Canine scaling, an act reserved for veterinarians, is practiced without anesthesia by different companies, according to information collected by The duty. The phenomenon persists, even though Quebec courts have handed down six convictions for illegal practice of veterinary medicine linked to descaling since 2017.
By first introducing himself as the owner of a French bulldog, The duty was offered scaling without anesthesia at a farm in Saint-Lin–Laurentides, for the cost of $400. A grooming salon in Nuns’ Island referred our journalist to a mobile “cosmetic dental cleaning” service established in Ontario, but also operating in Quebec, notably in the salon’s parking lot.
Scaling without anesthesia constitutes an animal health problem, in particular because it can prevent infections from being properly detected, or even because it can further harm the animal’s oral hygiene, according to five veterinarians consulted by The dutyincluding the spokesperson and president of the Order of Veterinary Doctors of Quebec (OMVQ), Dr.r Gaston Rioux.
Under the Veterinary Physicians Act, the scaling of pet teeth is an act reserved for veterinarians registered with the OMVQ, whether the service is provided above or below the gums. , with or without general anesthesia. Scaling therefore remains illegal if it is not carried out by a veterinarian or under their direct supervision, and offenders face a fine for illegal practice of veterinary medicine of up to $62,500.
“When people have surface tartar removed, it is not this type of tartar that is the most problematic,” explains Dr.r Jérôme D’Astous, veterinary doctor and specialist in animal dentistry, in interview with The duty. “That’s the danger. People overestimate the benefits of these treatments, he explains. They wait and when we see them later, the infection is very severe and widespread. It’s a false feeling of doing things right,” warns the veterinary specialist.
This is why anesthesia is therefore necessary according to Dr D’Astous, in order to prevent the animal from moving, injuring itself or biting the veterinary dentist, but also to ensure the proper handling of the instruments and avoid damage that could be caused to the enamel during scaling and polishing of the entire mouth by the veterinarian.
Ultrasonic scaling at a breeder
“The veterinarians, they don’t want us,” confides to Duty breeder owner Chantal Therrien Costa, who has been performing canine scaling without anesthesia for 22 years. “My work versus the work of a veterinarian is the same length of time, and there is zero difference,” says the breeder. She explains how to carry out scaling of the front and back teeth as well as polishing using dental instruments, more precisely “ultrasound and hook”.
According to the breeder, there is no risk in her practice. “The only thing that happens when I do the scaling is that [parfois] gums bleed. It’s normal, because the ultrasound, I put it underneath to remove the tartar between the gums,” she explains. The breeder claims to carry out descalings regularly, “about twice a week”, and that she has insurance for the animals in her care, without being able to specify what type.
Following his interview with The duty, the breeder claims to have removed all advertisements offering its descaling services on Kijiji and Facebook. She emphasizes that she was not aware that this practice was illegal and affirmed that she was therefore putting an end to this practice. The duty has since noted that the advertisements in question had indeed been removed.
An Ontario company… in Nuns’ Island
In Nuns’ Island, the Mon beau ami grooming salon organizes descaling sessions without anesthesia using the services of K9 Plaque Master, a descaling company established in Ontario. Joined by The duty as a false client, the receptionist of the salon My beautiful friend informs us that he is expecting a visit from the company K9 Plaque Master soon and that the salon had already referred 24 clients to these “dental hygienists” who “come every three month “.
K9 Plaque Master travels across Canada to offer descaling without anesthesia at a price of “$235 cashwithout taxes,” according to the text message sent to Duty by the company manager, Paniz Mahdizadeh-Safa. The videos presented on the company’s Instagram page, a video transmitted by the Mon bel ami salon, as well as the testimony of the salon manager, Catherine Tonton, confirm that the employees of K9 Plaque Master, equipped with dental instruments , manually and without anesthesia scrape the tartar in the mouths of the animals, which are wrapped in a blanket for restraint purposes.
K9 Plaque Master requires its clients to sign consent forms in which the company and its manager state that they “are not veterinarians” and that the teeth cleaning is “cosmetic only.” The company therefore does not claim to offer care within the meaning of the Veterinary Medicine Act. “According to my research, nothing I do is illegal,” defends Mme Mahdizadeh-Safa by text.
As for the manager of the Mon Bel Ami salon, Catherine Tonton, the latter completely dissociates herself from the company K9 Plaque Master, affirming in a telephone interview that she simply offers services for the well-being of animals and that she is content to direct its customers to K9 Plaque Master, which drives to the salon parking lot to perform on-site descaling.
Although scaling without anesthesia is legal in Ontario when carried out above the gum line, the act nevertheless remains reserved for veterinary doctors in Quebec. “According to the laws and regulations of Quebec, this is therefore an illegal practice,” confirms the president of the OMVQ, Dr Gaston Rioux.
I see the dog’s teeth and I say, “Wow, they’re pseudo-clean!” The visible part looks clean, but below the gum line it’s gross. Having your dog descaled without anesthesia is like pruning a tree whose trunk is already dead.
The DD Isabelle de Han, owner of the Île-des-Soeurs Veterinary Clinic, openly condemns the practice of the Mon Bel Ami salon and affirms that this type of descaling causes her more work than it takes away from her. “The dog is going [subir] the procedure [chez Mon bel ami] and, two months later, I do the routine examination,” relates the veterinarian, remembering a case treated at her clinic.
“I see the dog’s teeth and I say, ‘Wow, they’re pseudo-clean!’ The visible part looks clean, but below the gum line it’s gross. Having your dog descaled without anesthesia is like pruning a tree whose trunk is already dead,” explains the veterinarian.
Accessibility to dental care
According to the Dr Yvan Dumais, teaching clinician at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal, 80% of the animal patients he refers need dental care. To avoid additional care, the Dr Dumais advises brushing your pet’s teeth every day, giving him a dental exam once a year and also subjecting him to annual scaling.
Costs are generally over $529, including polishing, to which is added $219 for x-rays taken every two years, in addition to fees related to complications, according to small animal practice data from the Association of veterinary doctors in Quebec. “I see the sacrifices people make to have a dog and to [le garder] in health. Veterinary medicine is always better and more expensive all the time [que des soins non vétérinaires] », laments the Dr Corn.
Unable to pay the bill, some people will try to descale their animals themselves. Sandra, who does not wish to reveal her last name due to the illegality of the practice, obtained dental instruments herself on the Internet to save on the care to be given to her animal. The Rouyn-Noranda resident indicated that she could no longer pay such a high amount for her animal, testimony similar to that reported by the non-veterinary entrepreneurs contacted by The duty as part of this report. Everyone accuses the rise in veterinary costs of undermining accessibility to care.
The Dr Gaston Rioux, president of the OMVQ, claims to be sensitive to the effects of inflation on veterinary practice. “There is an overall growth in the costs of veterinary medicine,” he admits. As in many other industries, the cost of materials and labor costs are constantly increasing. »
The president of the OMVQ emphasizes that clients wishing to contest the price of veterinary care can contact the trustee of the order, or even the accounts arbitration council.