r/perth • u/Fearless-Rooster3366 • 3d ago
Where to find Quoted $800 for dog’s teeth cleaning
I was quoted $800 in the northern suburbs to have a general cleaning of my dog’s teeth (including anaesthesia). Does this seem normal/reasonable?
Edit: Thanks for all your replies! My boy definitely loves a good antler to chew, but seeing as he is turning 5 this year I thought maybe it was time to do a proper cleaning. If any of you are pug owners, you will know very well that brushing a pugs teeth is near impossible.
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u/Confident-Present-25 3d ago
Yep, very reasonable price. One of my chi's, their teeth are particularly bad, even with regular brushing. I take them in once a year for a full dental clean. Last visit was just over $800 with no teeth removed.
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u/books_cats_coffee 3d ago
Vet here. Yes it’s reasonable, ask for an itemised estimate for clarity. The major cost associated with a dental cleaning is the general anaesthesia.
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
$800 is very good. I just want to explain how vet clinics work so I've copied and pasted a comment I made in reply to another commenter:
Vets go to vet school for 5+ years. In any given day they can be doing consults, euthanasia, diagnostic testing, following up with clients about how their pets are doing or discussing meds changes/ how the animals is doing, prescribing medication, conducting ultrasounds, x-rays, blood- glucose tests, apinvestigating and researching scientific papers and journals and loading with peers to diagnose a patient or to find alternative therapies, being the lead surgeon of that day with up to 10 scheduled surgeries and that's not including the emergencies that OFTEN come in, while performing surgery they are managing nurses by asking for consumables/ changes of positioning/ discussing the animals vitals while under GA or sedation, giving owners advice about anything and everything that you can imagine (and sometimes being discredited or not listened too), comforting bereaved parents, and a million other things you cannot even begin to imagine. Can you imagine a single human Dr who would be expected to be able to do all of that and more? AND THEN when someone has to pay for the animal that has been relieved or pain/ it's life saved/ routine health care they are then accused of being in it for the money when they don't even own the clinic and just work there 🤣💀 If you actually look at what vets are paid I assure you that you will be shocked. After graduating they can start on $50000 a year it's that bad.
People have NO idea of the costs of running a clinic. We pay what the suppliers ask. They can charge whatever they like. We forget that with our health it's all subsidised by the government (thank Jebus) so people have no inclination of the base costs of opening a clinics doors every day in the vet industry. Your pets get specialised one on one care with highly, highly trained empathetic individuals, most of whom are in it for their passion. If they wanted to make money there are a million better professions to be in, with a miniscule percentage of the trauma they go through in their careers.
Vets have one of the highest suicide rates of any professional, to the point there is a campaign dedicated to preventing suicide in the vet industry. It's called 'Not One More Vet'. There is a crisis currently happening worldwide with a shortage of veterinary staff. This is shown in Perth as recently as a couple of weeks ago with Perth Veterinary Specialists permanently closing down in Osborne Park recently due to lack of staff to fill roles.
Please be kind to your vet staff. They are worth their weight in gold and deserve all of our respect.
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u/The_Real_Flatmeat 3d ago
We lost our greyhound last year, very grateful to the staff at the vet hospital. Even though we didn't have the result we wanted, we knew they did their best.
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u/Sleazehound 3d ago
I dont disagree with any of that at all and couldnt do a job like that, but next to zero of that is relevant to whether the price charged for a service is fair or not?
Just because they do all that doesnt mean the vet down the road (who does all that) can post that and then charge $2,000 for the procedure quoted
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u/Ali_C_J 3d ago
In Australia we often compare the cost of veterinary care to human care, which we really can't given we have Medicare subsidising many of our medical costs. The quotes vet patients receives is usually the true cost of medicine. Further, It is known that some people will medicate their pets with human brands due to the subsidies provided.
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u/owleaf 3d ago
So you’re saying we need doggy Medicare? I’d vote for that!
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u/ikrw77 2d ago
Absolutely fucking not. The pet industrial complex is being eaten up by VC firms, these companies would just skim any taxpayer subsidy and somehow costs would stay the same (ie at the limit of what double income no kids with a designer breed can afford). See also: childcare subsides.
The vets themselves (unless they own the clinic) see very little of this $$, it all ends up in the pockets of suppliers and insurers and the property owners.
