A Note On Estimating Prices
While most people would like an estimate of the price for their pet’s dental treatment prior to coming into the hospital (and this is understandable), it is extremely difficult to give an estimate without seeing your pet – every patient is different.
A good analogy is if you rang your dentist and asked “How much for a sore tooth?” It’s an impossible question to answer and almost certainly the dental receptionist would suggest you come down, they could examine your tooth and possibly take some x-rays to understand the problem. Then they could give you a reasonably accurate idea of a dog’s dental surgery cost.
It is arguably even more complicated to provide estimates in pets. Dr Christine and Dr Leah individualise their treatments based on many factors, including the exact nature of the problem, as well as the overall health of your pet (including medical conditions that may affect their medication requirements, anaesthetic and recovery) and these are all reflected in the price. We encourage you to book an appointment and we can discuss these matters more accurately.
…but A Ballpark Figure Is Still Nice To Know
Despite the caveat above, we really do understand that people would like at least some idea of a price before they come to see us – after all it may affect whether you come down in the first place or seek treatments with your local vet.
So we provide some cat and dog oral surgery cost ranges below based on thousands of dentistry procedures but please keep in mind that…
- The price ranges below may change once we examine your pet during consultation or in many cases after examination under anaesthesia with x-rays
- Our estimates are all–inclusive – we don’t like surprises any more than you do
- We are providing a referral-level service in a fully staffed veterinary emergency hospital full of other specialist veterinarians should things go wrong or if the plans change.
- Your pet is getting the best treatment possible but this is likely more expensive than your local veterinarian.
- With this in mind, below are some ballpark figures to help you with your planning.
Included With Every Dental
Just about every dental will include the items mentioned below. These are included in the price ranges that we give you for specific procedures.
- Fluids throughout the anaesthesia and dental procedure
- Full oral examination
- Dental x-rays
- Dental nerve blocks as required
- The dental procedure
- Hospitalisation and nursing care
- Most medications (pain relief, antibiotics etc) as required
- A recheck examination
Pricing for specific services
Consultations
Initial Consultation
This includes examination, full discussion of all the options, including the pros and cons, and estimated costs, of each option (most cases have a range of options that range in price). All patients require a consultation prior to surgery.
Initial Consultation
$300
Dental Treatments
Dental Scaling and Polishing
Scaling and polishing is the pretty simple process of taking plaque and tartar off the teeth and polishing them afterwards. However sometimes under all that plaque lurks some unhealthy teeth that may need treatment or extraction.
The prices for a scale and polish (including the items mentioned above) are:
Cat or Small Dog$1,300 – $1,600Medium to Large Dog$1,400 – $1,800Gingivectomy
Gingivectomy is the removal of (excessive) gum tissue that we see commonly in certain breeds like Boxers. It is an extensive procedure.
Estimated price range$2,200 – $4,500Odontoplasty and Gingivoplasty
Odontoplasty is the shortening and sealing of the tooth, which can be a useful alternative to extraction in some patients. A gingivoplasty is where the gum is recontoured to alleviate trauma from teeth that are hitting the gums.
Cat Odontoplasty for Caudal Overclosure$1,300 – $1,500Dog Odontoplasty$1,400 – $1,900Dog Gingivoplasty$1,200 – $1,500Vital Pulp Therapy
Vital pulpotomy (or vital pulp therapy) is a salvage option for acutely fractured teeth in young animals under 12-18m of age, or can be performed as an alternative to extraction in cases where there is a traumatic bite to allow a tooth or teeth to be surgically shortened.
Cat Canine or Carnassial(s)$2,000 – $2,500Dog Canine or Carnassial(s)$2,000 – $2,500Root Canal Treatment
One way to save a tooth from extraction is to perform a root canal. It is best to discuss the options with Dr Christine or Dr Leah before committing to this – a lot depends on the need feasibility of you being able to provide aftercare (annual x-rays under anaesthesia) as well as if your pet is actually a good candidate for the procedure (eg heavy chewing can damage the fillings and cause failure of the root canal procedure).
Cat Canine$2,100 – $2,200Cat Canine - additional tooth in same procedure$1,000Dog Canine$2,200 – $2,400Dog Canine - additional tooth in same procedure$1,000 – $1,200Dog Carnassial$2,800 – $3,000Dog Carnassial - additional tooth in same procedure$1,500
Extractions
Full Mouth Extractions
Extracting all the teeth from your pet is not something we would undertake lightly but for some of our patients with certain oral problems it really is the best option. They still eat really well afterwards and are often much happier after having the painful teeth removed and the gum tissue less inflamed.
Full mouth extractions really are hard to estimate – the price varies with the time for surgery (ie how many teeth need to be removed, how hard they are to get out, how long your pet needs to stay in hospital (usually 1-2 nights) and the different medical/GA requirements.
Full mouth extraction in a cat - approximate price$3,000 – $4,500Full mouth extraction in a dog approximate price$3,000 – $5,500 or moreDog Carnassial Tooth
Dogs often suffer from fractures in their big upper teeth and most common is the upper fourth premolar (carnassial tooth). This is usually from chewing hard objects.
Dog carnassial tooth extraction - approximate price$1,800Adult Canines
It is important to minimise the amount of bone that is removed when extracting these teeth as it can affect the stability of the jaw. We have developed a special technique to remove these teeth in dogs under 12m that does not require any bone removal, resulting in a stronger jaw and a less traumatic recovery.
Young Adult Canines (one or both lower)$1,600 – $3,000Baby Canines (less than 6 months old)
Baby canines are a common problem in many breeds. Check the website out for more information.
Deciduous Canines Dog (both)$1,200-$1,400
Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia and Critical Care Support
Many of our pets are old and have other medical problems that can complicate the anaesthetic. In these cases, we have a very popular service where we engage an anaesthetic and pain specialist to plan and monitor the anaesthetic so that Dr Christine and Dr Leah can focus exclusively on the dental procedure. This means your patient is safer, and you have more peace of mind.
Cost per hour of anaesthesia$450
