Dental care

Why does my cat or dog need a dental cleaning?

Dogs and cats are subject to developing an accumulation of tartar and plaque, which over time can lead to periodontal diseases, pain, inflammation and, in the most severe cases an infection. Pet food manufacturers have developed dental diets that can help reduce the formation of plaque and tartar on your dog’s teeth. Once tartar has formed, however, professional scaling and polishing under general anaesthesia will be needed as it cannot easily be removed by diets or brushing.
Periodically removing the plaque and tartar is crucial to prevent these diseases and keep your pet with a fresh and happy smile.


Prior to any procedure being carried out, a complete health exam will be performed by a vet to make sure that your pet is fit and well to have an anaesthetic and the required procedure. The Vet might advise you to run pre-operative blood tests according to the state of health and age of your pet. You will be asked to withold any food from midnight onward; however, they are still allowed to drink water.
All admissions are made in the morning, and all the patients will be discharged in the afternoon after the procedure is completed and they have recovered from the anaesthetic. In case of a patient requiring further treatment outside of business hours, you will be advised to transfer your pet to our out-of-hours provider.


Dental cleaning begins with scaling, where with the use of an ultrasonic machine, we aim to remove any plaque and tartar, followed by polishing, which leaves the surface of the teeth smooth and helps prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar in the future.
The Vet will then thoroughly inspect your pet’s teeth for any cavities, fractures and other dental issues; full dental radiographs will always be advisable to check for any problems hiding below the gum-line. If your pet requires any surgical dental extractions, our doctors will perform this during the same procedure.


Post dental care

Most cats and dogs recover relatively quickly from a dental cleaning. A little wooziness is not unusual, and some post-anaesthesia anxiety is normal. You can feed your pet the evening of their procedure; soft food is recommended for a few days if any dental extractions are performed. If any extractions were performed, we would send them home with pain relief to keep them comfortable and pain-free.