What's a typical dental prophy?

Hi everyone,

About 5 years ago I took in a stray cat, my first pet ever, so I'm
pretty inexperienced at dealing with vets, etc. I take her in
annually for a physical and any necessary vaccinations, etc. As best
I can figure she is between 9-12 years old.

Two years ago she had dental prophy and had 3 abcessed teeth
extracted. I took her in for her noon appointment, then about 4 p.m.
they called and said "She's awake and very eager to come home" so of
course, I ran right over and got her because she'd been pretty
stressed out at being separated from me. She was bright, alert and
hungry.

Unfortunately, that vet left town so I had to find another. After the
exam the new vet said she needed another dental prophy and - in light
of the fact that one of her fangs had fallen out the previous week - I
agreed.

They scheduled me for 7:30 a.m. which I figured was great because I'd
have her back home in the late morning. But when they called to
confirm the appointment the day before, they said "And you can plan to
pick her up the same time next day."

Whoa! I said. Why would they keep her overnight? They said it was
routine because "we like to keep them for observation." (Even though
there is no human there between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. so I don't know how
they'd do this observation.)

After a little tussling during which I implied I'd take her elsewhere
rather than leave her unattended the night after a procedure, they
agreed to release her in the afternoon if the doctor deemed her ready
to go. That too was a tussle...they didn't release her until the last
possible minute, 6 p.m. even though her prophy was done at 9:30 a.m.
and she hadn't needed any extractions this time!

Of course, I wouldn't want them releasing her if they didn't feel it
was safe to do so, but it sure seems to me it was their policy, not
her condition, which dictated her release time. But I don't know this
for sure.

I'm also concerned because it turned out she didn't actually have a
7:30 appointment; they have ALL the surgical and prophy patients
arrive at the same time, then they sort of work on them as a group
from 8-1. As it was explained to me, "We have 3 in there at a time.
The techs do the prophy under supervision of the doctor and he does
extractions or anything else as necessary." I know for a fact that
with my previous vet, he just took them one at a time.

I mean really, what if two of the patients needed medical attention at
the same time? Does one just have to stay knocked out for an
unnecessary waiting time? And is that why they plan for the recovery
to take longer? And which poor anxious critter had to sit there for 4
or 5 hours awaiting his turn?

I've already decided that this whole thing made me uncomfortable
enough that I'll keep looking for a new vet. But please let me
know...which of these experiences is more typical?

Thanks,
Lily

(Lily Fern) wrote in message . com...
Hi everyone,

About 5 years ago I took in a stray cat, my first pet ever, so I'm
pretty inexperienced at dealing with vets, etc. I take her in
annually for a physical and any necessary vaccinations, etc. As best
I can figure she is between 9-12 years old.

Two years ago she had dental prophy and had 3 abcessed teeth
extracted. I took her in for her noon appointment, then about 4 p.m.
they called and said "She's awake and very eager to come home" so of
course, I ran right over and got her because she'd been pretty
stressed out at being separated from me. She was bright, alert and
hungry.

Unfortunately, that vet left town so I had to find another. After the
exam the new vet said she needed another dental prophy and - in light
of the fact that one of her fangs had fallen out the previous week - I
agreed.

They scheduled me for 7:30 a.m. which I figured was great because I'd
have her back home in the late morning. But when they called to
confirm the appointment the day before, they said "And you can plan to
pick her up the same time next day."

Whoa! I said. Why would they keep her overnight? They said it was
routine because "we like to keep them for observation." (Even though
there is no human there between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. so I don't know how
they'd do this observation.)

After a little tussling during which I implied I'd take her elsewhere
rather than leave her unattended the night after a procedure, they
agreed to release her in the afternoon if the doctor deemed her ready
to go. That too was a tussle...they didn't release her until the last
possible minute, 6 p.m. even though her prophy was done at 9:30 a.m.
and she hadn't needed any extractions this time!

Of course, I wouldn't want them releasing her if they didn't feel it
was safe to do so, but it sure seems to me it was their policy, not
her condition, which dictated her release time. But I don't know this
for sure.

Older cats are prone to reactions to anesthesia. IMO, your vet did
the right thing by keeping her as long as possible.


I'm also concerned because it turned out she didn't actually have a
7:30 appointment; they have ALL the surgical and prophy patients
arrive at the same time, then they sort of work on them as a group
from 8-1. As it was explained to me, "We have 3 in there at a time.
The techs do the prophy under supervision of the doctor and he does
extractions or anything else as necessary." I know for a fact that
with my previous vet, he just took them one at a time.

The mass-production dental line is common - and not unwarranted in a
high-volume practice.


I mean really, what if two of the patients needed medical attention at
the same time? Does one just have to stay knocked out for an
unnecessary waiting time?

Well, usually there is more than one vet in the practice, and if more
than one cat crashes, they all pitch in to help. Highly unlikely that
they all crash at the same time, though. If it is suspected that more
than one cat needs extractions, the anesthesia is staggered so that
each cat can have individulaized attention by the vet.


