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My dog has heart issues. How can I clean their teeth at home?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

How to use a scaler/scraper tool for cleaning dog's teeth DIY at home?how to sterilize this scraper at home? having heart issues my dog can't undergo dental cleaning.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 27th, 2019

I am so sorry that your pet has dental disease and a heart condition. Unfortunatley the tartar that causes dental disease is mostly underneath the gumline, hence the name periodontal disease. So most of the tartar that we see on the surface of the tooth is not the main issue here. It is the tartar that is touching the gum and underneath the gum that is the problem. This isn't tartar that you will be able to get off with the pet awake, because it will be uncomfortable for the pet. Also, you have a good chance of causing damage to the gum trying to do this in any awake dog. What you are asking is not possible unfortunatley. However, there are a number of heart dogs that can actually go under anesthesia for a dental cleaning, even with a heart condition. I would suggest taking Chhutki to get an echocardiogram of her heart to determine if she is a good candidate for anesthesia and then go from there. If she isn't, then the only thing you can really do here is to do a daily oral rinse and water additive such as this one --> https://www.chewy.com/nylabone-advanced-oral-care-liquid/dp/47912 Dental disease and at home care recommendations --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951515 I do hope that your pet Chhutki proves to be ok to go under general anesthesia, just like many other heart disease pets, and can appropriateliy address her dental disease condition. Best of luck moving forward. Take care. : )

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    Answered By Tomasz Wnuk

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 19th, 2020

    Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This degree of tartar build up is definitely causing gingivitis, chronic infection and pain as well as halitosis and risk that the teeth will fall out very soon. The tartar definitely should be removed for health reasons. Please, try and find a vet that can provide safe, gas anaesthesia. If the anaesthesia is done by an experienced vet, the risk of complications is relatively low.

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 22nd, 2019

    It is actually more risky to do a dental cleaning without anesthesia in a dog with heart issues. All that tartar build up is bacteria and when they scrape the tartar that bacteria goes into the blood stream and can seed onto the heart valves putting them in danger of heart failure. It is better to have it done under anesthesia where the vet can administer antibiotics and can monitor her for any problems. Also, if any teeth need to be extracted (removed) that cannot be done without anesthesia. Unfortunately, there are no products available that will remove heavy tartar build up.

