Teeth Cleaning

Non-Sedation Teeth Cleaning


Teeth Cleaning FAQs

For Dogs Only

Why should you have your dog’s teeth cleaned and how effective is it?

Dogs can develop problems like tartar/plaque buildup and gingivitis. However It’s not just bad breath and yellow teeth you have to worry about. As with humans, these canine dental problems can actually lead to life-threatening infections and issues including heart, liver, and kidney disease. Practicing good teeth hygiene can actually extend your dog’s life!

We do a great job of cleaning the inside and outside surfaces of your dog’s teeth, but our services are considered hygienic and not a medical procedure. We can help your dog maintain a clean mouth, but if there are already issues with infection or disease, we are not able to treat or diagnose anything and may not be able to help you reverse those issues. We take care to do a great job every time; however, there are circumstances where we might not be able to remove all the tartar and may refer you to your veterinarian – for example when there are deep pockets, root exposure or excessive wiggling. If we are not able to complete the cleaning, there is no charge for the visit. No method is completely effective long term unless maintenance is practiced at home. So don’t forget to brush! Imagine if you depended on your hygienist to keep your teeth clean without doing your daily oral care routine at home – not a good idea!

Why non-sedating?

This procedure is 100% safe, whereas having your dog’s teeth cleaned while under anesthesia at a vet’s office always presents some element of risk. 1 out of every 300 dogs dies due to complications after anesthesia. This service is not meant to be a replacement for vets, but rather a complementary one. This a cosmetic procedure without breaching the gum line, in the hopes to limit the number of times your dog must go under anesthesia.  

How do we keep the dogs still during the procedure?

This is definitely our most frequently asked question! Most of our clients come in being uncertain about whether their dog will cooperate – and we can tell you from experience that we are able to successfully calm and clean more than 99% of the time! 

However if we are unable to completely finish your dog to 100% of your satisfaction, there will be absolutely NO charge! There is no risk to at least having us try to work on your dog!

We were trained by K9 Gentle Dental and you can check out their videos on Youtube to see how we hold and lay down the dogs as well as answer many questions about the teeth cleaning process.

Will it be painful for my dog?

The procedure we use is exactly the same as when you get your own teeth cleaned at the dentist. We use the same professional human grade scaling tools and it is no more painful for an animal than yourself. There may be some mild discomfort but we do not breach the gum line or perform extractions so it should be relatively pain free for your dog. 

We can clean along the gum line but we do not clean out deep gum recession. We do not measure depth of gum recession and would not be able to know how deep we could go before our sharp tools would hit tissue and that would be painful! Our doggies also don’t understand the “say ahhhh” command like we do when we see our dentist so we can’t guarantee that dogs will not move unexpectedly and therefore we always want to take precautions to avoid injuries and will not place our tools in dangerous areas. We can however clean the tartar around the gums and because gums are pliable we can move them to remove tartar that may be accumulated right along the gum line. Gums have a natural overhang of a few millimeters and in our opinion it is not painful or dangerous to clean within that area.

What happens during a teeth cleaning?

Your pet lies on the floor on a supportive dog bed with their head in our lap. With small dogs, we may swaddle them in a towel to make them feel more secure. Someone is always available for belly rubs and we always talk to the doggies to help them understand that they are safe and that we are there to help. We hand scale their teeth with manual dental instruments on the inside and outside surface of the teeth, removing the tartar build up. When we are done scaling, we gently polish the teeth with prophy polish and a toothbrush. When the cleaning is over and you are back to pick up your dog, you will receive a report card telling you what we were able to see during their appointment and possibly any notes about specific areas that we want you and your vet to keep an eye on or inspect further. We do not diagnose or treat any infections or disease so our notes will not be meant as anything more than just a reference guide to what is visible in your dogs mouth.

What if my dog has really bad teeth?

When you come in for your appointment we will look in your pet’s mouth to check for any obvious problems. If we see anything that appears irritated, loose, broken or just out of the ordinary, we will recommend that you see your vet to have a dental cleaning under anesthesia and there will be no charge. Before we get started we will check the mouth for: tooth mobility, visibly apparent gum recession, breaks/chips, bleeding/swollen gums, tissue injuries or signs of infection. If during the appointment we find any problems that we didn’t see right away, we will either call you or put the information on your report card so you can discuss any further action with your own veterinarian.

If your dog is a senior or unable to go under anesthesia for a medical reason, we may consent to clean your dog's teeth to the best of our ability.

What is the difference between a non-sedation cleaning versus a vet cleaning under anesthesia?

There actually is a big difference! Even though the veterinary option is called a “teeth cleaning” they actually do a lot more when done properly. Not only do they clean, but also they can diagnose and treat diseases/infections and can clean into deep pockets. They may do x-rays and measure pockets as well as part of their diagnoses process. These are all things that we cannot do when the dog is awake and/or do without a veterinarian present. We can look for abnormalities in the mouth but would not know if they were actually a problem. If we see any, these would be the times when we will refer dogs back to their vets. Because we are not veterinarians we cannot provide any type of diagnoses or treatment of disease as that would begin to tread in veterinary medicine and would be against the law. We provide a hygienic service to keep your dogs mouth cleaner.

What is the cost?

The cost of this procedure can be extremely high at a vet’s office, ranging from $300-$900. 


We are offering a great rate of only $120 ($150 for dogs over 60lbs) , which makes it much easier to keep up regular teeth cleaning or maintenance between vet visits for your dog.

What if I am working the day of the cleaning?

No problem! Just drop your dog off before work and we will offer you free daycare before and after their teeth cleaning appointment! The appointment itself is only 45-60 minutes long.  

How do I book an appointment?

Our teeth cleaning services are scheduled just as any other grooming service. Please call us to book an appointment at 250-426-4000. 

How were we trained?

We were professionally trained and certified with K9 Gentle Dental.

K9 Gentle Dental obtained their initial training from the only state-accredited, academically recognized training program taught by a veterinarian specializing in this particular field. After completing this 40+ hour training program in Denver, Colorado, they developed their own extensive in-house K9 Gentle Dental training program. 

How can I keep my dog's teeth clean at home?

BRUSH YOUR DOGS TEETH! If you never brushed your own teeth at home would you expect to have great dental check ups? Probably not. But still so many people don’t understand the importance of at home regular care. Without this aspect most dogs will slowly develop gum disease, which can snowball into full-blown infections and other periodontal issues (issues with the structures supporting the teeth and mouth, such as bones). Also natural chews (bully sticks, raw and dehydrated bones, etc.), supplements, dental sprays and gels are also great, but will not replace a toothbrush.

We love using coconut oil as a natural toothpaste as it contains natural anti-bacterial properties and dogs love the taste!. The same stuff you use at home for cooking is perfect. We are supportive of any dental treat as long as it something they actually have to chew on. Things that crumble like a cookie tend to do very little in our opinion.

Big or Small, We Do It All!

We now offer daycare and boarding, grooming and non-sedation teeth cleaning 7 days/week. Book your appointments online for a fast, easy, convenient way to guarantee your spot! Call us at (250) 426-4000 or contact us for your free quote.
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