02 Dec Professional Pet Teeth Cleaning: What to Expect at Your Appointment
At Animal Dental Care & Oral Surgery in Fort Collins, we use the term “COHAT” to describe the procedure performed on pets when they need professional pet teeth cleaning and advanced dental care. COHAT is an acronym that stands for Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment. But what does that really mean, and what happens when you bring your pet in for this procedure?
Pre-Anesthetic Review: Medical History, Lab Work, and Physical Examination
The first thing that our doctors do is review the medical history of each patient and, if not done already, perform lab tests to look for any problems that might affect the patient’s overall health and ability to have general anesthesia. Each patient gets a physical examination, including listening to the heart and lungs. The doctor discusses their findings with the pet parent and reviews recommended treatments. Almost every patient is a little anxious about being in the hospital, so it helps to get some medication to decrease anxiety. An individualized anesthesia drug plan is created depending on the patient’s health and demeanor.
Before Anesthesia: How Pets Are Prepared and Kept Comfortable
Some owners wait with their pets until they are ready for anesthesia to help them stay calmer. Other pets are dropped off for their procedures. Our hospital has spacious dog runs and kennels, all within the treatment area, so that the dogs can be observed. Our many windows provide natural light and plenty of squirrel viewing for those who are interested. Kitties have their own special kennels in the doctors’ office where they can stay quiet, and either look out the windows or stay hidden if they are feeling shy.
IV Catheter Placement and Monitoring During Anesthesia
After a little sedation, an IV catheter is placed in a leg vein by one of our registered or licensed veterinary technicians (RVT or LVT). The IV catheter allows pets to get anesthetic drugs and IV fluids. Smaller patients can benefit from being bundled in a warm blanket during this process. All pets get a little oxygen before starting anesthesia while they are being connected to a monitoring machine that reports heart and breathing rate, blood pressure, temperature, heart rhythm, tissue oxygenation and how much carbon dioxide is being exhaled. Once a pet is unconscious, a tube is placed in the trachea, and oxygen and anesthetic gas are administered via the tube. The tube also helps protect the airways from tartar and surgical debris.
The Anesthesia Team: Continuous Monitoring for Safety
Every pet’s anesthetic procedure requires a team of technicians and a doctor. One technician is always monitoring the pet’s vital signs to be sure that they are safe. Another technician performs the diagnostic imaging and professional scaling and polishing.
Advanced Imaging: Cone Beam CT, Dental X-Rays, and Oral Examination
Once the pet is under an adequate plane of anesthesia, our cone beam CT machine is brought to the table to get a scan of the skull. While the doctor is interpreting the CT images, the technician is taking photographs and dental radiographs of the mouth. Once the imaging is complete, the doctor performs a detailed examination of the mouth using surgical loupes for magnification. The doctor fills in a chart with all their findings. They note any abnormalities, including missing or fractured teeth, periodontal pockets and any abnormal-looking tissue. The doctor will administer a local anesthetic (or nerve block) to numb areas that require surgery.
Professional Pet Teeth Cleaning: Scaling, Polishing, and Treatment Planning
While a technician is performing a cleaning of all the teeth, paying special attention to any plaque or tartar under the gumline, the doctor contacts you to discuss the findings and get approval for treatment. Often, there will be more than one option for treating a problem. For example, a fractured tooth might be treated by either extraction or root canal therapy. Diagnostic imaging, like cone beam CT and dental radiographs, can show us much more than we can see during the awake exam and help guide the decision-making process.
Doctor-Performed Procedures and Post-Treatment Imaging
After the technician has finished scaling and polishing the teeth, the doctor double-checks their work and performs any procedures that are indicated. If needed, drugs to decrease pain or stabilize heart rate and blood pressure are administered. More dental radiographs are obtained after any surgical procedure to verify that teeth are fully extracted or that a root canal or vital pulp therapy has been done correctly.
Recovery: Monitoring, Discharge Instructions, and Client Communication
Once the COHAT is complete, the technician continues to monitor the pet’s vital signs and ensures that they have a smooth recovery as they wake up from anesthesia. The doctor prepares detailed written discharge instructions, including a summary of the procedure and what to expect during recovery. Every client receives the doctor’s personal cell phone number so that they can call if there are any questions or concerns after hours. At pick-up time, the doctor can review diagnostic imaging with you, and the technician reviews the discharge instructions.
The Goal of a COHAT: A Healthy, Comfortable Mouth for Your Pet
The goal of a COHAT is to ensure that your pet gets the most accurate diagnosis through imaging and examination, a thorough professional cleaning checked by a doctor, and any treatments that will help your pet to have a comfortable and functional mouth. At Animal Dental Care & Oral Surgery, our goal is to make this procedure as safe, stress-free, and transparent as possible, designing anesthetic and treatment protocols individualized for each patient’s needs.
Professional Pet Teeth Cleaning Matters for Your Pet’s Long-Term Health
A professional pet teeth cleaning, combined with a full COHAT exam, ensures your pet receives the highest level of dental care from accurate diagnostics to thorough cleaning and comfortable recovery. By addressing issues early and tailoring treatment plans to each patient, we help pets enjoy healthier mouths, less pain, and better overall well-being.
If you’re ready to give your pet the safest, most comprehensive dental care available, contact us today to schedule an appointment or ask any questions about your pet’s oral health.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (12/02/2025) Photo by Lynda B on Unsplash