Is my dog's teeth cleaning bill too expensive? What's a normal cost?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The photo is slightly blurry for some reason, but I can see some inflammation on Simba's gum line. This can be caused by build up of plaque and bacteria, which can be removed by dental cleaning. I recommend feeding Simba hard food, brushing his teeth gently if he allows, and giving him dental treats for cats to prevent him from needing frequent cleanings in the future. $273 is a very fair price for the cleaning if it includes the anesthesia. For reference, in my practice in New York, a dental cleaning typically costs about $600.

A basic cleaning may cost as much as $500. Costs will vary depending on several factors including location, clinic, severity of dental disease, size of the patient and whether or not dental x-rays and extractions are required. Your veterinarian can perform the procedure. You can contact the clinic and request an estimate for services. Most will provide one as a matter of hospital policy.

The cost of a dental exam, cleaning and surgical extraction varies greatly depending on your area. I would recommend making an appointment to see a vet for an exam - they can then make an estimate based on whether or not extracting teeth is expected.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Performing bloodwork would be at the discretion of the veterinarian seeing her. For a 9 year old dog (as noted in her profile), I would personally recommend bloodwork before putting her under anesthesia to make sure that her kidneys and liver are working properly. Usually a dental cleaning only takes about 15-20 minutes if no extractions are needed. Best of luck!

This depends in part on the dental issues your pet it suffering from but generally involves an anesthetic, full assessment of the teeth and gums followed by removal of all plaque and tartar from the tooth surface. Loose or damaged teeth may be extracted to prevent further pain, discomfort and infection. Costs depend entirely on the extent of work required; the costs for blood tests also are dependent on what is being tested for. Contact your local clinics for an estimate on the work that is needed and projected cost

I am sorry to hear that Charlie Brown is having problems with his teeth! Unfortunately we cannot give you the cost of this procedure as it will vary based on the region of the country where you live and the individual hospital where you have the procedure performed. It will also depend on things such as if you have bloodwork done to ensure Charlie Brown has normal liver/kidney function, how difficult the extraction of the tooth will be, and if he will need medication to go home. I would recommend bringing him to a full service vet and they can make an estimate for you based on his examination.

Tartar buildup on a dog’s teeth is very common. The best way to prevent it is by brushing their teeth daily, usually in the evenings after their last meal. In most cases, unless the pulp cavity (the inner, live part of the tooth) or the crown (the whitish part of the tooth you can see) is damaged there is no need to remove the tooth. With a good dental cleaning (that must be done under general anesthesia) the tartar can be removed and the tooth polished so that the tooth can remain with the dog. If you are going to have a dental performed on your dog ask the veterinarian about performing dental x-rays. This will help determine the viability of the tooth. Once the x-rays are performed the veterinarian can make a better decision on whether or not the tooth needs to be removed. If tartar on the tooth is the only issue, there is no discoloration, cracks or fractures, or anything abnormal about the tooth, your dog will likely be able to keep the tooth. Pricing of dental cleanings very from clinic to clinic. Once you have your initial consultation with your veterinarian they should be able to provide you with an estimate. In the States a typical dental cleaning, depending on the size of dog and the problems present, can be anywhere from $300-$1000. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Best of luck.