And is that why they plan for the recovery
to take longer?

The age of the cat is a major factor.

And which poor anxious critter had to sit there for 4
or 5 hours awaiting his turn?

The wait is common, and no big deal...seriously - your cat is not
going to die waiting for a couple of hours. If you don't like the
idea of the cat having to wait, go to a vet where individual surgery
appointments are made - if you can find one. Honestly, I've never
encountered a practice where a cat is scheduled for surgery at a
certain time, and gets done at that exact time (unless it is a major
reconstructive surgery or an orthopedic surgery where the vet takes
all AM or PM to do it). Surgery blocks are scheduled, and the cats
are fit in. The cats that are most urgent are done first - especially
if they are at risk for anesthesia problems.


I've already decided that this whole thing made me uncomfortable
enough that I'll keep looking for a new vet. But please let me
know...which of these experiences is more typical?

You are assuming that in the first scenario, the cat was done
immediately, but in reality it is possible that the cat you took in at
noon may have had her dental as late as 3:00 - and recovered quickly
from the procedure. She was much younger and younger cats metabolize
the anesthesia more quickly.

I have never encountered any surgery arena that didn't incorporate
some sort of wait - it's just how things are done - especially in a
busy (i.e. good) practice. If you can find a vet that isn't so busy
that they can give you an specific time that they will be doing the
surgery, then use them. But I would be very wary of vets that aren't
busy - they aren't busy for a reason, and the reason is that they
suck.

Usually, cats are scheduled for either AM or PM surgery, and assigned
a time based on condition. The more healthy cats go last. The vet
could tell you approximately what time your cat would be done, but not
exact. Sometimes, if there is an emergency, cats are postponed. It's
all part of the business of veterinary care.

Best of luck to you and your cats,

-L.

(Lily Fern) wrote in message . com...
Hi everyone,

About 5 years ago I took in a stray cat, my first pet ever, so I'm
pretty inexperienced at dealing with vets, etc. I take her in
annually for a physical and any necessary vaccinations, etc. As best
I can figure she is between 9-12 years old.

Two years ago she had dental prophy and had 3 abcessed teeth
extracted. I took her in for her noon appointment, then about 4 p.m.
they called and said "She's awake and very eager to come home" so of
course, I ran right over and got her because she'd been pretty
stressed out at being separated from me. She was bright, alert and
hungry.

Unfortunately, that vet left town so I had to find another. After the
exam the new vet said she needed another dental prophy and - in light
of the fact that one of her fangs had fallen out the previous week - I
agreed.

They scheduled me for 7:30 a.m. which I figured was great because I'd
have her back home in the late morning. But when they called to
confirm the appointment the day before, they said "And you can plan to
pick her up the same time next day."

Whoa! I said. Why would they keep her overnight? They said it was
routine because "we like to keep them for observation." (Even though
there is no human there between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. so I don't know how
they'd do this observation.)

After a little tussling during which I implied I'd take her elsewhere
rather than leave her unattended the night after a procedure, they
agreed to release her in the afternoon if the doctor deemed her ready
to go. That too was a tussle...they didn't release her until the last
possible minute, 6 p.m. even though her prophy was done at 9:30 a.m.
and she hadn't needed any extractions this time!

Of course, I wouldn't want them releasing her if they didn't feel it
was safe to do so, but it sure seems to me it was their policy, not
her condition, which dictated her release time. But I don't know this
for sure.

Older cats are prone to reactions to anesthesia. IMO, your vet did
the right thing by keeping her as long as possible.


I'm also concerned because it turned out she didn't actually have a
7:30 appointment; they have ALL the surgical and prophy patients
arrive at the same time, then they sort of work on them as a group
from 8-1. As it was explained to me, "We have 3 in there at a time.
The techs do the prophy under supervision of the doctor and he does
extractions or anything else as necessary." I know for a fact that
with my previous vet, he just took them one at a time.

The mass-production dental line is common - and not unwarranted in a
high-volume practice.


I mean really, what if two of the patients needed medical attention at
the same time? Does one just have to stay knocked out for an
unnecessary waiting time?

Well, usually there is more than one vet in the practice, and if more
than one cat crashes, they all pitch in to help. Highly unlikely that
they all crash at the same time, though. If it is suspected that more
than one cat needs extractions, the anesthesia is staggered so that
each cat can have individulaized attention by the vet.


And is that why they plan for the recovery
to take longer?

The age of the cat is a major factor.

And which poor anxious critter had to sit there for 4
or 5 hours awaiting his turn?

The wait is common, and no big deal...seriously - your cat is not
going to die waiting for a couple of hours. If you don't like the
idea of the cat having to wait, go to a vet where individual surgery
appointments are made - if you can find one. Honestly, I've never
encountered a practice where a cat is scheduled for surgery at a
certain time, and gets done at that exact time (unless it is a major
reconstructive surgery or an orthopedic surgery where the vet takes
all AM or PM to do it). Surgery blocks are scheduled, and the cats
are fit in. The cats that are most urgent are done first - especially
if they are at risk for anesthesia problems.


