cost of dental work

When Otto was at the vet a few weeks ago (colitis) the vet looked in his
mouth and said that his teeth were in bad shape, he needed a cleaning and
there were at least two that would probably have to be pulled. He said that
once Otto was over his colitis I should make an appointment for the dental
work. I called today to find out about setting that up and I asked for an
estimate. They said they'd need to do blood work first, and then the
following day they'd do the actual cleaning/extraction/whatever. The vet
said it would run $350-$400. That seems awfully high to me. In 2004 Tiger
had her teeth cleaned and had two pulled, but I think they did that while
she was already under for her tumor removal, and that whole package cost
just under $1,000 I think, maybe just under $900. I imagine the bulk of
that fee was her operation and not the cleaning/extraction. That vet also
said they don't charge any additional fees for extractions. The price of
the cleaning/anesthesia was for whatever needed to be done.

I really didn't care for that vet's office which is why I've been going to
the current one (with the $350-$400 estimate). Also, she said that estimate
includes one extraction and additional ones are $45 each.

I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

--
Liz

On 2006-06-14 15:41:44 -0700, "Elizabeth Blake"
said:
snip
I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

My vet gave an estimate of $350-400 for Boris (a small terrier D-pet)
to have his teeth done. As it turned out, it ended up being just over
$300... Boris didn't need any teeth extracted, just a good cleaning.

Katrina


--
History: special people in special places at special times
Anthropology: everyone else the rest of the time
-KWorley, 1997

The last cleaning and extraction I had done on a cat cost me 150.00.

Celeste

"Elizabeth Blake" wrote in message
et...
When Otto was at the vet a few weeks ago (colitis) the vet looked in his
mouth and said that his teeth were in bad shape, he needed a cleaning and
there were at least two that would probably have to be pulled. He said
that
once Otto was over his colitis I should make an appointment for the dental
work. I called today to find out about setting that up and I asked for an
estimate. They said they'd need to do blood work first, and then the
following day they'd do the actual cleaning/extraction/whatever. The vet
said it would run $350-$400. That seems awfully high to me. In 2004
Tiger
had her teeth cleaned and had two pulled, but I think they did that while
she was already under for her tumor removal, and that whole package cost
just under $1,000 I think, maybe just under $900. I imagine the bulk of
that fee was her operation and not the cleaning/extraction. That vet also
said they don't charge any additional fees for extractions. The price of
the cleaning/anesthesia was for whatever needed to be done.

I really didn't care for that vet's office which is why I've been going to
the current one (with the $350-$400 estimate). Also, she said that
estimate
includes one extraction and additional ones are $45 each.

I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound
like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

--
Liz

"Spot" wrote in message
news:rj3kg.3555$oE3.2572@trndny04...
The last cleaning and extraction I had done on a cat cost me 150.00.

Celeste

Did your cat have bloodwork done first? I don't remember what I've paid for
bloodwork recently (Tiger had blood drawn in December and March, but she
probably had more specific tests done) but I'm sure it was over $100, so I'm
guessing the $350 estimate isn't that bad. I might call the cats-only vet
by my job and get an estimate from them as well, although I have a feeling a
$400 estimate would look good compared to what they might come up with.

--
Liz

"Katrina" wrote in message
...
On 2006-06-14 15:41:44 -0700, "Elizabeth Blake"
said:
snip
I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound
like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

My vet gave an estimate of $350-400 for Boris (a small terrier D-pet) to
have his teeth done. As it turned out, it ended up being just over $300...
Boris didn't need any teeth extracted, just a good cleaning.

Katrina

Katrina,

Did your dog have bloodwork done first? I have a feeling that's what's
driving the cost up but he'll need it done in order for them to use
anesthesia on him. His teeth really do look bad (when I can actually pry
his mouth open for more than a nanosecond) and the vet said he thinks there
are 2 that need to come out. That was just based on a brief look at Otto's
last appointment which wasn't for his teeth.

--
Liz

On 2006-06-14 20:04:22 -0700, "Elizabeth Blake"
said:


"Katrina" wrote in message
...
On 2006-06-14 15:41:44 -0700, "Elizabeth Blake"
said:
snip
I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

My vet gave an estimate of $350-400 for Boris (a small terrier D-pet)
to have his teeth done. As it turned out, it ended up being just over
$300... Boris didn't need any teeth extracted, just a good cleaning.

