FAQ Guide

WHAT MAKES US A SPECIALTY PRACTICE?

In addition to veterinary college and many years of general practice experience, Dr. Hewitt has completed a residency in veterinary dentistry, which includes advanced training in diagnosing and treating a wide range of dental and oral health issues in animals. To be considered a specialist, a veterinarian must be board certified by a recognized specialty veterinary college. Becoming a specialist requires completion of a comprehensive residency in the specialty field, which is typically 3-6 years. After doctors complete the residency requirements, the American Veterinary Dental College has a comprehensive written, bench, and practical exam that the doctors must pass to become specialists. Dr. Hewitt passed the certification exam and became a board-certified veterinary dentist in June 2018. In Nevada, only veterinarians that have completed a residency and passed a board certification exam from a specialty college can refer to themselves as a specialist.

Learn more at:  Animal Owner Resources – AVDC.org

WHAT KIND OF ANESTHESIA DO WE USE? IS IT SAFE?

Anesthetic safety is of the utmost importance for our patients and we have a wide range of medications available to use. We choose an anesthetic plan tailored for each individual patient that we see. Some patients may get an oral medication that is given at home before coming in for a procedure. All patients are given a preanesthetic medication injection on the day of the procedure. This usually includes a pain medication as well a medication to help reduce anxiety.

When starting the anesthetic procedure, patients are given an induction agent, which is a short-acting anesthetic drug. We have several options of agents to use for this purpose. We use the agent that we feel is going to be safe and effective for a specific pet. Once the induction agent is given, it allows us to pass a tube, called an endotracheal tube, into the pet’s airway. The endotracheal tube helps to keep the patient’s airway open and protected from fluid and debris that are produced during the procedure.

During anesthetic maintenance, the patient is given oxygen through the endotracheal tube. Mixed with the oxygen is a small amount of anesthetic gas, called sevoflurane, which is a drug that keeps the patient unconscious during the procedure. Sevoflurane is the anesthetic gas that we use at ADSN because of its rapid induction and recovery characteristics. This also gives us better control over a patient’s depth of anesthesia during a procedure.

DO WE TREAT PETS WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES?

Dr. Hewitt has been in the veterinary field for over 30 years and has extensive training in anesthesia, including high-risk patients with underlying health issues.

While we cannot speak to the protocols of other practices, if we have a patient that is at a higher risk for a dental procedure or has had previous anesthetic concerns or complications, we consult with Dr. Martin Kennedy, a board-certified anesthesiologist.  Dr. Kennedy is available for anesthetic planning prior to procedures for higher-risk patients. He can live-stream our anesthetic monitoring equipment and be present virtually to assist with anesthesia.

We also have direct access to a veterinary cardiologist, Dr. Scott Forney, for cardiac consultations prior to anesthesia when needed. In addition, Dr. Hewitt also is able to collaborate with other veterinary specialists, such as oral surgeons, radiologists, and internal medicine specialists to provide the best comprehensive care plan for complex cases.

DO WE ACCEPT PET INSURANCE?

Unlike health insurance for people, most pet insurance companies do not pay the provider directly. For most plans, the client pays the hospital services and is then reimbursed by the pet insurance company. Therefore, unlike in human medicine, clients can use any pet insurance with any hospital.

DO WE HAVE PAYMENT PLANS?

Our office does not provide any direct payment plans or financing. For clients in need of financing options, we do accept Care Credit. Care Credit is a financing program for medical services. More information and pre-approval can be found at  https://www.carecredit.com/

CAN WE DO A PATIENT’S DENTAL PROCEDURE WITHOUT ANESTHESIA?

When a dental procedure is performed, the purpose is to identify and treat oral disease. The calculus (tartar) on the surface of the teeth, although unsightly, causes limited harm for most pets. The health problems and pain associated with most dental diseases in patients come from problems located below the gumline.

Non-anesthetic dental procedures allow for cleaning of the calculus from the surface of the teeth, only. Without anesthesia, it is impossible to identify problems below the gumline, let alone treat them. While non-anesthetic dental cleaning makes the surface of the teeth look better, it does nothing to treat the health problems caused by dental disease. Non-anesthetic dental cleaning gives the pet owner a false sense of security that they are improving their pet’s oral health, while allowing the true dental disease below the gumline to continue getting worse. In addition, non-anesthetic dental cleaning can be very stressful, and potentially painful, for pets.

General anesthesia during a dental procedure allows for appropriate exam, probing, and imaging of all teeth. Dental imaging, such as dental x-rays and Cone-Beam CT, are invaluable diagnostic tools when it comes to dental health. It is impossible to obtain adequate intra-oral images if the patient is not under anesthesia. Without proper imaging, many harmful dental problems can go undiagnosed. Treatment of dental problems, including deep cleaning, extractions, and other treatments cannot be performed on awake pets.