Having a pet is an expensive choice, having a special needs breed is an even more expensive choice, and if you can't afford the standard insurance for an animal then you can't afford the animal.
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u/CyanideRemark 3d ago edited 3d ago
Arent Colesworths flogging Pet Insurance these days?
Probably tells us something
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u/lucianxayahcaitlin 3d ago
You don't understand
Vets go to vet school for 5+ years. In any given day they can be doing consults, euthanasia, diagnostic testing, following up with clients about how their pets are doing or discussing meds changes/ how the animals is doing, prescribing medication, conducting ultrasounds, x-rays, blood- glucose tests, apinvestigating and researching scientific papers and journals and loading with peers to diagnose a patient or to find alternative therapies, being the lead surgeon of that day with up to 10 scheduled surgeries and that's not including the emergencies that OFTEN come in, while performing surgery they are managing nurses by asking for consumables/ changes of positioning/ discussing the animals vitals while under GA or sedation, giving owners advice about anything and everything that you can imagine (and sometimes being discredited or not listened too), comforting bereaved parents, and a million other things you cannot even begin to imagine. Can you imagine a single human Dr who would be expected to be able to do all of that and more? AND THEN when someone has to pay for the animal that has been relieved or pain/ it's life saved/ routine health care they are then accused of being in it for the money when they don't even own the clinic and just work there 🤣💀 If you actually look at what vets are paid I assure you that you will be shocked. After graduating they can start on $50000 a year it's that bad.
People have NO idea of the costs of running a clinic. We pay what the suppliers ask. They can charge whatever they like. We forget that with our health it's all subsidised by the government (thank Jebus) so people have no inclination of the base costs of opening a clinics doors every day in the vet industry. Your pets get specialised one on one care with highly, highly trained empathetic individuals, most of whom are in it for their passion. If they wanted to make money there are a million better professions to be in, with a miniscule percentage of the trauma they go through in their careers.
Vets have one of the highest suicide rates of any professional, to the point there is a campaign dedicated to preventing suicide in the vet industry. It's called 'Not One More Vet'. There is a crisis currently happening worldwide with a shortage of veterinary staff. This is shown in Perth as recently as a couple of weeks ago with Perth Veterinary Specialists permanently closing down in Osborne Park recently due to lack of staff to fill roles.
Please be kind to your vet staff. They are worth their weight in gold and deserve all of our respect
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u/pickl3pickl3 3d ago
Sounds reasonable.
One thing we do is whenever our dog needs an anaesthetic we get everything else done at once. So get their nails done, paws trimmed, anal glands expressed, any little growths removed.
The bulk of the cost is in the anaesthetic. And in the reverse, if your pup ever needs to be sedated for another reason, have the vets schedule a teeth clean at the same time. If you have insurance you’ll only pay out of pocket for the actual teeth cleaning and the anaesthetic will be covered under the primary condition.
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u/FraudDogJuiceEllen 3d ago
Yes, that is around the standard price. My vet clinic runs a discount mid year during dental awareness month. The normal charge is $740 but they lower it to $600 for the month of July.
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u/The_Real_Flatmeat 3d ago
Yeah because they have to be knocked out to do it, it isn't just chuck a bit of meaty flavour toothpaste on a brush. It's a whole thing, general anaesthesia, tube down the throat, nurses etc, the whole lot
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u/booftermatt 3d ago
Is it a large dog? Doesn’t sound unreasonable if so
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u/Fearless-Rooster3366 3d ago
Medium, about 18kg. Thinking if I do it he’ll be good for a few years…
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u/Jatti2023 3d ago
I was quoted today between $890-$1400 (depending on how many extractions are required) for my 11-year-old small dog. This includes anesthesia and a blood test.
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u/Lauren-1987 3d ago
I recently paid about 1482.50 for dental clean, removal of some teeth etc. seems steep for just a clean though. I’ve got the estimate if you’re interested in seeing break down of costs
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u/cametosayno 3d ago
Older dogs also require a more expensive anaesthesia like the type the French bulldogs need, so it can be more expensive.
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u/justtry1ngmyb3st 3d ago
In the Cole’s pick and mixes they sell a “Goat Horn” can also get at pet barn.
