Non anesthesia dental cleaning?

So my kitty needs a dental, and I am looking into all of the options. I have heard about non anesthesia dental cleaning and how it can be a cheaper and healthier option for cats. I have to admit, anesthesia always makes me nervous. I have also heard it doesn't clean as well and that it can be very stressful for the cat. I have even heard that there have been injuries... squirming kitty + sharp tools in mouth....

Please give me any information about your experiences, etc..

If your cat is cooperative, non anesthesia dental exams and cleanings may be possible. That being said, your pet will be RESTRAINED during the procedure, which can be extremely stressful.

There are risks to both anesthesia and non anesthesia dental cleanings/exams, which you already understand.

I would like to point out that the American Veterinary Dental College advises against non-anesthesia cleanings for many reasons:
http://www.avdc.org/dentalscaling.html


Our practice personally opts to do anesthesia cleanings. Since the animal is only restrained during non-anesthesia cleanings, we cannot easily access the areas under the gum line (which is where the bad stuff likes to hang out), which means your pet is not getting the kind of cleaning that makes a difference to their oral and overall health. You can only scrape the surface plaque during a restrained exam. A restrained exam will not only stress your pet out, but can also be quite painful and scary. Your pet cannot communicate this pain or it's feelings to you or your vet. Another thing to consider is time. It will take longer to clean a restrained (especially if not properly restrained) animal's teeth than it would with the animal put under.

As far as anesthesia goes, please do not hesitate to ask your vet to perform pre-anesthesia testing on your pet, if you are worried about any potential anesthesia effects! Most do it anyway, but it does not hurt to ask, if you are unsure!
Of course, it goes without explaining that angry cats or those who require extractions or other surgical intervention, will be put under.

I think if your kitty is older and Vet has prescribed a cleaning then it's a serious matter

so as you say this method may not be sufficient..this is in my area I have not used or have heard

any feedback the FAQ section may help you for starters 

http://happytailsteethcleaning.com/

Thank you so much for the info! This has helped ease my anxiety quite a bit.

I would be careful about non anesthesia dental cleanings. Complications might be uncommon, but here's an example of what might happen.

Check out the Sept 16, 2015 posting on Facebook: 


The cat had to be put down. (hopefully, this link works.)

~ I think moggielover gave the best info. I have heard the same from others as well .
My last vet told me kitty often has to be cleaned under sedation a second time after non-sedation cleaning due to needed extraction and /or other treatment. So you end up paying twice [emoji]10071[/emoji] `[emoji]128178[/emoji]´

GOOD LUCK TO YOU !

Thank you! I do think I am going to go with the anesthesia even though it makes me a little nervous and costs more.

Where I am dental cleanings without anesthesia are illegal. A regular dental under anesthesia goes like this: probing (a tool slipped under the gums of each teeth to check for attachment loss) then hand scaling and ultrasonic scaling. Ultrasonic scaling is powerful tool that vibrates to get the calculus off, even non visible calculus, curetting (a tool that goes under the gums to clean out plaque from under the gums, this is the most important part) and ultrasonic polishing. Also x-rays and extractions of any diseased teeth. A dental without anesthesia would just be someone holding the cat down while another person uses a hand tool to scrape the teeth. No under the gums cleaning and no ultrasonic tools could be used. So this kind of cleaning would not actually be beneficial in any way. The teeth would look cleaner, but it would not improve the health of the animal. Another important aspect of dentals with anesthesia, is that the animal had a breathing tube in place, so the airway is protected from any debris from the teeth going down the airway. Anesthesia can be scary but if you have pre op bloodwork done and it is an experienced clinic then the risks are minimal.

Thank you, I am planning to do the anesthesia dental cleaning!

Good to hear!

Wow, I didn't even know that such a thing was possible!  I'm glad to hear that you're going with sedation.  Can you imagine how frightening it would be for your cat to be restrained like this in an unfamiliar environment?   I know that there are things we have to do to our cats for their own well being but when there are other, less traumatic options I'm all for them, no matter the cost.

Yeah, the only reason I was thinking about the non anesthesia dental is becuase it is much cheaper. Unfortunately I can't afford the regular dental, but I am saving up. I just hope that the gingivitis doesn't turn into something worse in that time!!