I've already decided that this whole thing made me uncomfortable
enough that I'll keep looking for a new vet. But please let me
know...which of these experiences is more typical?

You are assuming that in the first scenario, the cat was done
immediately, but in reality it is possible that the cat you took in at
noon may have had her dental as late as 3:00 - and recovered quickly
from the procedure. She was much younger and younger cats metabolize
the anesthesia more quickly.

I have never encountered any surgery arena that didn't incorporate
some sort of wait - it's just how things are done - especially in a
busy (i.e. good) practice. If you can find a vet that isn't so busy
that they can give you an specific time that they will be doing the
surgery, then use them. But I would be very wary of vets that aren't
busy - they aren't busy for a reason, and the reason is that they
suck.

Usually, cats are scheduled for either AM or PM surgery, and assigned
a time based on condition. The more healthy cats go last. The vet
could tell you approximately what time your cat would be done, but not
exact. Sometimes, if there is an emergency, cats are postponed. It's
all part of the business of veterinary care.

Best of luck to you and your cats,

-L.

"Barb 1" wrote in message
...
I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50 years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning?


Prophy is probably short for prophylaxis, is my guess. IOW - routine,
preventative dental care/cleaning. Which may - once the vet gets in the
cat's mouth & sees up close what's going on - turn into some more dental
work, such as an an extraction.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon



Why
would a second one have to be done so soon?
--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

"Barb 1" wrote in message
...
I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50 years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning?


Prophy is probably short for prophylaxis, is my guess. IOW - routine,
preventative dental care/cleaning. Which may - once the vet gets in the
cat's mouth & sees up close what's going on - turn into some more dental
work, such as an an extraction.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon



Why
would a second one have to be done so soon?
--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50 years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning? Why
would a second one have to be done so soon?
--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50 years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning? Why
would a second one have to be done so soon?
--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.

If a tooth is abscessed, it can involve a lot of pain, & the infection can
wreak havoc. IOW, I wouldn't want *my* teeth to be allowed to fall out
naturally...

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

"Lily Fern" wrote in message
m...
I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50
years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning?

Yes, it's cleaning and scaling of tartar to prevent gum and other
diseases. Even though my cat eats only hard kibble, when I took her in
for her annual checkup she had two visible abcesses (eg. pus oozing
from her gums) and ended up getting three teeth extracted. This time
around a fang fell out before I took her in...it was rotted at the
root.

I must admit, I'm not 100% sold on this procedure. My one sister
currently has 13 cats ranging in age from 1 to 23, and none has ever
had it. (Needless to say, she's also not brushing their teeth as two
vets have insisted I do!) Ditto for other relatives, who have had
cats forever. They all tell me "Cats' teeth just fall out" and none
has ever had a cat die from dental related infection that they know
of. In fact, in polling my friends I can find only one whose has had
dental prophy.

Like I said, this is my first pet ever (allergies, though I have no
allergic reaction to her) so when a vet tells me "This cat obviously
has some genetic predisposition to dental disease and will die from
them unless you do thus and so" it's hard for me to ignore.

But I have wondered if I'm being an idiot. It's not the money...I just
worry that knocking her out for this procedure is worse than just
letting her teeth fall out naturally.

Anyway, here's a site with more info about it:

http://www.cat-dental-health.com/

:-) Lily

If a tooth is abscessed, it can involve a lot of pain, & the infection can
wreak havoc. IOW, I wouldn't want *my* teeth to be allowed to fall out
naturally...

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

"Lily Fern" wrote in message
m...
I don't know what a dental prophy is and I've had cats for over 50
years.
My cats go for all their vet check-ups and shots. Is it a cleaning?

Yes, it's cleaning and scaling of tartar to prevent gum and other
diseases. Even though my cat eats only hard kibble, when I took her in
for her annual checkup she had two visible abcesses (eg. pus oozing
from her gums) and ended up getting three teeth extracted. This time
around a fang fell out before I took her in...it was rotted at the
root.

I must admit, I'm not 100% sold on this procedure. My one sister
currently has 13 cats ranging in age from 1 to 23, and none has ever
had it. (Needless to say, she's also not brushing their teeth as two
vets have insisted I do!) Ditto for other relatives, who have had
cats forever. They all tell me "Cats' teeth just fall out" and none
has ever had a cat die from dental related infection that they know
of. In fact, in polling my friends I can find only one whose has had
dental prophy.

Like I said, this is my first pet ever (allergies, though I have no
allergic reaction to her) so when a vet tells me "This cat obviously
has some genetic predisposition to dental disease and will die from
them unless you do thus and so" it's hard for me to ignore.

But I have wondered if I'm being an idiot. It's not the money...I just
worry that knocking her out for this procedure is worse than just
letting her teeth fall out naturally.

Anyway, here's a site with more info about it:

http://www.cat-dental-health.com/

:-) Lily