dogs dental health

Question
Regarding dental plaque in dogs - I know that this can be avoided if a dogs teeth are kept clean from the time they are puppies however We have a rescue dog and She has some plaque that needs to be removed. ten years ago I owned a toy poodle and even though I brushed His teeth he still needed a cleaning from the vets office. I found out later in years that each time a dog is put under it is detrimental to their nervous system especially their brain in older dogs.One day My vet removed a piece of plaque from My dogs tooth with her finger nail. I could not believe how it just snapped off. Is it safe to try to remove this plaque this way with a dental scraping tool if its done gently in a downward motion ? We rescued an older Minn Pinn and I dont want to put her through the anesthia. What about these products that are sprayed on the plaque, does that stuff work or is it a scam. Peanut does not need heart disease so I want to get her teeth clean. thanks

Answer
I understand the concern about anesthesia, especially in older animals, but I know from experience that they do not suffer from CNS problems from being given anesthesia drugs. Most pets are put under with a mild sedative then are given a gas anesthetic that is very safe- its' the same drug used on humans, including babies.

Anesthesia in older pets is monitored and very carefully given by the veterinarian themselves. Many of the concerns are addressed by doing pre-op blood work to determine the state of the kidneys and liver, which are both instrumental in filtering out the drugs later. Most hospitals use monitoring equipment for their heart rates, oxygen levels and sometimes even blood pressure while they are under.

Deep dental cleanings require this level of anesthesia because the technician must go under the gum line to clean out the accumulated debris and tartar.

Without going under the gum line the bacteria and plaque that cause periodontal disease are not removed and then the dog starts having gingivitis then really bad gum disease. This is what seeds the body with that constant bacteria that causes the heart, kidney and even liver disease.

Now there is a product called Leba that supposedly works pretty well but remember it does not remove the plaque below the gum line.

It is really hard to remove most plaque with a fingernail on a dog. You can do it easier with cats because their teeth are so much smaller and the plaque builds up a shelf that breaks off.

With dogs it really sticks. If you are able to chunk it off then the tooth underneath is going to be very diseased. Using a dental tool without a sedative or under anesthesia can not only be dangerous for both of you, but if you scrape the teeth with it and don't polish them, then you set up a stage for the bacteria to build more plaque twice as fast. With every dental prophylaxis we do there is a total polishing done as well as a rinse to kill more bacteria in the mouth. Some vets use washes that help seal the teeth for a time.

I hope that answers some of your concerns. Please let me know if I can help further.