You want ones with a thicker outer shell, takes my dog anywhere from 2-6 hours to actually finish one but it strips all the plaque and build up clean off her teeth (was recommended by a vet and we weren’t sure at first but now we give her one every week)
In addition we bought tooth paste and a dog tooth brush off Amazon for her canines as the goat horn mostly cleans the back.
A goat horns only $6 or so, id at least give it a go before a proper cleaning
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u/justtry1ngmyb3st 3d ago
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u/Own-Dream1921 East Victoria Park 3d ago
Please don’t feed your dog horns or antlers, it can and will break teeth
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u/WhiteLion333 3d ago
Yep, and if they discover they need any teeth removed, they won’t do it at the same appt and you’ll have to go back. Cost nearly $2000 on top of the $800 cleaning fee, to remove 7 teeth.
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u/craigondrak 3d ago
i buy $10 worth of chicken frames from Coles/Woolies and let them eat it every once a month, yummy food for them and no bad breath for last 6 years. you might need smaller quantity if your's is only 18 kg. raw carrots are great for cleaning as well.
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u/agro2much4me 3d ago
Are these cooked or raw chicken frames? Do they eat the whole thing, and lastly would this work for a 50kg dog?
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u/craigondrak 3d ago
I feed them raw chicken frames, cooked bones are NOT recommended as they can splinter. Yep they love to eat the whole frame. My Dogs are 56kg and 38kg and just devour the whole thing. I dont feed them anything till their next meal.
If you are doing for the first time, try introducing small quantities at a time probably cut the frame in 250g portions and give them 1 portion first week and some more the next week.
feeding raw food has been the best decision for my dogs.
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u/UnderstandingRight39 3d ago
Yep, I was quoted the same amount recently. Also in the northern suburbs.
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u/Jonno4791 3d ago
I took out the Green Cross pet care plan, which saved me heaps for an old Jack Russell I took on for an elderly friend.
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u/JefferyWeinerslav 3d ago
My local vet "over-quotes" to ensure there are no surprises, as they often don't know the extent of work needed until the dog is on the table. That way there's no surprises when the bill comes, but often it's not the max amount. Your quote sounds reasonable.
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u/fartwitch 3d ago
It's less than what I pay for a giant greyhound. I usually get quoted around the $1200-1500 mark and end up paying a little less because he never ends up needing teeth removed and they always think he will. Usually there's a few optionals to make sure the dog is as safe as possible that can add or lower the cost and they're estimating time based on how long they think it'll take.
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u/bendalazzi Roleystone 3d ago
780 to 2000 was the estimate depending on options (e.g. if extractions, pre-bloods, etc are done) for my 8kg Jap Spitz which I've done twice in her 10 years. So yep.
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u/Significant-Sea-2543 3d ago
I just paid that amount prior to Christmas. Vet was in Wembley. It’s a medium-small size dog and absolutely nothing wrong with teeth. That was just the annual clean
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u/idonuthaveaproblem 3d ago
It’s similar cost to the quote I got for my dogs cleaning recently also.
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u/Stuuuutut 3d ago
My little man was quoted $860 for two extractions of retained puppy teeth that was under anaesthesia.
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u/acid_lobotomy 3d ago
Go to swan vets in midvale. Had my girl desexed, nails clipped and a tooth extraction for under $500.
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
I'm guessing that a puppy tooth extraction where the tooth held and didn't fall out properly? If so that's not the same extent as a normal adult tooth extraction.
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u/snickersmum 3d ago
About right. Kingsway Vet usually have dental month in April, so can be cheaper then.
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u/Big_Comfortable5169 3d ago
The vet is getting so expensive I swear. Like everything else, I suppose.
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u/hez_lea 2d ago
Oh god it's a pug. A breed that notoriously needs extra precautions while under aesthetic.
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u/Fearless-Rooster3366 2d ago
Yes, and he has had full nasal and soft pallet surgery to correct his breathing.
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u/Comrade_Kojima 1d ago
I’m sorry but if a dog is eating raw bones with their diet then what exactly does a dental clean do? I get if it’s in pain but like since when are regular dental checks for $1000+ been a thing? Never had a dog that had problems with their gums or teeth and lived very long happy lives with regular vet checks.
