Re: Dental Care

I would check around and get other prices. $700 sounds a bit pricey to me. I don't know where you live but I just had one of my rescue dogs done and she had to have a canine tooth pulled along with antibiotics and it cost me less than $250. And I have a great vet.

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I AGREE WITH PITBULLANGEL1 THAT DOES SOUND PRICEY. I DO KNOW DEPENDING ON HOW GOOD OR BAD OF SHAPE THE TEETH ARE IN WILL PREDICT THE COST OF A DENTAL, ALSO THE SIZE AND HEALTH OF THE DOG. USUALLY FOR A ROUTINE CLEANING I DON'T THINK ANTIBIOTICS ARE PRESCRIBED UNLESS YOU HAD BLOODWORK DONE AND IT SHOWS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR DOGS HEALTH(KIDNEY DISEASE FOR EXAMPLE) AND PAIN MEDS ARE NOT PRESCRIBED FOR A GENERAL CLEANING. PLEASE CHECK AROUND WITH OTHER VETS IN YOUR AREA.

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I too agree with the other comments--$700 is too much. I have two older Dachshunds, and the last time I had their teeth cleaned, even with more extensive "senior" blood work, it was still just about $250 each--still a lot of money, especially times two. They're 14 now and I think I've had their teeth cleaned three times. The first time wasn't until they were about 6 or 7, and then every three years. I wish I had started brushing their teeth right away when they were puppies to get them used to it; by the time I tried to do it, they fought me so much that I couldn't (they're small, but feisty and strong). I would definitely check with other veterinarians in your area.

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I agree with the others who have commented. Dental care is important for your pets, but the price you quoted is rather high. Again, I don't know where you live, but I would certainly get a second opinion. When I worked in a veterinarian clinic, we did many dentals on both cats and dogs--the cost was considerably less than you quote.

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all my animals . . . three dogs and four cats . . . are on a raw diet . . . the bone in the raw food naturally scales their teeth . . . i've never had their teeth cleaned and they are brilliant white and have sweet sweet breath.

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I'm with everyone else! $700 is VERY high! I had to have my Blue Heelers canine teeth extracted (they were cracked from her constantly chewing on bones and hard things), so while she was under, they cleaned her teeth too. All that and the antibiotics were around $300. I agree that it's very important to do, but like others have said, check around. That's an insane price! Best wishes!

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I totally agree with goodogcarl. I give Buddy a raw piece of short-rib every other day or so and his teeth have whitened, brightned, and his breath has greatly improved. My sister turned me onto this when I told her Buddy had rotten breath and horribly stained teeth and I was going to have to have his teeth cleaned and was appalled at the price! I buy him the canine formula dry food from the local Co-op, and he has cooked veggies and brown rice at dinnertime. I refuse to give him canned, commercial dog food.

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Yea off the top of my head...where I work I believe a routine cleaning is around $300 to $350. It would only cost $700 or more if your pet required some extractions. So I hope that estimate you have includes extractions for that price. I assume they gave you the estimate after examining your pets mouth and in that case the estimate should be somewhat accurate. If they just gave you a rough estimate on the phone then I'd have them look in the mouth and give you a more accurate one so you know what you're getting into financially. And yes they do need regular dental care. How frequently really depends on how quickly tartar and gingivitis develop in each individual animal. But it's safe to say anywhere from every 1 to 3 yrs they could benefit from a teeth cleaning. Some animals...without any preventative measures being taken...can have pretty bad tartar within 6 mos after having a dentistry. Just imagine what your teeth would look like if you NEVER brushed them.

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I recently paid $175 for my dog's dental cleaning. That included everything. If you need any teeth removed it would be extra, and a 'senior dog" requires blood work before anesthesia ($110-130), but there is no way a routine dental cleaning should cost anywhere near $700. Check around and find another vet to do it. Pets can have more than one doctor just like we do.

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You all are way too nice. Let's face it, $700 is a fleecing!! Run for the hills!!!! Find a non-greedy vet, one who wants to help your animals, not just make enough money to buy a new Benz.

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Please do not feed your dogs bones- i work at a veterinary hospital, and have seen fractures of the carnassial teeth (big "molar" teeth) from chewing excessively hard objects. Definitely brush their teeth with a soft brush and pet toothpaste, and offer dog "dental" treats and softer chewy toys to help reduce the need for a teeth cleaning.

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I would definately look around for another place to do a dental. That is extortion. Dentals usually run around $150 including the anesthesia. Your Vet is a rip off artist. What does he charge for a regular exam? My Vet charges $26.50. Look around and shop. You are probably being over charged for Vet care as well.

