Dental Care (COHAT)

Even with the most dedicated home dental care routine, professional veterinary dental cleanings (COHATs) are essential for your pet’s long-term oral health.

Just like in humans, plaque—a sticky bacterial film—begins forming on your pet’s teeth within hours of brushing. This plaque collects around the gumline and in tight spaces between teeth, and if not regularly removed, it hardens into tartar that brushing alone can’t eliminate.

While daily brushing and even flossing can help, especially for pets with close-set teeth, we understand this isn’t always easy—particularly for cats and pets that dislike oral handling.

That’s why routine professional dental care plays a vital role in preventing dental disease and supporting your pet’s overall health. COHATs allow us to reach areas that at-home care can’t, address early signs of disease, and keep your pet’s mouth clean, comfortable, and healthy.

Challenges Posed by Plaque

Plaque doesn’t just sit harmlessly on your pet’s teeth—it actively contributes to disease. Over time, plaque combines with food particles, saliva, and bacteria, hardening into tartar (also called dental calculus).

Once tartar forms, it adheres tightly to the tooth surface, especially beneath the gumline and between crowded teeth—making it nearly impossible to remove with brushing alone.

That’s where a COHAT becomes essential. Only a professional cleaning under anesthesia can remove tartar from below the gums where it causes the most harm.

If left untreated, tartar buildup leads to gingivitis—an early stage of gum disease characterized by red, inflamed gums. Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible with consistent at-home care and routine veterinary cleanings. But if ignored, it progresses to a more severe periodontal disease, which can result in pain, infection, and tooth loss.

Dental Disease Prevention

Dental disease is one of the most common—and most preventable—health issues in dogs and cats. With the right combination of home care and professional treatment, you can protect your pet from discomfort, tooth loss, and serious health complications.

When plaque isn’t regularly removed, it hardens into tartar, which creates the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to thrive. But it doesn’t stop in the mouth. If left untreated, bacteria from the gums can enter the bloodstream, potentially affecting major organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys—especially in senior pets.

Your veterinarian can help you choose the best products based on your pet’s size, breed, and dental risk level.

Periodontal Disease

If gingivitis is left unchecked, it progresses to periodontal disease, damaging the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. As the condition worsens, the gums become inflamed and recede, forming pockets that trap more debris and bacteria. Without timely treatment, this can irreversibly damage the bone and surrounding tissue, ultimately leading to tooth loss.

Overall Health Implications

Pets with untreated periodontal disease often suffer from chronic pain and infections, and they face an elevated risk of developing complications affecting the heart, kidneys, and lungs—especially as they age. Regular COHATs are crucial for maintaining your pet’s health and are not prohibitively expensive.

Anesthesia Benefits and Risks

Older pets also benefit from regular COHATs performed under anesthesia. While anesthesia always carries some risk, it’s a misconception that older pets cannot safely undergo anesthesia. We emphasize the importance of dental care for senior pets and have seen significant improvements in their longevity and quality of life with proper dental management.

Routine Oral Examinations

During a typical veterinary visit, a basic oral exam can be conducted, depending on how cooperative your pet is. This exam includes inspecting the teeth and gums for signs of gingivitis, tartar accumulation, or other visible concerns, and it helps determine whether a COHAT is needed.

More thorough oral exams require anesthesia to avoid missing underlying issues. Pets must remain completely still during the procedure, as it involves sharp instruments and requires the mouth to be fully open in order to assess teeth in the back of the mouth.

Oral Exams Under Anesthesia

Anesthesia allows for a detailed and thorough examination of each tooth and the entire oral cavity. This includes digital radiography to evaluate structures below the gumline, which cannot be assessed during an awake exam. Ultrasonic scalers and manual instruments are used to remove plaque and tartar, followed by tooth polishing to smooth surfaces and help prevent future buildup.

An added benefit of anesthesia during a COHAT is the placement of an endotracheal tube, which delivers oxygen and inhaled anesthetic gases while protecting your pet’s airway. The cleaning process involves substantial water and releases bacteria and debris from the teeth. Without airway protection, there is a risk that water or bacteria could be inhaled, potentially leading to pneumonia or serious respiratory infections.

Understanding Anesthesia Risks

While all anesthesia carries some degree of risk, serious complications are exceptionally rare. We take every precaution to prioritize your pet’s safety, including:

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork to screen for underlying health conditions
The use of modern, safe anesthetic agents tailored to your pet
Continuous monitoring of vital signs before, during, and after the procedure

Our goal is to ensure a safe, smooth, and speedy recovery.