Is this a normal price for a dental for a dog?? I was a little bit shocked. My dog is a JR and smells a little from his mouth so my vet suggested to have his teeth cleaned and recommended Feb because its 20% off then. So I made an appointment for Feb but wanted to have a quote first… They told me $550, and thats already 20% reduced… My vet charges $140 for a horses dental so I am a little confused… How can it be that expensive for a dog??
Last time I had a dental done on my Toy Fox Terrier it was about $80. That was pulling baby teeth though, not a cleaning but they still had to put her under general anesthesia. It was a base rate and then a charge per tooth pulled.
$550 is not an unusually high price for a dog’s dental cleaning where I live. My small dog had three dentals over the course of her life and that’s around what they cost (except for one which was more expensive because she had to have multiple extractions). This was despite brushing her teeth regularly, btw!
@Murphy’s Mom I have to confess that I’m jealous of your vet bill! I don’t think I ever walked out of the vet only paying $80!
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Thank you for your answer… But its still confusing for me, because why is the horse only $140 ?? and thats the vet, there is a non vet who does it for $88. So why is my terrier so expensive??
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$550 is likely about par. Your horse doesn’t require anesthesia or have an IV catheter and a person dedicated to monitoring.
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Sounds about mid-range for what I’d expect to pay. My vet has a “basic” charge (at least for neuter) and then additional options for enhanced monitoring, pain management, etc.
Last time my horse got something which looked like anesthesia to me and I am not sure if my dog needs monitoring… My vet in Germany did a dental with him some years ago and I think it was around $100… did not seem like a big deal to me… But obviously it is different over here… Thank you all
Your horse may have been sedated. Dogs receiving dental cleanings are intubated and are under general anesthesia. A person dedicated to monitoring is current standard of care.
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My vet NOW would charge probably a little less than half that unless they thought there were special concerns about putting them under. But the vet down here that’s only small-animal…yeah, that would be about right. More if they need to do extractions.
The estimated bill may (probably does) include pre-procedure lab work done beforehand to determine whether your dog is a good candidate for general anesthesia, which can be a significant line item on the bill. This lab work will cost more for a senior dog IME, so something to perhaps keep in mind if your dog is older.
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How much it costs may vary depending on where you live. All the dentals I’ve had done on dogs / cats in the last 5 years in my area have rubbed up against $1000 or more. Yes, that really is 3 zeros.
If I drove a few hours east, likely it would be a few hundred dollars.
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My vet’s flat fee for a dental is $220. If the dog is a senior, they must have bloodwork done prior to the cleaning. If there are issues during the cleaning (i.e. extractions), those are additional. As someone has mentioned, the dog is intubated under anesthesia which requires someone monitoring the dog during the cleaning as well as continued monitoring as the dog comes out of anesthesia.
My dog had his last cleaning a few years ago, required extraction of a cracked molar with exposed sensitive pulp, and the cost of the dental was just over $400 (that was also a discounted rate for February’s “dental month” at my vet’s office. He also had to have bloodwork done ($150) prior because he’s 13.
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A few years back I payed over 800 for a dental on my mini poodle with no extractions and mild tarter, and that was at a cheaper ‘out of city’ vet.
$550 is what I would expect with the discount. There’s a lot more involved in dog dentals, since they have to be under anesthesia, bloodwork, often get multiple xrays, etc. I payed over $1,000 for my dog to get a dental, bloodwork, xrays, two extractions, and several teeth sealed last year.
My horse had to have a surgical extraction a few years ago and that cost around $800.
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Totally within the range I would expect. In previous years I’ve worked and volunteered in different small animal clinics and the price isn’t unreasonable. To be honest I’ve always noticed a difference before and after a dental in all my cats and dogs. Really worth it.
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Thank you everybody for your valuable information. So I guess the price is just fine
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Vets in Germany are really really cheap compared to North America due to the GOT (Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte). Kind of makes you want to cry when you’re used to those prices and then come to North America. I got quoted about $1000 (Canadian) for one extraction for my dog just a few days ago.
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I just had a dental done on my dog, it was a little over $200 (my area is less expensive than many), which I was more than happy to pay. She had pre-surg bloodwork, was anesthetized (which is different from sedation), had fluids and was monitored. It would have been higher had there been extractions.
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Sad but true. Canine $500. Extractions extra. $200 for myself.
Canine dental cleaning is somewhat of a racket. Can be quite crucial to health in some cases, a big money maker in others. Might well be worth a second opinion. General anesthetic is not at all without risk and should be weighed against the necessity of the procedure.
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