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You must live in California. :-) We were stunned at the cost of veterinary care when we moved to this state. In her response Dr. Danoff mentioned chewing and tearing on bones. You shouldn't give them weight bearing bones such as beef knuckles or leg bones as they are very hard. Also make sure the bones are not cooked as they can splinter. We feed our dogs raw turkey necks (human grade food) for teeth cleaning. Starting off we fed them twice a week and the difference is amazing. Our vet calls people into the office so they can see our greyhounds' pearly whites. However I must add feeding raw necks is a personal choice. It's worked for our dogs as well as many others. Visit any greyhound forum and you'll see the proof. I add the disclaimer that you should be diligent in hygiene as you are a feeding and handling raw meat.

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I work at an animal hospital and I also own quite a "zoo" of my own. Dental procedures not only depend on the Vet and his/her prices, but also the species of pet having the work and the size of the animal. Dental procedures are quite pricey, some say they are well worth it, but I've never had a dental done on any of my animals simply because of the prices. In conclusion, dental surgerys are priced according to price differences at hospitals, size of pet (in pounds) and extractions and/or medications (including pain and antibiotics), if given. I hope I was able to be of some help. Have a wonderful day, all of you! =)

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I would have to agree $700 is a bit pricey. The place I go to is call VCA Vets&Pets and they only charge about &200. And this is in northern California.(Bay Area)

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Here's a startling statistic; I recently read that approximately 85% of dogs over 3 years of age have SOME degree of gingivitis/periodontal disease!!!

There are many commercially-available "dental chews" out there, some of which are actually quite good, by which I mean that they have been CLINICALLY-PROVEN to help reduce plaque/tartar, or even prevent them from building up in the first place; however, just those things alone will NOT do the whole job. As loving "pet parents," we owe it to our beloved fur-babies and companion animals to take all necessary steps to help prevent tooth decay and/or gum disease. Not only will it save them a great deal of suffering, especially later in life, but it'll also save us a great deal of money in the long run...think about it and you'll see that I'm right!

I've been using Pedigree-brand dental chews with my dogs for well over a decade now, and none of my dogs teeth have ever required a major cleaning, let alone dental surgery. Partly, this is because I give my dogs extensive teeth/gum massages a couple of times a week, with a soft, moist cloth, but it's also because I take the extra time and care to do a little "at-home" dental cleaning from time to time.

Our vet is a really great guy, and he gave me some very helpful free advice many years ago during one of my previous dog's exams, and I've been following that advice religiously ever since. He told me that I would save a GREAT deal of money on dental costs in my dogs' later years if, whenever there's ANY visible plaque/tartar build-up on their teeth, I use the the back end of a spoon (the edge of the handle, in other words) to very gently scrape away any visible build-up, starting at the gum-line and moving out.

Funny thing...my "new" dog, Tas (27 months this week) will pitch an absolute conniption fit whenever I take out his toothbrush and try to brush his teeth (I say "try," because he just won't hold still for it!) but he won't even bat an EYELASH when I grab a spoon, ever-so-gently hold his mouth open, and VERY CAREFULLY scrape away any visible plaque/tartar build-up off his teeth!

He'll go bananas over the toothbrush, but a little toothscraping with the edge of a spoon-handle doesn't phaze him one little bit! Isn't that weird?

Needless to say, my Tas has very bright, clean and sparkling white teeth, fresh breath (for a dog, anyway!) and strong and healthy gums.

He had his annual check-up a few weeks ago, and after examining Tas' teeth and gums, our wonderful vet actually praised me very highly for the excellent care I've taken of Tas' teeth and gums...not bad, especially for a dog who won't even stay in the same ROOM with me when I have a toothbrush in my hand! LOL!

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I work at a vets office and have seen dentals that can be as much as $850... but those are in very rare, very bad cases where the teeth are horrible and the owner wants everything done. Our clinic recommends having a twice-yearly "quick cleaning" which is considerably cheaper and prevents the need for a lot of extractions and big costs. Also, as was already said... there is a lot of at home preventative measures that can be taken from special food & treats to brushing their teeth.

Good luck!

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$700 is absurd!! I have had my cat's teeth cleaned for about $160. I would look for another vet ASAP!

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Please never scrape or scale your pets teeth at home. By doing this you could be damaging the enamel of their teeth. When you create scratches or abrasions in the enamel you create a rough surface on the tooth and plaque can now stick even easier to the tooth's surface. This is why when you get your teeth scaled they always polish afterwards to smooth out all the microscopic abrasions they just caused. And dental work is expensive...human and animal. Yes some vets are cheap but you also need to consider that many vets are poorly educated when it comes to dentistry. You get what u pay for. Where I work we've done dental procedures that range anywhere from $250 to $1300. But I have to say I know how much hard work is involved and it's being done right. We've all went to continuing education classes on dentistry given by a board certified veterinary dentist. And after taking that class I realized how horrible some veterinarians are performing when it comes to dental work. So yes that estimate was expensive but if it includes some extractions then that's why.

