Teeth cleaning

[Freedom]

I haven't paid anywhere NEAR the prices you are posting!

And the vets I've used, they charge per extraction -- $75 -- but you only pay for a maximum of 5 extractions. If the cat needs 6 or 16 teeth out, you only pay for 5. If the cat needs 3 out, you pay for the 3.

I can't imagine cleaning a cat's teeth with no sedation. I wasn't even aware they offered such a thing!

Oh, and if the cat is 7 or older, they insist on doing a blood work up first, to ensure the cat can tolerate the sedative with no unknown complications.

[Medusa]

Good grief! Are ya kiddin' me?! The highest I've paid is $200, no extractions, and that included anesthesia and take home meds and I thought that was high!

[Catlady711]

$800 for a general sedated teeth cleaning with no extractions is highway robbery even if it included standard pre-op lab work! Heck we had a lady recently that took her large breed dog to a pet dental specialist and had to have 2 teeth extracted plus lab work, plus the cleaning and I think she only paid $600 and at that it was way more expensive than the regular vets in my area.

As to the non-anesthetic dentistries, here is some information EVERY pet owner should be aware of...


http://www.avdc.org/position-statements.html#cadswa

Companion Animal Dental Scaling Without Anesthesia


In the United States and Canada, only licensed veterinarians can practice veterinary medicine. Veterinary medicine includes veterinary surgery, medicine and dentistry. Anyone providing dental services other than a licensed veterinarian, or a supervised and trained veterinary technician, is practicing veterinary medicine without a license and shall be subject to criminal charges.


This position statement addresses dental scaling procedures performed on pets without anesthesia, often by individuals untrained in veterinary dental techniques. Although the term “Anesthesia-Free Dentistry” has been used in this context, AVDC prefers to use the more accurate term Non-Professional Dental Scaling (NPDS) to describe this combination.


Owners of pets naturally are concerned when anesthesia is required for their pet. However, performing NPDS on an unanesthetized pet is inappropriate for the following reasons:


1. Dental tartar is firmly adhered to the surface of the teeth. Scaling to remove tartar is accomplished using ultrasonic and sonic power scalers, plus hand instruments that must have a sharp working edge to be used effectively. Even slight head movement by the patient could result in injury to the oral tissues of the patient, and the operator may be bitten when the patient reacts.


2. Professional dental scaling includes scaling the surfaces of the teeth both above and below the gingival margin (gum line), followed by dental polishing. The most critical part of a dental scaling procedure is scaling the tooth surfaces that are within the gingival pocket (the subgingival space between the gum and the root), where periodontal disease is active. Because the patient cooperates, dental scaling of human teeth performed by a professional trained in the procedures can be completed successfully without anesthesia. However, access to the subgingival area of every tooth is impossible in an unanesthetized canine or feline patient. Removal of dental tartar on the visible surfaces of the teeth has little effect on a pet’s health, and provides a false sense of accomplishment. The effect is purely cosmetic.


3. Inhalation anesthesia using a cuffed endotracheal tube provides three important advantages – the cooperation of the patient with a procedure it does not understand, elimination of pain resulting from examination and treatment of affected dental tissues during the procedure, and protection of the airway and lungs from accidental aspiration.


4. A complete oral examination, which is an important part of a professional dental scaling procedure, is not possible in an unanesthetized patient. The surfaces of the teeth facing the tongue cannot be examined, and areas of disease and discomfort are likely to be missed.


Safe use of an anesthetic or sedative in a dog or cat requires evaluation of the general health and size of the patient to determine the appropriate drug and dose, and continual monitoring of the patient. Veterinarians are trained in all of these procedures. Prescribing or administering anesthetic or sedative drugs by a non-veterinarian can be very dangerous, and is illegal.
Although anesthesia will never be 100% risk-free, modern anesthetic and patient evaluation techniques used in veterinary hospitals minimize the risks, and millions of dental scaling procedures are safely performed each year in veterinary hospitals.

For general information on performance of dental procedures on veterinary patients, please read the AVDC Position Statement on Veterinary Dental Healthcare Providers, which is available on the AVDC web site (www.AVDC.org). For information on effective oral hygiene products for dogs and cats, visit the Veterinary Oral Health Council web site (www.VOHC.org).

[catmandu]

JOSEPHS WAS 197 DOLLARS, NO EXTRACTIONS AND CAME WITH MEDS FOR HIM SO HIS GUMS WILL STAY CLEAN. HIS TEETH ARE SOLID, ITS HIS GUMS THAT ARE THE TROUBLE!!
HE WILL BE ON SOFT FOOD AND IAMS SENSITIVE STOMACH FOR A WEEK UNTIL I AM SURE HE CAN TAKE THE BIGGER TEMPTATIONS.

JUST HAVING HIM HOME AGAIN IS A BLESSING.

[jazzcat]

It's been about 4 years since Ripley had his done but I think with blood work, sedation and cleaning it was around $185. He didn't have any extractions but Disney did and it usually just ran about $25 a tooth. Of course she was a dog but I don't think that mattered in pricing.

Great to see you back by the way.

[Bengalz]

Hi Debbie!

Eve had her first dental checkup (with anesthetic) this summer and the overall cost was approximately $550. This included bloodwork, pre-hydration and heart-monitoring throughout the procedure; the procedure included scaling and flouride. Fortunately she didn't require any extractions as that would have added to the cost. I know this is expensive however, given the problems that unhealthy teeth and gums can cause in a kitty, I felt it was a worthwhile investment in her well-being.

Many years ago our male cat endured some pretty invasive dental work and the costs were horrendous not to mention the discomfort he experienced. It was a lesson learned and I have been extremely vigilant ever since.

I hope you are able to find a vet that you (and Robin) are comfortable with and one who is thorough in the process and willing to review it with you so that you know exactly how your little girl is being treated.

Good luck and let us know how everything unfolds.

Betty