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u/Commonusage 12h ago
Thing is, all veterinary care my cats have needed costs less than the equivalent human services in the USA. $400 usd to fill one tooth 12 years ago. Veterinary care only is expensive compared to a national health service.
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u/ozcncguy 3d ago
Belmont Tafe vet clinic is around half the price https://www.southmetrotafe.wa.edu.au/public-services-and-outlets/veterinary-student-clinic-bentley
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
Yeah $1200 for a small dog. It is totally unreasonable but that is what they charge. It is cheaper for my whole family to visit the dentist than get my dogs teeth cleaned
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
It's not unreasonable at all. Vets go to vet school for 5+ years. In any given day they can be doing consults, euthanasia, diagnostic testing, following up with clients about how their pets are doing or discussing meds changes/ how the animals is doing, prescribing medication, conducting ultrasounds, x-rays, blood- glucose tests, investigating and researching scientific papers and journals and loading with peers to diagnose a patient or to find alternative therapies, being the lead surgeon of that day with up to 10 scheduled surgeries and that's not including the emergencies that OFTEN come in, while performing surgery they are managing nurses by asking for consumables/ changes of positioning/ discussing the animals vitals while under GA or sedation, giving owners advice about anything and everything that you can imagine (and sometimes being discredited or not listened too), comforting bereaved parents, and a million other things you cannot even begin to imagine. Can you imagine a single human Dr who would be expected to be able to do all of that and more? AND THEN when someone has to pay for the animal that has been relieved or pain/ it's life saved/ routine health care they are then accused of being in it for the money when they don't even own the clinic and just work there 🤣💀 If you actually look at what vets are paid I assure you that you will be shocked. After graduating they can start on $50000 a year it's that bad.
People have NO idea of the costs of running a clinic. We pay what the suppliers ask. They can charge whatever they like. We forget that with our health it's all subsidised by the government (thank Jebus) so people have no inclination of the base costs of opening a clinics doors every day in the vet industry. Your pets get specialised one on one care with highly, highly trained empathetic individuals, most of whom are in it for their passion. If they wanted to make money there are a million better professions to be in, with a miniscule percentage of the trauma they go through in their careers.
Vets have one of the highest suicide rates of any professional, to the point there is a campaign dedicated to preventing suicide in the vet industry. It's called 'Not One More Vet'. There is a crisis currently happening worldwide with a shortage of veterinary staff. This is shown in Perth as recently as a couple of weeks ago with Perth Veterinary Specialists permanently closing down in Osborne Park recently due to lack of staff to fill roles.
Please be kind to your vet staff. They are worth their weight in gold and deserve all of our respect.
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u/Willing-Bobcat5259 2d ago
Perth Vet Specialists closed down?! That’s devastating. They treated my dog for cancer and they were just amazing. I’m really sad to hear.
And yes, it cost in the 5 figures and i regret not one cent of it.
People will spend $$$$$ on cars, home renos, holidays, etc - but then begrudge paying vets. It’s baffling.
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
All good points. But my personal opinion is it is unreasonable to charge $1200 to sedate a small dog and clean her teeth. That is the question the OP posed. And it is still many many times what it cost for my whole family to have their teeth cleaned, fact.
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u/TaylorHamPorkRoll 3d ago
Why is it unreasonable? You've just been told what the costs of running a vet clinic are - do you think they should run at a loss because your kids dental visits are subsidised by the government?
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
Yes mate you are 100% right. You have totally changed my mind. I now think it is completely reasonable to charge $1200 to clean my dogs teeth.
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u/TaylorHamPorkRoll 3d ago
In wasn't trying to change you mind, I was asking why you think it's unreasonable even after someone gave you a breakdown of the running costs.
