Dog Teeth Cleaning....aaggh! This costs more than my own dentistry!

[CTSV_510]

So I have a Miniature Pinscher, the little rat pictured here in front of two real dogs:







It is not necessary to lecture or argue on whether my pet should be considered an actual canine please, I've heard it all.


Anyway, he (Guinness) is 6 years old and is scheduled for his second teeth cleaning at the vet. The last one was 2 years ago and cost a little over $300 including the blood work before hard. The blood work is necessary to make sure he is in good enough health to handle the anesthesia that they will give him to knock him out while they do the cleaning.

The vet says that he is in big time need of major cleaning again already (I agree, his back teeth look disgusting). I guess I'm looking at another $300+ vet bill.

Does anyone have experience with this? What are you paying and how often are you getting it done for your dog?

And what type of dog do you have? As small as Guinness is (12 lbs) you'd think it would be a bit cheaper than getting, lets say a actual Doberman's teeth done.

[ETC4ME]

$240 My "kid" is a Belgian Terverun.

[orconn]

It seems a bit high, I'd call around to some other vets and get quotes from them. In Virginia there is a wide difference in fees charged by vets. In Great Falls, where I was living at the time, the local vet charged three times what the vets charged in a town nearby. They charge what they think the traffic will bare. I didn't see any difference in the quality of care my dogs received from the less expensive vets that I went to after making a few calls. However, I did notice there wasn't a BMW parked in the new vet's parking spot!

[dkozloski]

My two dogs both had dental issues at $240 a pop or more so I put them on crunchy tooth cleaning dog food and the problem went away.

[orconn]

My dogs, a Boston and a Scotty, both have Nyla Bones which seem to take care of the tartar buildup. My German Shepherd, who passed away three years ago at just over ten years old, always chewed a Nyla bone and never had to have a teeth cleaning.

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

My dog eats dry food and likes to chomp away on sticks and NylaBones. We have never had to get any dental work done on her and she will be 9 years old in September.

[dkozloski]

Worse comes to worse you can always go to the rental place and pick up a sand blaster and DIY.

[gdwriter]

I had to take Pepper in for a cortisone shot. She has some kind of allergic reaction to flea bites, and it creates these big sores, but the cortisone clears it right up. Unfortunately my vet also found a huge buildup of tarter on one of her teeth. That sucker was about as wide as a dime and probably 1/4" thick. The tooth may be abscessed, so I'll likely have to take her back for a dental in September.

Otherwise, the vet says she's in remarkable shape for a 14-year-old cat. Heart rate is excellent, and the only thing that shows her age is something in the irises of her eyes. And fortunately, she's really good at the vet. She howls in the carrier on the way to the vet, but it's only a mile away.

[Jesda]

I guess some breeds are more prone to dental trouble than others. Newton is prone to very few health problems, but he's stubborn as hell and slow to learn.

I keep him busy chewing so he doesnt get bored and nag me for attention, and as a result his teeth are clean.

[gdwriter]

I was warned that Labs are notorious chewers, but the only thing Hoover has chewed are leashes. Well, that and a seat belt when I tried a car restraint. That didn't work. He'll pick up my shoes and carry them around the house if I don't keep my closet door closed, but he doesn't chew them. The treats I give him are supposed to be good for his teeth, so I think he's fine for now.

[Florian]

300 dollar tooth cleaning, consider yourself lucky. Try 30K in cancer treatments...


F

[CTSV_510]

Originally Posted by dkozloski

My two dogs both had dental issues at $240 a pop or more so I put them on crunchy tooth cleaning dog food and the problem went away.

Originally Posted by orconn

My dogs, a Boston and a Scotty, both have Nyla Bones which seem to take care of the tartar buildup. My German Shepherd, who passed away three years ago at just over ten years old, always chewed a Nyla bone and never had to have a teeth cleaning.

Good info, thanks!

Originally Posted by Florian

300 dollar tooth cleaning, consider yourself lucky. Try 30K in cancer treatments...


F

perspective gained.

[VforMe]

Feb is dental month at our Vet and dental work is 50% off so I usually just go ahead and get both dogs teeth cleaned. Its cheaper and they usually need a cleaning about once a year. It usually cost around 250 for everything for both of them. Little dogs always have crappy teeth and usually bad joints.