Awake Dentals - Home Vs. Gig

[brindlehound]

I'm thinking about getting an awake dental for Magic and would like advice on whether I should have it done at home or at Greyhounds in Gettysburg. There is someone in my area who comes to your home to do the procedure.

 

Magic turned 12 in January and is relatively healthy (arthritis and hypoactive thyroid).

 

I'm just trying to figure out which would be the least stressful for my boy.

 

Thanks.

[MP_the4pack]

I've had Dali (partner to Kathy who is doing it in GIG) do my girls several times now. It's pretty fast. She gets them to lie down then she does their teeth, then all done. I don't think there would be much difference whether he had it at home or GIG. But I am going to have my girls done at GIG.

[JJNg]

I personally wouldn't have an awake dental done, period. I know many people are fans of the procedure, and it's appealing since it takes away the risk of anesthesia, but in the majority of cases, awake dentals are not going to significantly benefit a dog's dental health. The area where plaque and tartar buildup is most important to address is under the gumline. Most dogs are not going to allow thorough and effective scaling under the gumline when they are awake since it's not the most comfortable procedure (think about your own trips to the dentist and having your teeth scaled).

 

So if the person doing the awake cleaning is not going under the gumline, you can get a false sense of security by having teeth that look clean from the outside, but still a significant amount of periodontal disease under the gumline. And if they are trying to go under the gumline, they may only be able to get certain areas of the mouth, and they may be causing pain if there is any periodontal disease, as well as psychological distress if the dog is being forced to endure it.

[tbhounds]

I personally wouldn't have an awake dental done, period. I know many people are fans of the procedure, and it's appealing since it takes away the risk of anesthesia, but in the majority of cases, awake dentals are not going to significantly benefit a dog's dental health. The area where plaque and tartar buildup is most important to address is under the gumline. Most dogs are not going to allow thorough and effective scaling under the gumline when they are awake since it's not the most comfortable procedure (think about your own trips to the dentist and having your teeth scaled).

 

So if the person doing the awake cleaning is not going under the gumline, you can get a false sense of security by having teeth that look clean from the outside, but still a significant amount of periodontal disease under the gumline. And if they are trying to go under the gumline, they may only be able to get certain areas of the mouth, and they may be causing pain if there is any periodontal disease, as well as psychological distress if the dog is being forced to endure it.

Couldn't agree more.