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Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Is there any way to clean teeth of my dog having tartar build up very strong without anesthesia?my dog is having heart issues n so it can be risky.plz suggest some solution without anesthesia.
It is actually more risky to do a dental cleaning without anesthesia in a dog with heart issues. All that tartar build up is bacteria and when they scrape the tartar that bacteria goes into the blood stream and can seed onto the heart valves putting them in danger of heart failure. It is better to have it done under anesthesia where the vet can administer antibiotics and can monitor her for any problems. Also, if any teeth need to be extracted (removed) that cannot be done without anesthesia. Unfortunately, there are no products available that will remove heavy tartar build up.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
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?
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
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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My dog is having heart issues.can she b given sedatives for dental cleaning n extraction?can sedation b harmful to her?which sedatives would be safe for her?plz tell names of those sedative drugs.she is 9 yes old.
Oral sedatives are generally not safe for pets with heart conditions. However, there are heart friendly pre-anesthetic injectable drugs that the vet can give such as Midazolam and Butorphanol. Also keep in mind that most pets with a heart condition that are also symptomatic (coughing, exercise intolerance) should be evaluated by a cardiologist and cleared for surgical procedures like dentals to ensure they are good candidates and can handle the anesthesia. The main concern here is the anesthesia and not the sedative used beforehand. On the other hand, if she is not symptomatic (no coughing, exercise intolerance), and she currently is not on heart medications, then she is likely a good surgical candidate b/c her risk of having complications with anesthesia are generally low. I hope that this helps guide you towards the proper care for Chhutki and this dental procedure. Best wishes and take care. : )
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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My dog who is 12 yrs old has a tooth that should come out and her gum is swollen and very red. My bet does not want to do this procedure as my dog has a heart condition she takes medication for. Is there anything I can do at home to help her gum prob
Her gums are likely inflamed because she has tartar underneath her gumline. She needs a dental cleaning to scale off all that tartar, then this will resolve the inflammation. I would suggest getting Chia an echocardiogram to see if she can still have surgery despite her heart condition. Many heart disease pets can go under general anesthesia. I would consider getting another vet for a second opinion here and see if you can get Chia's echocardiogram scheduled asap. I hope that your can get Chia's echo and dental scheduled soon. I would suggest using a water additive from your local pet store until then to help flush out her gums and keep the bacteria load down. Best wishes and take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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Cookie has healthy gums and moderate plaque and tartar according to our vet. She also has an early stage heart disease. She's had liver and kidney issues before but they're okay now. My dilemma is, do I give professional dental cleaning now while
I do recommend to discuss this with your regular veterinarian as they know Cookie best. However, if things are stable now, it is generally best to take care of her teeth while her body is in good condition. You never know with those liver or kidney issues could creep up again and would not allow her to get her teeth cleaned. Preventive care is best when it comes to dental health. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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My dog is having this on her teeth.is it tartar?are her gums ok?she can't undergo dental cleaning due to heart problem.vet gave pet dentagel oil's but it has parabens in it.so,I'm very concerned n worried as parabens r there.should I use it on her te
Hello, It does appear that Chhutki has tartar and plaque accumulation on her teeth. It's unfortunate she cannot have an anesthetic dental cleaning due to her heart disease. I do not know of parabens causing any health problems in dogs. I believe its best to use the dentagel oil as your vet prescribed. I think this will be the most effective possible treatment in her case. Unfortunately, there is no natural remedy to dental disease. The smell is from the tartar and bacterial growth in the mouth. Raw carrots may be good for chewing, but they will not cure the problem. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is 9 yes old n is having heart issues.her last tooth lower jaw extreme last is loose.having dental cleaning done under anesthesia can lead to what risks?how to completely remove those risks?what r do's n don'ts to b followed before anesthesia
Ideally Chhutki would have an echocardiogram performed first to determine the type of heart disease present and to get a better feel for the risk under anesthesia, but I'm not sure if that's an option near you. The risk would be for congestive heart failure to develop, low blood pressure, or even for fatal complications under anesthesia. Heart safe medications should be used - here that would mean avoiding drugs like acepromazine and dexmedetomidine but again I'm not sure what drugs are standard near you. Blood pressure and vital signs should be monitored closely during anesthesia. You may want to ask your vet if referral to a specialist might be an option.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has a loose upper molar that frequently gets infected so I am back and forth to the vet every month or so to get antibiotics. However, my dog cannot have a dental because he also suffers with dilated cardiomyopathy and my vet has said that it
Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. This is an unfortunate situation. The recommendation would be to remove the tooth but with the concurrent heart disease it makes the decision difficult to put him under anesthesia. I will say, I have placed numerous pets with heart failure under anesthesia that did just fine. This just required an adjustment of the medications and careful attention to the heart monitor to catch any changes early. I would not suggest pulling the tooth at home. I would recommend continuing antibiotics every other month to prevent infection in the mouth. I might also consider speaking with a dental specialist about removing the tooth. Need Dental Specialists deal with many high-risk cases. I would also make sure that you are addressing the discomfort with some kind of anti-inflammatory. If Chico likes playing with toys, I would provide Chico with hard treats or toys to chew on. These Carter objects may help dislodge the already loose toot
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
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My 12 year old Boston has CHF so she cannot have her teeth cleaned. I purchased some Well Good dental wipes at my Petco. I am wondering if general over the counter dental items are ok to use? or, would some dental solutions be better?
Hello, yes, anything you can use will help Lily. You can use a combination of products such as chews, wipes, water additives & dog specific tooth paste. If Lily's dental condition is severe enough, it might be prudent to talk to your veterinarian about adding antibiotics to the regimen. Using an appropriate antibiotic for one week, stopping for 3 weeks, & repeating will keep bacterial numbers down in the mouth & prevent the showering of bacteria into the blood stream where the risk of endocarditis might be higher because of her CHF. If you want to check out what products are recommended by veterinarians, check out https://vcoh.org ( veterinary Council on Oral Health ). Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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Petco Pet Education Center
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My dog has a heart murmur and needs a operation to remove rotten teeth, what other options do I have other than operation where my dog might die in operation?
She should have pre-anesthetic bloodwork to check her organ functions to evaluate her ability to tolerate anesthesia. She should also be put on antibiotics for a period of time before her dental to keep the bacteria from her mouth from getting into her bloodstream and further affecting her heart. You may find that once she heals after the extractions her health and attitude will improve greatly. There is no way I know to do this without anesthesia. Try to do anything to her teeth with her awake could be more harmful by stressing her out and result in someone getting bitten.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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