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send me a message, I have a wonderful product to share, they even use it on dolphins at some zoos now! I use the origional flavor on occasion. My dogs have wonderful teeth! My Bozley, who is battleing lymphoma, went in, I was hoping for a dental infection as opposed to the lymphoma, but my vet said I've done a great job with his teeth...he's never had a dental! And is over 12yrs.old! Please email me and I can get you started....!

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I just adopted a toy poodle on Thursday (I don't get to bring her home until this week after her shots). The dental issue is one that I have been trying to figure out. She is only 5, but only has about 5 teeth left, and I am fairly certain at least two of them need to be removed. Clearly, I am going to have to get a dental visit in her near future, but I am not sure how to treat her special needs with food, treats, toys, and of course, protecting what she has left. Please let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks!

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I just adopted a toy poodle on Thursday (I don't get to bring her home until this week after her shots). The dental issue is one that I have been trying to figure out. She is only 5, but only has about 5 teeth left, and I am fairly certain at least two of them need to be removed. Clearly, I am going to have to get a dental visit in her near future, but I am not sure how to treat her special needs with food, treats, toys, and of course, protecting what she has left. Please let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks!

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I commend mybestbud for her careful feeding. One thing caught my eye, and I wanted to check it out with
others...she feeds brown rice to her dogs...I have heard that brown rice is not good for dogs....was I misinformed?

Thanks.

(I feed my dogs an organic/all natural kibble with home- cooked veggies and chicken) They love it!)

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If I were you, I'd find a new vet! I just had my Pug's teeth cleaned and polished. She even had 3 teeth extracted due to the overcrowding in her mouth. The bill was only $192.00 which included pre-op blood work and a week's worth of antibiotics following the cleaning. I do brush both my Pugs' teeth every night. And the only treats they get are baby carrots. They eat dry kibble, all natural kibble with no additives or preservatives. I believe the daily brushing is the key. My vet said her teeth were in great shape, very little plaque or tartar on them.

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My Annie (Cockapoo) is 10 years old. I feed her dry food with a tablespoon of Mightly Dog for Seniors. I have had her teeth cleaned once but the price has doubled here in Maryland so I brush her teeth every day and her teeth and gums are looking very good. The Vets would like to do the work, but I believe, if I persevere, that I can keep her teeth in good condition. I realize the wet food is not good for her teeth but I would not like to eat the same dry food day after day, so we have to suffer the consequences. Vet charges about $650.00.

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Funny to stumble ons this post. I have a Chihuahua mix who is in need of a dental. I have never taken any of my dogs for one, but have never needed to. I have only ever fed dry food, she gets pressed rawhide and other tartar control treats-my other two larger dogs have pealy white teeth. I didn't use a spoon back (but will try it) I used my thumbnail the other day and popped a big piece of nasty tartar right off! I was just about to try to tackle a little more. Hopefully that will buy me some time before I have to get it done. Anyone know if the gums were a little receded, if they will recover now that the top of the tooth is clean? Just curious.

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You didn't say how large your dogs are. The size of your dogs will have an impact on the price because of the amount of anastesia needed for larger dogs, Also pain meds will cost more. I still think that $700.00 is a little high. My vet did a teeth cleaning and an extraction on my 100+ lb rottie mix for $ 375.00

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may i suggest using this website that offers all natural products to help such problems and my baby ceelo is prove that these products truly work.

www.1800whiskers.com
www.dogswell.com
www.thewholisticpet.com

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The question I have is does tarter build up cause a dog to salivate? My dog is a flat coated retriever and when she's excited,, like when she gets near strange dogs she drools, or rather foams at the mouth.


What is the reason, her teeth do need cleaning.

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I live in Illinois and I just had one of my Poms done, her teeth are Terrible...anyway, I had the blood tests and kidney function test etc., done before just to be sure she is ok. She had her teeth cleaned and 3 pulled, and it was just under $200.00. Some dogs have bad teeth no matter what you do. It is good for them to have things to chew on that don't stick to their teeth like some chews will. There is also a gel out to use that helps with tartar. I brush my dogs teeth, but I haven't been faithful about it like I should. I think that really helps

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I just had one of my dog teeth cleaned and 3 teeths was pulled. My great Vet did blood work first. I had medicine for him for three weeks. I live in New Orleans and the bill was $189.00. Without pulling any teeth it would have been $135.