The heavy chewing habits of juvenile pets, especially large breed dogs can lead to unseen damage. Deer antlers for example are known to commonly cause fractures as they are too hard. That’s right, dogs and cats can suffer painful fractured teeth that are perfectly clean! Cavities can also go completely undetected unless x-rays are taken safely under anesthesia to assess all teeth.
Absolutely, two thirds of the tooth remains hidden below the gums. Radiographs can only be safely performed under anesthesia to assess those roots. Not taking radiographs has been proven to to miss important disease below the gum line essentially leaving painful conditions untreated. Having clean teeth is important but overlooking underlying disease leaves pets suffering.
Pet’s don't brush their teeth or floss like us humans do. Instead they eat grass, bugs, lick their fur, and chew on numerous other traumatizing materials that can result in gingivitis and other painful conditions. All of that trauma and lack of oral hygiene leads to large amounts of bacteria hiding around the gums creating an odor you can’t ignore and is uncomfortable for the pet. That same odor then gets spread all over their body if they suffer from allergies. This “smearing” of oral stench can create an unpleasant odor for the entire home.
There are numerous factors to consider when answering this question correctly.
We have our teeth professionally cleaned before obvious tartar has accumulated. Routinely removing the microscopic plaque biofilm protects the gum line and is the first defense for maintaining a healthy mouth.
Some patients may need cleanings every 6-12 months. Some patients may need only 2-3 cleanings a lifetime. A Veterinarian will best be able to help guide the frequency of such cleanings based on physical exam findings, radiographic signs of bone loss, inflammation, etc.
Nail trims. Most nail trims are unpleasant for pets. Doing them under anesthesia takes the “bad experience” out of the equation.
Expressing anal glands. Often a routine problem for some dogs and an even better option to have it done while they are resting comfortable under anesthesia
Ear flushing and ear hair plucking