Katrina

Katrina,

Did your dog have bloodwork done first? I have a feeling that's what's
driving the cost up but he'll need it done in order for them to use
anesthesia on him. His teeth really do look bad (when I can actually
pry his mouth open for more than a nanosecond) and the vet said he
thinks there are 2 that need to come out. That was just based on a
brief look at Otto's last appointment which wasn't for his teeth.

Oops... this went through before I was quite done... Anyway- Boris
is 10 years old, so the vet recommended the pre-anesthesia bloodwork
because of his age. That was an additional $100 or so... so total was
about $400 for his teeth.

Katrina

--
History: special people in special places at special times
Anthropology: everyone else the rest of the time
-KWorley, 1997

Elizabeth Blake wrote:
The vet said it would run $350-$400. That seems awfully high to me.
Does $400 sound like a lot for bloodwork and
cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

--
Liz

I paid around $70 for blood test (short version) and a month later had
my cat's teeth cleaned for $170. Since her blood test looked normal and
her teeth weren't bad, they assumed the procedure wouldn't last too
long and I got them to agree not to give her fluids during the
procedure. The fluids would have boosted the cost way over $200 and if
she had any extractions the whole thing could have approached $500.

Before I settled on this vet clinic, I called almost every vet in town
for estimates and most of them charge in the $200-400 range depending
on what they include. If there are extractions the costs were near the
$500 mark.

In retrospect, I regret witholding the fluid treatment, because it made
her recovery from anesthesia much rougher. When I brought her home she
was very agitated for several days. I'm also wondering if it might have
unmasked an underlying kidney problem since she is now having some
problems (high blood calcium level & rising BUN/Creatinine levels with
vomiting).

My cat is only 4-5 yrs. old and had bad plaque so I was trying to head
off any future problems by getting her teeth cleaned, now I wonder if
that was a mistake since the cost of the cleaning has made it harder
(financially)for me to pursue further treatment.

Inu wrote:
In retrospect, I regret witholding the fluid treatment, because it made
her recovery from anesthesia much rougher. When I brought her home she
was very agitated for several days. I'm also wondering if it might have
unmasked an underlying kidney problem since she is now having some
problems (high blood calcium level & rising BUN/Creatinine levels with
vomiting).

Did they use the better gas or what? Not nasty Ketamine which is rough
stuff.
Rising creatinine is indicative of kidney problems, and if high enough,
kidney failure.
What are you doing? Low phosphorus diet and special foods in the
meantime?
If they did not use gas, would one anesthesia without fluids
put too much strain on marginal kidneys?
She is not having a system that is not clearing the toxins out so
she is vomiting? Give her more water somehow? Wet foods?
What do the vets say?

My cat is only 4-5 yrs. old and had bad plaque so I was trying to head
off any future problems by getting her teeth cleaned, now I wonder if
that was a mistake since the cost of the cleaning has made it harder
(financially)for me to pursue further treatment.

Elizabeth Blake wrote:
When Otto was at the vet a few weeks ago (colitis) the vet looked in his
mouth and said that his teeth were in bad shape, he needed a cleaning and
there were at least two that would probably have to be pulled. He said that
once Otto was over his colitis I should make an appointment for the dental
work. I called today to find out about setting that up and I asked for an
estimate. They said they'd need to do blood work first, and then the
following day they'd do the actual cleaning/extraction/whatever. The vet
said it would run $350-$400. That seems awfully high to me. In 2004 Tiger
had her teeth cleaned and had two pulled, but I think they did that while
she was already under for her tumor removal, and that whole package cost
just under $1,000 I think, maybe just under $900. I imagine the bulk of
that fee was her operation and not the cleaning/extraction. That vet also
said they don't charge any additional fees for extractions. The price of
the cleaning/anesthesia was for whatever needed to be done.

$200-$350 is a good ballpark figure.


I really didn't care for that vet's office which is why I've been going to
the current one (with the $350-$400 estimate). Also, she said that estimate
includes one extraction and additional ones are $45 each.

$45 is high. IIRC we charged $15 per each additional tooth and if the
anesthesia ran over a certain time period, it was $65/hr for anesthesia
because the gas is so expensive.


I made the appointment for the bloodwork for next Wednesday but I'm
wondering if I should go back to the other vet or not. Does $400 sound like
a lot for bloodwork and cleaning/extraction/anesthesia?

Yes. I would expect it to be more like $300-$350 with 2 teeth pulled.
-L.

Bloodwork, anasthesia, and cleaning cost me $200