Dental Procedures
     - why does my pet need dental care?
     - prevention tips.
Ear Cropping
     - general information
     - important points
     - after care
Neutering
     - why neuter your dog?
     - about the procedure.
     - neuter followup.
Spaying
     - why spay your dog?
     - about the procedure
     - spay followup

Dental Procedures -

• The AVMA recommends having your pet's teeth checked at their yearly examinations for potential dental problems.
• Start by withholding your pet's food and water after 10:00pm the night before the procedure.
• Pet's having a large accumulation of tartar and/or gum disease need to be started on antibiotics five days before the dental cleaning, to reduce bacteria septicemia.
• Dental X-rays can & should be done to diagnose the full extent of periodontal disease present.
• Doing a pre-anesthetic profile determines your pet's ability to tolerate the anesthesia, and also provides a baseline for future diagnostic blood work-ups (optional but recommended).
• A thorough cleaning and scaling of all teeth with a modern ultrasonic scaler is done first. Then high speed polishing is performed. The polishing delays the return of tartar buildup by eliminating tooth etchings. Any teeth that are decayed or very loose will be removed, so they cannot harbor dangerous bacteria deep in the gum lines. Retained baby teeth should also be removed as they can cause deflection of the permanent teeth and malocclusion.
• Then a complete Intraoral Exam is performed both gingivally and subgingivally.
• Pet's having morning dentals are able to go home by mid-afternoon. Be sure to feed soft foods for the next two days, and return to the regular diet once the short-term oral pain has subsided.

     - why does my pet need dental care?   When dental calculus (tartar) forms on your pet's teeth it is composed of various mineral salts, bacteria, organic material and food particles. In the early stages of accumulation, the material is soft (plaque), but it later hardens and adheres to the teeth. Continual accumulation causes inflammation of the gums and eventual recession of the gums and loose teeth.

Animals get periodontal disease, gingivitis and tooth decay just like humans. The breath becomes very odorous and the mouth becomes a dangerous source of infection. You may notice your pet having problems eating or maybe they are listless. As most of us know, the gums and teeth can be very painful. "Red gums means pain." What you don't see is the untreated tooth and gum disease allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream and causing not only infections but also eventually damage to the valves of the heart, kidneys and the liver. Regular dental check ups, cleaning and brushing at home can add years to your pet's life and prevent many disease processes.

     - prevention tips:

1. Feed hard or coarse foods, no sweets.
2. Brush your pet's teeth with pet tooth pastes (human tooth paste froths too much)
3. Antibiotic Pulse Therapy every three to four months on the pets who already have gum disease and teeth problems to keep already present bacteria down.
4. Provide rawhide, hard rubber or nylon chew toys or hard treat foods. Remember that the treat foods are a source of calories and may lead to obesity if given too often.
5. Regular dental check ups and professional cleaning by your Veterinarian is the most effective way to ensure good health for your pet.

<-Top of Page->

Ear Cropping:

     - general information: Ear cropping is a cosmetic type of surgery commonly performed on breeds such as Boxers, Schnauzers, Great Danes, Dobermans and Miniature Pinchers, Pit Bulls, etc. The best age for the trimming of the ears is between 10 - 12 weeks of age. Also, ear trims vary among the breeds (e.g. how much of the ear is removed, length of cut, etc.). Most cuts are standardized for each breed, however, some owners prefer "Show Cuts" especially on the Boxers, Dobermans and Miniature Pinchers. Older dogs can be done, but the cartilage may be permanently creased, lessening the results.

     - important points:

1. Once the ear is cropped the animal is sent home usually with the ears taped or placed in a rack to help hold the ears in place.
2. It is important that the dog not damage the ears by scratching, rubbing, etc., causing loosening of the sutures, hemorrhaging, excess scar tissue from forming on ear edges.
3. Support and training of the ears after surgery:
   • Support is provided via taping, racks, etc., and is usually done on a regular basis until satisfactory progress is made.
   • Training the dog to use the muscles which move and help support the ears is essential to get the ears to stand.
4. Massaging and manipulation by the owner is crucial in preventing permanent deformations.

     - after care:

1. Check sutures daily make sure none are loose or missing.
2. Watch for bleeding which may indicate dog is scratching the incision.
3. Remove sutures in 8 - 10 days.
4. Massage ears several times daily.
5. Re-tape or re-rack on a regular basis until no longer needed.
6. Try to get the dog to use the muscles of ear with some type of auditory signal (i.e. whistling, verbal commands, clickers, etc.)
7. Supplement with Calcium. Notify the Doctor if any of the following occur:
   • Loose or missing sutures
   • Excess hemorrhaging occurs
   • Dog constantly bothering ears.

<-Top of Page->

Neutering the Dog-

     - why neuter your dog?   Neutering your pet may add years to his life and prevent heartache in yours. Altered pets are often less likely to get out of the yard, spray in the house, get into fights, and the occurrence of medical diseases such as prostate cancer, cysts, prostate hypertrophy, and other reproductive linked diseases are almost totally diminished with early neutering. It is often thought that "if I have my pet neutered, he will become a whimp and not be the same." This is only a partial truth. Your pet will not have the sexual drive which leads to misbehavior so he will not be the same in this aspect, but he still is able to function as a watch dog or cat, now with more dedication to his job without wanting to find a girlfriend.

