then please call the surgery.