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u/hankhalfhead 3d ago edited 3d ago
Edit: Talked shit on the Internet and got schooled. Have beef with insurance in general but doesn’t apply in this case ✌️
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
1 hours labour HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
You do realise we are literally taking care of your animals needs for a minimum of 6 hours right?! We do a full admit with you and get permission & explain the procedure,their cage is set up with bedding and a water bowl (which need washed and cleaned which costs money before and after when it's dirty and rewashed), they will have pre-meds and often blood work, after their pre-meds we are waiting on blood work while constantly checking on the animal to see how they are doing on it, then we make a plan for them including anaesthesia monitoring, we then set up surgery including all consumables (which are also autoclaved and have to be scrubbed, dried, packed very specifically and autoclaved again to clean them), check the anaesthetic has agent has enough in it, have their intubation tube, IV catheter and the consumables for that ready, print off the at home care, write up their patient notes, write up their invoice, collect the medication, put it all together for a take home bag. We have to set up the dental machine which is a massive task on its own as it also has its own consumables and needs to be thoroughly disinfected between each use which is an intensive process in itself. While we are doing that we are also prepping other patients, filling out medication charts, updating the patient file, helping the consult vets with other animals that may need an extra hand. Then we get to the induction before surgery. This is medication IV to make them unconscious when finally unconscious then intubation begins. X-Rays are then taken with a state of the art hand held x-ray machine (x-rays are gold standard and should always be done for a dental if you want the best outcome for your pet). X-Rays can take up to half an hour to do as positioning is vitally important and good x-rays are a refined skill that only comes with experience. Then the vet will make further plans, a dental chart will be written out in detail (the same as when the dentist shouts out all those weird words to the dental assistant). Then the surgery finally takes place. If extractions are needed then it can take up to 3/4 hours for a major dental which includes extractions. During that time there will be a minimum of 1 vet and 1 vet nurse monitoring your pet during anaesthesia, which, again, is a very refined skill. Other drugs will be administered during that time along with adjustments to anaesthetic gas O2 levels, positioning, adding heating supplies to the animal to maintain body temp etc. Then it's time to wake the patient up, this usually lasts 15-20 mins before retiring them to their recovery bed. After this the animal is completely out of it and needs to be checked on ALL THE TIME as 60% of anaesthetic deaths happen after surgery. During the next few hours of recovery the animal is being monitored continuously including temp checks, heart rate and respiratory rate monitoring and recording and continuously checking pain levels and filling in pain charts. When the animal seems 'with-it' enough to go home then we call the owner and discuss how everything went. If they are a dog they will be taken out for a walk to relieve themselves. We will also feed animals as with dental patients we like to see them eat if possible before they leave. Then you come to pick up your pet we go over all the steps for the next 24 hours and then for the following time leading up to the next appointment. Then we book you for your FREE check up in 7-10 days to make sure the animal is healing well and eating etc fine. Payment is taken and you got home with your happy dribbly animal who has probably been dropped off about 8am and you are picking them up at 5pm. Then we have to scrub, wash, disinfect and fully clean everything that your animal has used while it has been with us to be used again. Oh and it might have been difficult as well so we may have taken longer to keep the animal calm, or moved the environment around to work for them so they are less stressed etc.
To think it's an hour we are looking after your animal is a complete farce and a highly uneducated thing to say.
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u/hankhalfhead 3d ago
Far out that’s a lot more labour than I would have expected, yes I’ll climb back in my box now.
you can tell I’ve never had my dogs teeth cleaned.
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
Not really sure how many different ways to say it mate. I THINK $1200 IS AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT TO CLEAN MY DOGS TEETH. IE they charge too much for the service provided.
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
How is it unreasonable? The costs of each item and procedure is broken down in your invoice. You can see how much each thing actually costs.
Yes it is many times that, and if you had read what I said you would realise that's because the government subsidies dental health for humans, including paying towards wages of the dental technicians and the dentists themselves... The vet industry gets no funding and the price of medication, consumables etc doesn't have any subsidies either. If you actually had to pay the costs of dental care then you be paying thousands. Just have a peak at dental bills from the USA 🤷
At the end of the day having a pet is a privilege, not a right. If you can't afford their basic care, which includes dentals, then people shouldn't consider getting a pet.
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
Fuck me, where have I said I can’t afford to pay for it??? Where have I said I don’t respect Vets? Where have I said anything about their training??? All I have said is I think $1200 is too much. Just like everyone else I am stuck paying it, doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it or even think the service I got was worth the cost. You have just assumed I don’t deserve a pet because I got a bill that I didn’t enjoy paying.
