In this appointment, we do a complete physical examination of your pet, including getting your pet’s body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate. Afterward, we do a general health exam by checking your pet’s eyes, ears, reflexes, muscles, limbs, and symphonies for abnormalities. Finally, we examine the teeth! We take photos of your pet’s teeth to visually show what we saw during the examination and review the appropriate protocol to help your fur baby’s health improve. This entire process takes about 30 minutes.

What are we looking for?

Based on the primary concern addressed over the phone when booking an appointment, we examine your pet’s mouth for the expected findings: inflamed gum tissue, plaque buildup, and any abnormalities on the tooth itself. These findings help Dr. Herrman decide if your pet needs a simple dental cleaning, where we will remove the plaque and calculus buildup on your pet’s teeth and under the gum tissue, or if teeth are impacting the animal’s quality of life, there would need to be extractions. Of course, the procedure varies depending on your pet’s oral health.

What happens after the exam?

Once the exam is complete, Dr. Herrman will discuss the appropriate dental procedure for your pet. After that, our team will present you with an estimate of how much the dental practice will cost and provide you with pre-operative instructions and medications to give to your pet the day before and on the day of the procedure. Our team will also provide you with an exam report card of the detailed findings Dr. Herrman saw during the consult. Finally, after the surgery day has been scheduled, we will send you reminders of the date of the procedure as it approaches.

What medications will you be provided?

The three medications that will be sent home with you are Cerenia, Trazodone, and Metoclopramide. The first medication, Cerenia, is a tablet to help prevent your pet from vomiting during and after their procedure because the anesthesia can cause nausea. The second medication, Trazodone, is a tablet that helps ease your pet’s anxiety on surgery day. The final medication, Metoclopramide, is similar to Cerenia because it helps your pet’s GI tract. Specifically, it stimulates the upper portion of your pet’s stomach, known as the sphincter, to contract to prevent your pet from regurgitating. The directions on how to administer these medications will be provided on the exam report card.

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