Hi
I know this post was several years ago but I just wanted to add in case it will help someone.
My dog had a much more severe reaction to a dental cleaning. The panting, pacing, moaning and vomiting for days afterwards was actually from esophageal damage caused when stomach acid was allowed to pool in her throat either during the cleaning or right after. This was likely very painful for her. She developed a stricture from the inflammation which made it impossible for her to swallow anything larger than a pea. I had to mush her food for about a year. The stricture has resolved to a point she can swallow about a bean size now so it’s better.
This vet never even told us esophageal damage could happen!! I spent $2k on testing and then went to another vet…who, for $350, determined right away it was the esophagus.
I now always give the dogs a pepcid the morning of the procedure to keep stomach acid lower while they’re under anesthesia. Hope this helps!
