Dental Cleanings

At Zutilla Pet Clinic, we take dental care very seriously. Dental care is essential to the overall health and well-being of your pet and 80% of pets over the age of 3 have some degree of periodontal disease, which can be a painful condition. On average, your dog or cat should have a dental cleaning done every 12 months. Smaller breeds of dogs may need more frequent cleanings depending on how diligent their owner is about providing dental care at home (tooth brushing, chews, water additive etc.).

A dental cleaning is an anesthetic procedure that we take very seriously to ensure your pet’s safety. We perform bloodwork prior to every dental to ensure the internal organs are in good shape to handle going under anesthesia. On the day of the scheduled procedure, your pet will arrive in the morning and spend the day with us. The cleaning consists of scaling and polishing the inner and outer surfaces of all the teeth. Every tooth will be examined to check its health and viability. If any teeth need to be extracted, Dr. Gregory will let you know.

After the cleaning is complete, your pet will be monitored to be sure they are recovering well from the anesthesia. They will be ready to be picked up by late afternoon.

Special Note: We do not have the capacity to perform dental radiographs or major extractions. If your pet needs these services, they will be referred to a full-service facility.