My dog has an enlarged heart. Is teeth cleaning safe for her?

Question

I have already discussed this with my Vet but I would like your opinion on this subject. Dolly has an enlarged heart . Should she get teeth cleaned? Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | unspayed | 8 years and 1 month old

Levi Gordon, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi, Sorry to hear Dolly has this heart issue. Anesthesia is always risky, even for perfectly healthy pets. It puts a lot of responsibility for the heart to maintain adequate blood pressure and anesthesia is generally more risky with any heart issues than normal anesthesia. I would recommend that if the teeth just need a general cleaning, to not undergo the procedure and just maintain good dental health by brushing with doggie tooth paste and giving dental chews. If the teeth have a major issue such as a fracture or extraction that is necessary to address, it becomes balancing the risks of leaving a tooth inside that should come out, versus the risks of anesthesia. To fully assess the heart you can get an echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist and consult with them about anesthetic risks. Although if the teeth are fine otherwise, I'd say just maintain vigilant dental health and Dolly will be fine. Hope this helps! -Dr. Gordon

My dog has an enlarged heart. Is teeth cleaning safe for her?

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