Recently, my dog has undergone teeth cleaning process from a well-known veterinarian in the United States Of America (USA). He provided great service and good oral hygiene to my furious friend. General anesthesia was used to sedate (unconscious) my pet, during the cleaning period.

In general anesthesia, various I.V. (intravenous) fluids, drips, and injections are used. Every living individual is unique, and their bodies respond differently to a foreign substance (i.e. medicine).

So, in few cases, anesthesia may show severe side effects and adverse reactions in dogs. These side effects include dizziness, upset stomach, headache, pain, inflammation (to the specific part of the body), etc. Overdose (of anesthetic substances) is fatal (to a living body) and may cause brain damage, hemorrhage, and even sudden death.

do-dogs-need-pain-meds-after-teeth-cleaning

Now I'm going back to our primary question that I'm going to discuss here i.e. Do dogs need pain relief medicines after teeth cleaning?. I would also try to give you quick (to the point) answers to your other questions regarding dogs' teeth cleaning procedure, its benefits, and the side effects of using anesthesia in small dog breeds and others described below.

Painkillers For Dogs After Dental Cleaning

In common, veterinarians do not prescribe pain-killer medication to a dog, cat, or any other pet that has been undergone a general tartar cleansing process that helps to get rid of the accumulation of bacteria, yellowish teeth, poor oral hygiene, and bad debris, etc.

But in some (rare) cases, a dog may get a prescription (pain-killer) veterinary medicine if a tooth or gum is injured during the procedure.

Why Vets Prescribe Pain Relief Medications After Teeth Cleaning?

As said before, generally vets do not prescribe pain meds after dogs' dental cleaning. But veterinarians become bound to give your furry friend medicines, If a dog's gums, teeth, or any other part of the oral cavity accidentally injured during the deep dental cleaning process in dogs.

Veterinarians use sharp tools (i.e. a scaler) for deep teeth cleaning that helps to remove tartar and other sticky materials from teeth. This process increases the sensitivity of teeth and makes them more sensitive.

It's suggested to give soft foods for (at least) three days to your pet following a dental procedure. It helps them to recover fast and avoid complications.

Symptoms: Your Dog Is Feeling Pain Following Deep Dental Cleaning

It's so important to determine if you're dog is feeling aches or not?. Your adorable friend cannot tell you whether it's hurting or not. Dogs show the following signs if they're in pain;

Loss of appetite (Anorexia: lack of appetite)
Change in normal behavior
Crying and making noises
Low energy (look tired and lazy)
If Not showing interest in playing (with toys)
Avoiding to eat favorite perks
Aggression
Too much drooling
Swollen or inflamed gums
Look tired and lazy
Nervousness
Barking (unusually)

If you observe any of the above symptoms in your pet following a dental cleaning. Do not take it lightly; rather, try to provide instant relief by calling your dog's vet and consulting about the situation. you may also re-visit the vet clinic (in chronic conditions).

Best Pain-Reducing Medicines For Dogs

Warning: You are not allowed to give human pain-killer medicines (i.e aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc) to your pet. Because it could be toxic (fatal) for your dog. Specific painkiller meds are FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved to use in dogs, cats, and other small animals.

Although, specific veterinary pain-relieving meds are provided that efficiently treat dog problems. Some of them are described below;

Carprofen

One of the best generic salt "carprofen" is used to manage pain symptoms in pets. It's an FDA-approved veterinary painkiller medicine. Carprofen is an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) that could be used in dogs (in recommended dose) with care.

It's available in platable strengths that help to provide the ideal (exact) dose strength to a pet.

Deracoxib

It's a highly recommended veterinary formula that is used to treat pain in dogs. Deracoxib is one of the most efficient NSAIDs, available for pets.

Firocoxib

An excellent generic formula to treat teeth discomfort and pain.

Meloxicam

It's one of the most prescribed pain reliever medicine which surely relieve pain and muscular stiffness.

A dog needs more than just painkiller meds if he has developed an oral (bacterial) infection. Third-generation cephalosporin drugs (a class of antibiotics), macrolides, and penicillins, etc are used to treat infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria.

Conclusion: [Summary]

If your dog has taken a deep tooth scaling (cleaning) service from a professional veterinarian, then he must follow the following tips to avoid severe complications like infection, etc.

For a short time period, teeth become sensitive after a dental cleaning. So, they hurt when coming in contact with air, food, hot, or cold materials. Therefore, try to give soft (liquified) food to your dog for 1-3 days.

Usually, dogs do not need painkillers or any other medication after a deep dental cleaning. But in rare cases, if a dog's gum or the tooth becomes injured (during the scaling process: done by a scaler). Then the Veterinarians suggest antibiotics that are used to treat bacterial infections.

Pain-relieving meds for dogs include carprofen, deracoxib, firocoxib, and meloxicam, etc. These are the most effective and prescribed veterinary drugs for canines and felines.

Antibiotics for Dogs

6/15/21

Do Dogs Need Pain Medicines After Deep Teeth Cleaning?