Dentals are a standard and routine procedure undertaken in veterinary practices.
At our veterinary practice, all patients are individual, and so the method and procedure may differ depending on the patient’s needs.
Once your pet is booked in for a dental procedure, our pre-operative information will be given to you. Pre-op information is also available on our website here. Patients are, ideally, admitted between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. with a nurse. They should not be given any food overnight from 10:00 p.m., although they can have water through to the morning of the procedure.
PLEASE NOTE: Rabbits must not be starved and you should encourage them to eat throughout because this is very important for their digestive system
When you arrive at our surgery, we will weigh your pet, and a nurse will go through a consent form with you for the procedure to ensure your pet is fit enough for the general anaesthetic.
Once the admission is complete and the patient is left in our care, we will take necessary blood samples or attach them to intravenous fluids, if needed.
We routinely complete dental procedures under anaesthetic! We will shave a patch of hair on one of the front legs where we administer the anaesthetic injection. During the dental procedure, we give ‘gas and air’ to the patient and monitor clinical parameters constantly.
Once under anaesthetic, an oral examination is made, and we detail any missing or damaged teeth on a dental chart. The vet will remove teeth if they believe they are causing a problem.
*PLEASE NOTE: In rabbits, overgrown teeth will be burred and shaped and, in some cases removed*
All remaining teeth are cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler to remove tartar and bacteria from the teeth and under the gum line. They are then polished to help smooth the surface of the teeth and discourage plaque and bacteria from adhering.
When the procedure is complete, we turn off the gas and air, and the patient will wake up within a few minutes. We monitor the recovery period as closely as the procedure, as the anaesthetic can make them feel a bit groggy and disoriented.
Rest assured, we will call you with an update on the dental procedure and will advise you to call back early afternoon to arrange a discharge time between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Once our patient is awake, we offer them food and water, and they are taken out to the toilet.
At discharge, a nurse will discuss any home care needs and preventative treatment with you. We advise a soft-bland diet is fed for 24 hours and then continue with soft food for 5 to 7 days. We see our dental patients back 7 days post-op for a check-up, or sooner if any pressing concerns.
We give all our day patients a courtesy call the next day to see how they are doing and to make sure they are comfortable and are eating, drinking and going to the toilet as normal.
