Teeth Cleaning - $500 worth?
 

So I took my 5yo male GSD in for the heartworm check and while there the vet tech also takes a look at his teeth.

He had had a formal cleaning a year ago from last Oct - where they put the dog under anasthesia and clean the teeth.

They had just looked at them again in Oct/Nov last year and said that theywere ok and didn't need the formal cleaning, like the that time but had a little tarter, etc. on his teeth

This time the tech spent a while after his HW check telling me that his front teetth were pretty good but had tarter and a little inflamation (gingivitis?) on his back teeth.

Then explained what they wanted to do this time. Put him under and do a thorough cleaning. In order to use general Anathesia they also said they had to do some blood work to check him (kidneys and stuff) which would cost extra in addition to the cleaning itself.

Total of all of it would be just about $500.

I am wondering if any of you have had your dogs teeth cleaned, and what it cost and is it needed? Pros and cons of the procedure.

They also said I can brush his teeth with special toothbrush and paste and that will help but it wouldn't fix the back teeth tarter and gingevitis that he already has.

I've done it with one dog and one cat, both were under $100 but that's the nice thing about cost of living here. I've found most things cost 2-4 times as much in other parts of the country. I believe it is costly because the dog is actually anasthetized and some places will also do bloodwork that relates to the procedure. The ones my vets do also include minor extractions (so you don't pay extra to have a bad tooth removed if it's a simple extraction).

Marrow Bones and Cow Hoof.

Yukon is nine years old, will turn ten this year and I've never had his teeth cleaned by the vet, yet our vet said that he's got the best teeth he's ever seen in a nine year old.

That is a good thing to consider for his teeth! Thanks!

marrow bones +1 you'll see a noticeably whiter smile afterwards

I also feed cow knuckles and find that my dog's teeth are generally clean- certainly not needing cleaning under anesthesia. And cow knuckles are pretty cheap. About $4 each from my supermarket.


Here in Indy, about 3 years ago I was quoted around $500 for teeth cleaning (including anesthesia).

Get the bones in a regular supermarket, i.e. Safeway?

So I guess that my vet is not terribly out of line on the cost, anyway?

In No. CA.

No, I don't think so. I'd still go the marrow bone/knuckle route though, personally. In fact- I did go that route and it worked just fine.

Chicken feet....clean those back teeth right up.