Why does my pet need an anaesthetic for a dental clean?

Unlike humans whom we can ask to sit in a chair and say "Ahhhhh",  animals as a rule are not as amenable to sitting still for a thorough dental exam. Examining a conscious animal will only give us a fraction of an idea of the degree of dental disease present. A complete dental exam involves the use of a dental probe to look for gum and enamel abnormalities and dental x-rays to look beneath the gumline.  As much as 70% of the disease we diagnose is found below the gumline so is easily missed in a conscious exam.

In addition,  by anaesthetising your pet using an endotracheal tube, their airway is protected from the bacteria aerosol created during the ultrasonic scale and polish part of the procedure.

The use of an anaesthetic is therefore imperative to safely perform a comprehensive oral hygiene and treatment procedure or COHAT.