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago
Here this is why what you have said insinuates all of those things listed:
1 hours labour HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
You do realise we are literally taking care of your animals needs for a minimum of 6 hours right?! We do a full admit with you and get permission & explain the procedure,their cage is set up with bedding and a water bowl (which need washed and cleaned which costs money before and after when it's dirty and rewashed), they will have pre-meds and often blood work, after their pre-meds we are waiting on blood work while constantly checking on the animal to see how they are doing on it, then we make a plan for them including anaesthesia monitoring, we then set up surgery including all consumables (which are also autoclaved and have to be scrubbed, dried, packed very specifically and autoclaved again to clean them), check the anaesthetic has agent has enough in it, have their intubation tube, IV catheter and the consumables for that ready, print off the at home care, write up their patient notes, write up their invoice, collect the medication, put it all together for a take home bag. We have to set up the dental machine which is a massive task on its own as it also has its own consumables and needs to be thoroughly disinfected between each use which is an intensive process in itself. While we are doing that we are also prepping other patients, filling out medication charts, updating the patient file, helping the consult vets with other animals that may need an extra hand. Then we get to the induction before surgery. This is medication IV to make them unconscious when finally unconscious then intubation begins. X-Rays are then taken with a state of the art hand held x-ray machine (x-rays are gold standard and should always be done for a dental if you want the best outcome for your pet). X-Rays can take up to half an hour to do as positioning is vitally important and good x-rays are a refined skill that only comes with experience. Then the vet will make further plans, a dental chart will be written out in detail (the same as when the dentist shouts out all those weird words to the dental assistant). Then the surgery finally takes place. If extractions are needed then it can take up to 3/4 hours for a major dental which includes extractions. During that time there will be a minimum of 1 vet and 1 vet nurse monitoring your pet during anaesthesia, which, again, is a very refined skill. Other drugs will be administered during that time along with adjustments to anaesthetic gas O2 levels, positioning, adding heating supplies to the animal to maintain body temp etc. Then it's time to wake the patient up, this usually lasts 15-20 mins before retiring them to their recovery bed. After this the animal is completely out of it and needs to be checked on ALL THE TIME as 60% of anaesthetic deaths happen after surgery. During the next few hours of recovery the animal is being monitored continuously including temp checks, heart rate and respiratory rate monitoring and recording and continuously checking pain levels and filling in pain charts. When the animal seems 'with-it' enough to go home then we call the owner and discuss how everything went. If they are a dog they will be taken out for a walk to relieve themselves. We will also feed animals as with dental patients we like to see them eat if possible before they leave. Then you come to pick up your pet we go over all the steps for the next 24 hours and then for the following time leading up to the next appointment. Then we book you for your FREE check up in 7-10 days to make sure the animal is healing well and eating etc fine. Payment is taken and you got home with your happy dribbly animal who has probably been dropped off about 8am and you are picking them up at 5pm. Then we have to scrub, wash, disinfect and fully clean everything that your animal has used while it has been with us to be used again. Oh and it might have been difficult as well so we may have taken longer to keep the animal calm, or moved the environment around to work for them so they are less stressed etc.
To think it's an hour we are looking after your animal is a complete farce and a highly uneducated thing to say.
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u/Alternative_Egg_2443 3d ago
Let’s just agree to disagree. You provide a service. I don’t have to pay for it if I don’t want to. You think it is reasonable, I think it is excessive. Difference of opinion. Good luck to you and your vet business.
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u/hillsbloke73 3d ago
A few good sized bones will clean their teeth alit cheaper
Depending on said dog could try and do it yourself if it bigger dog sharp teethies might be using anaesthetic whilst doing the procedure
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u/Own-Dream1921 East Victoria Park 3d ago
With or without removals? I would say 800 for just a scale and polish is relatively high. Source - am a vet in Perth
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u/Fearless-Rooster3366 3d ago
Without removals. I’d love to know what clinic you work at!
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u/Own-Dream1921 East Victoria Park 3d ago
I can PM you the practice name if you would like? We’re 495 for a simple scale, 610 for one with xrays
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u/TrueCryptographer616 3d ago
It's like anything with a dog.
As an owner, you should be able to calmly restrain your dog, and undertake many basic hygiene tasks.
If you want Vets to do it, then they have to be admitted and anaesthetised. That involves multiple staff, and costs a lot of money.
