Small Animal Anesthesia

The fear of anesthesia by pet owners is a common, and normal, concern! However, anesthesia is a requirement to perform professional oral healthcare examinations and procedures. Poor oral health is a proven cause systemic disease of the heart, liver, and kidneys; therefore, delaying dentistry procedures is often the primary causes of increased anesthetic risk in our veterinary patients! In most patients, the healthcare consequences of poor oral health far outweigh the risks of anesthesia.

Since anesthesia is an essential part of our everyday practice, Animal Dental Care Specialists is equipped, our staff is trained and experienced, and we regularly administer anesthesia to “high risk” patients with systemic concomitant disease and to patients that have been declared “too old” to anesthetize. Complications are prevented by individualized perioperative planning, as well as continuous intraoperative and postoperative monitoring. We share your anesthesia concerns, and our priority is to provide the smoothest and safest anesthesia possible.

Anesthesia Free Dentistry
Frankly, we consider Anesthesia Free Dentistry to be a business scam that capitalizes upon a pet owner’s fear of anesthesia. These procedures are at best cosmetic and should not be considered a healthcare service.

All professional veterinary healthcare services require that a patient be examined by a qualified professional and that a diagnosis be made, before any treatment is performed! Performing dentistry procedures (e.g., tooth scaling & cleanings) without a comprehensive oral examination contributes to the misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of potentially severe oral pathology. In small animal dentistry, veterinary experts agree that a comprehensive oral evaluation can only be performed under general anesthesia.

If you are considering Anesthesia Free Dentistry as an alternative to professional veterinary dentistry, we encourage you to follow this link to the AVDC Facts Page.

Equine Sedation & Anesthesia

The expense and complications associated with General Anesthesia in horses are significant; however, General Anesthesia is rarely indicated for dentistry or head procedures in horses! Veterinary experts agree that a comprehensive oral evaluation can only be performed on sedated equine patient.

Horses are very tolerant of major head surgery under Standing Sedation & Regional Anesthesia, and we only recommend General Anesthesia for behaviorally uncontrollable patients that pose a danger to themselves and our team! In 20+ years of referral equine dentistry practice, we have recommended General Anesthesia in less than 10 horses.