Anesthesia-Free Pet Dentistry Now at Animal Hospital of Lynnfield

The Animal Hospital of Lynnfield recently announced that it now offers anesthesia-free dental procedures for pets. 

In a recent conversation with Lynnfield Patch, Animal Hospital staff member Janet Prince explained that professional veterinary dental hygienists are available on set days with admission times in the morning or afternoon. The procedures themselves typically take around 30 minutes, she added. 

As most pet owners know, dogs and cats typically don't welcome having people look around in their mouths. While safe, a traditional pet dental procedure can also make the animals antsy with the IV, breathing tube, and even noise from the polishing tool. Simply sedating a pet reportedly does not work for dental procedures either because the animal's gag reflex is suppressed. 

In contrast, the veterinary dental hygienists, who work for the California-based company Animal Dental Care (under the supervision of Animal Hospital of Lynnfield veterinarians), will start off by sitting and calmly talking to the animal and petting it or gently wrapping it in a blanket to help it relax. The hygienists proceed to do a thorough cleaning, removing tartar and charting any teeth that look problematic. Procedures such as extractions or x-rays are done during later visits. So far, Prince said that pet owners have been responding very favorably. 

Before booking the anesthesia-free procedure, a veterinarian at Animal Hospital of Lynnfield will assess the pet's mouth to make sure it is a proper candidate for one. The veterinarians also go over the results afterward with the pet owners. 

Prince indicated that the procedures will next be available at Animal Hospital of Lynnfield for some days in March. To learn more, call the Animal Hospital at 781-334-4161 or visit them at this link.