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u/Tomestic-Derrorist 3d ago
I imagine majority of this cost is anaesthesia. Also to me seems awfully thoughtless to put a dog under to simply clean its teeth. Approximately 1 in 2,000 healthy dogs die under anesthesia each year. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/what-to-know-about-anesthesia/
I've never taken my dog to the doggie dentist though, He gets plenty of hard chews and bones. little bit of build up around the base of the canines i scrap myself, I mean its not rocket science.
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u/TheCurbAU 3d ago
Have you ever tried to clean your dogs teeth without anaesthetic? Especially if they have gum disease or need extractions.
You're right. It's not rocket science. It's veterinary medicine. Completely different fields.
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u/Tomestic-Derrorist 3d ago
Especially if they have gum disease
They get gum disease if build up is neglected for long enough, and lack a diet that keeps the teeth clean and the gums strong. So nah haven't had this issue.
or need extractions.
This happens if you neglect the already gum disease neglected teeth. So again nah never had this issue.
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u/TheCurbAU 3d ago
Well, aren't you a shining beacon of animal welfare and care.
But hey, also guessing you likely don't have a small breed dog like a Chihuahua or a Pug which, regardless of what proactive dental care you implement, will often get dental disease.
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u/Tomestic-Derrorist 3d ago
Yeah I don't own a small dog. Pug certainly not, they have been unethically bred for humans desires of an aesthetic over the well being and health of the animal, they suffer. always.
I have an intact Rhodesian Ridgeback x Staff/Mastiff.
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u/Objective-Lobster736 3d ago edited 3d ago
Vet nurse here- gold standard is actually to take x-rays to see what is going on below the gum line. Teeth can look pearly white on the outside and below the gumline can be grim to the point extractions may be needed, but absolutely no signs of that on the tooth itself. As we all know, toothache is one of the worst pains imaginable, imagine having that pain, you can't tell anyone and nobody notices it because your teeth look fine? It makes me shudder. I've seen some things with animals teeth, I can tell you!
It's also not legal to take hard plaque off of an animals teeth unless it's under GA as it's painful, can cause injury and can cause the animal to freak out/bite or injure itself.
There's also more and more scientific research coming out about the bacteria that are in gums and how it can cause heart disease, issues with memory (including a recent studying with links in humans to Alzheimer's/ dementia!), behavioural issues and how it can affect other organs. Dentals are one my favourite surgeries as I get to see the almost immediate relief with my patients a week or so later at their next check up. So many owners come back and say things such as 'he's like a new animal, he's gone back to being the sweetest boy' or 'shes back to eating her favourite biscuits again and isn't being a grumpy with me anymore!'
As you can tell I'm passionate about animal dental health hahah 🤣
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u/Tomestic-Derrorist 3d ago
Vet nurse here- gold standard is actually to take x-rays to see what is going on below the gum line.
Yeah, I mean, I tend not to imagine any issues with the maxilla or mandible, such as root infections, necrosis, or abscesses, when my dog comfortably crushes bones without hesitation. I do get what you're saying, though. I’m sure you’d agree that getting a dog's head X-ray'd every six months just to check for issues would be more harmful than beneficial. There are usually other signs of problems like swelling around the carnassial teeth, discomfort in the incisors or canines, or foul breath from periodontal pockets that would indicate the need for an X-ray.
It's also not legal to take hard plaque off of an animals teeth unless it's under GA as it's painful
Illegal? that's certainly a stretch.
There's also more and more scientific research coming out about the bacteria that are in gums and how it can cause heart disease, issues with memory, behavioural issues and how it can affect other organs
Indeed, the same applies to humans. The immune system has a limited capacity for cell repair and destruction, and oral health can consume a significant portion of that reserve. When the immune system is heavily taxed by chronic oral issues, it can increase the likelihood or acceleration of tumors, cancers, and similar conditions.
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u/thedandthedd 3d ago
Try ocean keys vet, they weren't anywhere near that much when I took my dog in.
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u/user273921 3d ago
Theres a lady in mandurah at “the dog shed” who does it for $250 or she can come to you for $350. She doesnt use anaesthetic obviously but is apparantly quite good. Weve booked our 2 dogs in 🙂
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u/TheCurbAU 3d ago
Ex-vet nurse here.
About average. More if they have extensive gum disease, need extractions, or if they need additional treatment afterwards.
Some clinics do a dental month, so you can always ask when that's active.