Neutering at 6-8 months of age is not only easy for you the pet owner, but also carries fewer complications than at an older age. At 6-8 months your pet should have been immunized sufficiently enough to prevent nosocomial infections (ones caught from other animals while in the hospital). Their urethras have had time to develop with the benefit of testosterone, and at this age he is less likely to have complications with anesthesia and the healing time will be faster.

A major problem today in the pet industry is the destruction of unwanted pets due to overpopulation. Having your pet neutered is doing your part in the prevention of these unnecessary and unwanted strays. Also pet overpopulation is the major source for the perpetuation of diseases such as Parvovirus, Distemper, Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Because these unwanted strays never receive adequate immunizations they harbor and spread disease to the rest of the pet population, and your animal.

     - about the neutering procedure.   This is a routine procedure done on males involving removal of the testes, spermatic cord and blood vessels. The incision is then closed in 2 layers. While your pet is healing, please keep the following in mind:

1. Expect some sleepiness / depression the night he goes home. Allow him to rest comfortably that night
2. You may offer a small amount of water in the early evening and later, a small amount of food. Attitude and appetite should gradually return to normal in a day or so.
3. Monitor the incision daily. Please check for excessive swelling, drainage or discharge from incision or any excess redness of the incision itself. Look for loose or missing sutures or any gaps in the incision.
4. The skin sutures are non-absorbable and will need to be removed in about 10 to 12 days. Please schedule and appointment for suture removal. If any problems or questions arise during the healing phase, please contact us as soon as possible.

     - neuter followup:  Your pet has undergone a routine surgery. Although routine, please keep the following in mind:

1. Expect the dog to be sore for about l-2 weeks.
2. Check scrotum daily for swelling, discharge or open incisions. Call as soon as possible if any problems or questions arise.
   

<-Top of Page->

Spaying the Dog:

     - why spay your dog?   Spaying your pet may add years to her life and prevent heartache in yours. Altered pets are often less likely to get out of the yard, spray in the house, get into fights, and the occurrence of medical diseases such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, uterine infections, and other reproductive linked diseases are almost totally diminished with early spaying. It is often thought that "if I have my pet spayed, she will become a whimp and not be the same." This is only a partial truth. Your pet will not have the sexual drive which leads to misbehavior so she will not be the same in this aspect, but she still is able to function as a watch dog or cat, now with more dedication to her job without wanting to find a boyfriend.

Spaying at 6-8 months of age is not only easy for you the pet owner, but also carries less complications than at an older age. At 6-8 months your pet should have been immunized sufficiently enough to prevent nosocomial infections (ones caught from other animals while in the hospital) and also there are less age related complications with anesthesia and surgery at this time.

A major problem today in the pet industry is the destruction of unwanted pets due to overpopulation. Having your pet spayed is doing your part in the prevention of these unnecessary and unwanted strays. Also pet overpopulation is the major source for the perpetuation of diseases such as Parvovirus, Distemper, Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Because these unwanted strays never receive adequate immunizations they harbor and spread disease to the rest of the pet population, and your animal.

     - about the spaying procedure.   After anesthetic induction the patient has the hair clipped away from her belly and the skin is cleansed until a sterile field is reached. Once transported into the surgical suite, the patient is hooked up to heart and oxygen monitors. The spay procedure begins with a mid-abdominal skin incision down into the abdominal cavity. An Ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is the complete removal of both the ovaries and the uterus (full female reproductive tract removal). To do this, ligation with absorbable suture material of the ovarian blood vessels, the uterus, and the uterine blood vessels are done and the organ is excised out after hemostasis has been accomplished.

Closure is done with three suture lines - muscle wall with absorbable sutures fatty layer just under the skin with absorbable sutures, and skin non-absorbable sutures that must be removed. It is possible to perform the OHE during estrus (heat), however the surgery is a little more involved and Spaying before the 1st heat is always recommended for better health. Full recovery from the anesthesia usually takes 4-12 hours depending on the length of the surgical time. Most patients go home the same day as the surgery and return for a recheck at the suture removal appointment.

     - spay followup:  Your pet has undergone a routine abdominal surgery to remove the ovaries, uterine horns and uterine body. Although routine, please keep the following in mind:

1. Expect some sleepiness/depression the night your pet goes home. She should be allowed to rest comfortably. If excessive depression is noted either that night or during the next few days, please contact us as soon as possible.
2. Restrict food and water the night your pet goes home. Offer a small amount of water in the early evening. You may offer a small amount of food later Appetite and attitude should return to normal within a few days.
3. Please monitor the incision daily. Check for problems such as excessive swelling, drainage from incision, extreme redness or irritation of the incision.
4. Sutures will need to be removed in l0 to 12 days as they are non-absorbable. Please schedule an appointment. Again, should any questions or problems arise, please contact us as soon as possible.

<-Top of Page->