I think for most of us, the answer is obvious…of course not? Then why do pet groomers feel that they can be pet dentists too? Many grooming shops brush a pets teeth. This is okay, but might be giving a false sense of security to the owner, as tooth brushing should be an everyday activity to really be effective.
But some groomers actually clean teeth with a scaler or hire someone to do it for them. This is a potentially dangerous activity for the person doing the scaling, but also for the pet. At the minimum, improper cleaning will lead to further damage to the teeth and gums and actually increase the amount of cleanings needed to prevent periodontal disease. In many cases, severe damage has been done to the teeth and gums which now require expensive repairs or extractions.
Most owners resort to cleaning at the groomers because they are concerned about anesthesia and their veterinarian refuses to perform cleanings without anesthesia.
At our office, we perform non-anesthetic dental cleanings for select patients, based on evaluation of their teeth and gums, overall health, and stress level with the procedure. In some cases a sedative is required. For some pets, cleaning while awake isn’t possible (I know a lot of humans that this is the case too). All of our pets undergoing cleaning get an oral and cardiac evaluation before cleaning and an evaluation afterwords by a veterinarian. Heart problems can be worsened by bacteria liberated during the cleaning, and sometimes we find hidden problems which require anesthesia for corrections.
Legally, scaling of the teeth can only be performed under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. It is ILLEGAL for groomers to perform or have these procedures performed. Unfortunately, most grooming shops that offer teeth scaling don’t get caught, or merely pay a fine and change names.
Now there is a new bill in front of the state that is trying to make it legal for a groomer to scale a pet’s teeth. The vote will be next week. I strongly urge you to think on the issue and ask yourself–do you feel that your barber or cosmetologist is trained or qualified to be your dentist? Are the facilities clean enough? Do you know your legal recourse if your pet is injured? If the answer is no…then why are you putting your pets’ teeth and health at risk? Please take a few minutes and tell your state representative what you think.
Thank you
Link to State assemblyman Jeff Miller (Orange, Tustin, Santa Ana) http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/71/?p=opinion
Information on AB 2304 http://www.cvma.net/images/cvmapdf/AB2304_Client_Alert_3_22.pdf
The actual version of AB 2304
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_2301-2350/ab_2304_bill_20120224_introduced.pdf