Ashekitty said:

Yeah, the only reason I was thinking about the non anesthesia dental is becuase it is much cheaper. Unfortunately I can't afford the regular dental, but I am saving up. I just hope that the gingivitis doesn't turn into something worse in that time!!

Click to expand...

While your saving up for the dental you could look into brushing her teeth. There are special toothpastes and toothbrushes made for cats. Brushing her teeth would really help prevent dental issues from getting any worse. There are also dental treats and dental diets that you could try out. Just make sure that any products you select are VOHC accepted. (Veterinary oral health council). These products have actually been proven to improve dental health. Others claim to but haven't been proven.

Maddies Momma [emoji]10134[/emoji]

~ Wow ! I didn't know all that . I thought kitty dental was just a Cavatron run over the teeth and any extraction.
Thanks for the info. So nice learning things here .

Maddies Momma said:

While your saving up for the dental you could look into brushing her teeth. There are special toothpastes and toothbrushes made for cats. Brushing her teeth would really help prevent dental issues from getting any worse. There are also dental treats and dental diets that you could try out. Just make sure that any products you select are VOHC accepted. (Veterinary oral health council). These products have actually been proven to improve dental health. Others claim to but haven't been proven.

Click to expand...

I am using Greenies which are VOHC approved, although I don't love the ingredients in them. I also just ordered toothpaste and a toothbrush! Wish me luck, my kitty can be squirmy!

I firmly believe that given enough time any cat will allow their teeth to be brushed.  It just takes a lot of patience.  I started my cats out when they were kittens and they don't love it but they accept it.  The trick is to get them used to your being in their mouth.  There are a lot of "how to" videos out there.  Good luck, don't give up. . . and remember:  You're the alpha cat!

LavishSqualor said:

I firmly believe that given enough time any cat will allow their teeth to be brushed.  It just takes a lot of patience.  I started my cats out when they were kittens and they don't love it but they accept it.  The trick is to get them used to your being in their mouth.  There are a lot of "how to" videos out there.  Good luck, don't give up. . . and remember:  You're the alpha cat!

Click to expand...

My cat doesn't exactly enjoy when I touch her mouth, but she isn't as uncomfortable as I thought she would be. So I have confidence that it will work out!

One more thing I need help on: I found a vet that offers cheap dentals, but only because he doesn't require X-Rays. Should I pitch in the extra money to pay for the X-Rays? Or is that a good way to cut costs? Again, my cat is six years old, has never had a dental, and has stage 1-2 gingivitis.

If he doesn't require x-rays as a precaution then that might be okay. But you want to make sure that he does have xray available and is willing to use it if he finds a suspicious tooth. If he probes all the teeth and they seem healthy then your probably ok without x-rays. But if he probes and examines and finds some that he's a bit unsure of you definitely want the x-rays to check them.

Also being a "cheap" dental, ask him to explain everything involved. Make sure all the steps are included probing, exploring, ultrasonic scaling, curetting under the gums, polishing. You don't want them skipping anything. Also ask about there anesthetic protocol. A safe up to date protocol would include sedation, then catheter placement and iv fluids. Most likely an injection through the catheter. Then intubating and maintained on gasses. The catheter, fluids, and intubation are the most important parts. It always good to have them explain protocols to you when you are choosing a cheaper option, so you can make sure it's still effective and safe.

Maddies Momma said:

If he doesn't require x-rays as a precaution then that might be okay. But you want to make sure that he does have xray available and is willing to use it if he finds a suspicious tooth. If he probes all the teeth and they seem healthy then your probably ok without x-rays. But if he probes and examines and finds some that he's a bit unsure of you definitely want the x-rays to check them.

Also being a "cheap" dental, ask him to explain everything involved. Make sure all the steps are included probing, exploring, ultrasonic scaling, curetting under the gums, polishing. You don't want them skipping anything. Also ask about there anesthetic protocol. A safe up to date protocol would include sedation, then catheter placement and iv fluids. Most likely an injection through the catheter. Then intubating and maintained on gasses. The catheter, fluids, and intubation are the most important parts. It always good to have them explain protocols to you when you are choosing a cheaper option, so you can make sure it's still effective and safe.

Click to expand...

Thank you! This is really helpful. I sent an email asking some of these questions already, but now there are more that I need to ask. I know that this dental includes IV fluids.