A dog with a cracked molar or a cat with inflamed gums cannot tell you how much pain they are hiding, and by the time you notice bad breath or a reluctance to chew, the disease underneath has often been building for months. Anesthesia is the only way a veterinarian can safely see, probe, and treat what is actually happening beneath the gum line, and it is the reason sedation dentistry exists as the standard of care rather than an optional upgrade.
At Montgomery Veterinary Hospital, we perform sedation dentistry for dogs and cats throughout Montgomery, NY, and the surrounding Orange County communities. Dr. Melissa Grech-Attard and our team have built our approach around thorough, honest care, which means we never cut corners on dental procedures just because a pet appears calm in the exam room. If your pet needs a cleaning, extraction, or oral surgery, we want you to understand exactly why sedation matters and what to expect before, during, and after the appointment.
Pet owners sometimes ask if a cleaning can be done without anesthesia, especially if their dog or cat tolerates handling well. The honest answer is no, not if the goal is a real dental assessment. A conscious pet cannot hold still long enough for a full mouth radiograph, and no veterinarian can safely scale below the gum line on a patient that might jerk its head at any moment.
The guidelines caution against casual terminology like “prophy” or “dental,” which minimize the complexity and value of a comprehensive procedure, and these terms may contribute to a client’s perception that the procedure is routine, optional, or cosmetic. We prefer to call our dental cleanings what they actually are: a full diagnostic and treatment procedure that happens to include a polish. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, non-anesthetic dentistry does not allow for subgingival scaling, full mouth radiographs, or pain control, and it can give owners a false sense of security about their pet’s oral health. We would rather tell you the truth than sell you a shortcut.
Every dental procedure starts with pre-anesthetic bloodwork so we understand how your pet’s kidneys, liver, and overall health will handle sedation. We tailor the anesthesia protocol to your pet’s age, breed, and any existing conditions, which matters just as much for a healthy three-year-old Labrador as it does for a senior cat with early kidney changes.
Once your pet is under anesthesia, we take full mouth radiographs, since a large percentage of dental disease hides below the gum line where the naked eye cannot see it. We scale and polish above and below the gums, probe each tooth for pockets or mobility, and extract anything that is fractured, infected, or beyond saving. Throughout the entire procedure, a technician monitors heart rate, oxygen levels, and breathing, checking in constantly so nothing is left to chance.
We understand that anesthesia can feel like the scariest part of a dental appointment, and we do not dismiss that fear. What we can tell you is that modern veterinary anesthesia, paired with proper pre-operative screening and continuous monitoring, is safe for the overwhelming majority of patients, including many with health conditions that once made owners nervous.
Before any procedure, we walk you through your pet’s specific bloodwork results and what they mean for the anesthesia plan. If your pet has a heart murmur, is a senior, or has another condition that needs closer attention, we factor that into every step, from the drugs we choose to the monitoring equipment we use during recovery. For pets with more complex medical histories, our advanced pet care team works alongside our dental staff to make sure nothing gets missed.
We also offer laser therapy following extractions and oral surgery, which can ease discomfort and support faster healing during recovery. Pain management does not stop when your pet wakes up. It continues at home with medication we send with you and clear instructions on what to watch for over the following days.
Choosing where your pet has a dental procedure done is not a small decision, and we know pricing pressure from corporate practices can make it tempting to look for the cheapest option available. What matters more than price is whether the practice performing the procedure treats it as real medicine rather than a routine add-on.
A few things set our approach apart:
If your pet also needs other surgical work, our surgery for pets team can often coordinate procedures to minimize the number of times your pet needs anesthesia.
Dr. Melissa Grech-Attard has spent years building a practice where pet owners get straight answers instead of sales pitches, and dental care is no exception. Learn more about her background and approach to care before your visit, so you know exactly who will be caring for your pet.
Bad breath, yellowing teeth, or a pet that suddenly favors one side of its mouth are signs worth addressing now rather than waiting for the problem to worsen. Contact our office today to schedule a dental evaluation for your dog or cat, and let us show you what thorough, honest dental care looks like.
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