Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered here, feel free to send an email to info@toothvet.ca providing the information requested on the landing page.

Why do pets need professional dental care?
For the same reason that humans do. Their teeth and mouth are subject to many of the same problems that ours are. Traditionally, we left our pet’s teeth alone, and extracted them when serious problems arose. Today, we know enough to care for our pets’ oral health with regular professional assessments and daily home plaque control measure. But when your regular veterinarian detects a serious dental problem in your cat or dog, she or he may refer you for more advanced diagnostics and care.

Why should I see a specialist?
Dentistry is a very complex and involved discipline. In the human field, it has spawned an entire group of professions (general dentists, orthodontists, periodontists, endodontists, oral surgeons, dental hygienists…). It is not reasonable to expect that every veterinarian will be interested in or trained in veterinary dentistry beyond dealing with very basic issues. When a condition arises that a veterinarian feels is for any reason beyond their comfort level, they now have the option of referring the case to a specialist. As a veterinary dental specialist, Dr. Hale has devoted many years to the study of the subject and has acquired the equipment and, more importantly, the experience to deal with your pet’s dental or oral problems.

Our associate, Dr. Martin Hamilton, is not yet board-certified but has completed his three-year intensive dental residency program and has successfully cleared every hurdle he has reach on the path to becoming board-certified. There is one hurdle left to clear.

Hale Veterinary Clinic
in Guelph, Ontario

How do I get in touch with Hale Veterinary Clinic?
You should ask your regular veterinarian to refer you. This paper explains the process of setting up a referral - How To Refer. The best time to call the office is Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 4:00 to talk to one of our our Referral Coordinators. You can call at other times your call may to go voice mail, so be sure to leave a message and talk slowly as you give your phone number.

How do I find Hale Veterinary Clinic?
There’s a detailed Map elsewhere on this web site. Guelph is about 80 kilometers northwest of Toronto, and about 15 minutes from Highway 401.

How much does it cost?
Certainly this is one of the two most common questions we get asked but it is a very hard one to answer. Our usual reply is outlined in this bulletin - click here.

How do I pay?
All fees are due at the time of discharge. Hale Veterinary Clinic is pleased to accept payment by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Debit cards and cash.

How long does it take?
Although each case is different, a typical treatment takes from two to five hours. This includes initial examination and interview, treatment planning, anesthesia, radiographs, surgery, recovery and discharge. Your pet should be able to return home with you the same day.

While the doctor concentrates on the teeth, who is watching my pet?
Our stafff of registered veterinary technicians monitor the anesthesia while the doctor is working in the mouth. They will routinely monitor blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation, carbon dioxide levels, respiration and cardiac function. You can be introduced to these fine people by visiting Staff and can learn a bit more about this by reading Who Does What.

What other precautions are taken to minimize anesthetic risk?
We require that the referring veterinarian to do a thorough physical examination and any appropriate pre-surgical tests (blood tests, urinalysis, chest x-rays…) and then send the results to us before we agree to accept the case. On the day of surgery, we will tailor the anesthetic regimen to your pet, selecting from a variety of agents. All patients are intubated with a cuffed tube and anesthesia is maintained with a gas vapour anesthetic and oxygen. Intravenous catheterization and fluid support are standard, as is thermal support.

What is done about pain management?
The best way to minimize pain is to prevent it as much as possible. Pre-emptive pain management involves giving analgesics prior to surgery to reduce the chemical reactions that lead to the development of pain. Animals having a potentially painful procedure receive an analgesic in their pre-anesthetic sedation as well as a long lasting local anesthetic nerve block at the site of surgery. If appropriate, the patient may also be given a long lasting injection of an analgesic upon recovery and more (in an oral or transdermal form) may be sent home for the owners to give for a few days after treatment.

How will my pet feel afterwards?
Most animals are up on their feet within half an hour of the end of surgery. Recovery varies from case to case of course, but most animals are back to normal routines within a day or two.

Other questions?
Feel free to call 519-822-8598 or email at info@toothvet.ca.

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