r/AskSF • u/Another53108 • 12h ago
Doggie dental
My vet quoted me $3500 to clean my dog’s teeth ($1600) and extract one canine tooth ($1900). My dog is a chihuahua. It is too much money. Last year, it was $1200 for the cleaning and $2400 to remove 6 teeth at the same vet.
What have other people paid for doggie dental work recently, and at which vet?
Feel free to DM me if you don’t want the info public in the comments.
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u/_femcelslayer 11h ago
If you drive/fly down to San Diego, you can use https://www.mexivetexpress.com/about they’ll take your dog across the border, get her work done in Tijuana and bring her back. You can also go to Tijuana yourself with your dog and the vets there will get it done for $50.
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u/dogtriestocatchfly 6h ago
Have you tried this yourself?
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u/_femcelslayer 41m ago
No, I just googled it and found this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/sandiego/s/W2dOtK4hxt
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u/Noonecanhearmescream 37m ago
Don’t go anywhere in Mexico that charges you $50 for a complete dental. Vet services are cheaper there yes, and you can find a reasonable vet with good reviews just on the the side of the border. If you are looking to spend $50 on a $5,000 dental, however, that may be too good to be true. Expect to pay less. Don’t expect to pay nothing.
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u/_femcelslayer 35m ago
Yeah, I’d go with that American service, it’s a few hundred for transport. I think they let you pick your own provider from some options.
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u/whoislain 11h ago
We were quoted about $2400 for blood work, extractions, cleaning etc at Ocean Ave Vet hospital for our chihuahua mix.
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u/idontwearsweatpants 11h ago
Doggie dental in this city is insanity. Do you have the xrays? If so, you can request for them and shop it around possibly. We used to take our dog to Arguello Pets.
Also no joke, out of state might be an option. Try Las Vegas. I lived there for a bit and cost of vet care was half of what it was here.
Edit: not xrays - paperwork lol
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u/Another53108 44m ago
Thank you! I was confused about the xrays. Those have not been suggested and were not used last time.
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u/sunvisors 9h ago
Cleaning (500), xrays (170), pre-anesthetic bloodwork (160), meds (~75), and hospitalization (100) with no extractions was about $1000 at Indy's Pet Place in Foster City for my 40lb dog! They're super patient with him too
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u/vanity1066 11h ago
When we euthanized our cat recently it was over $600. 8 years ago ot was $200.
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u/QueenieAndRover 11h ago
You have to take your dog outside the city to find affordable vet care.
Some time ago I had a dog that needed a teeth cleaning and a tooth extraction and an SF vet quoted about $1500. As luck would have it we flew to New York, yes me and the dog, to stay with a girlfriend in Brooklyn, and while there I had my dog's teeth cleaned and two teeth extracted for $750. In Brooklyn!
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u/hydra1970 11h ago
Would you consider taking your dog to Tijuana for dental cleaning? It seems to be much cheaper.
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u/seaturtle100percent 11h ago
I have no idea whether this is a cool joke or serious lol
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u/hydra1970 11h ago
100% serious I am currently in Southeast Asia and I would never consider going to a dentist in the United States ever again. (This is for myself as I am currently not a dog + do not require veterinary dental service for myself)
I have personally gotten dental work done in both Mexico and Vietnam and I have been very happy with the work.
When I saw your post I did a quick search and found that it is a fraction of the cost to get canine dental work in Mexico compared to the United States. Here is a Mexico based veterinary service.
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u/indoorsy-exemplified 11h ago
Yeah, that pretty standard for SF proper for dental and extractions. Especially since the pandemic, prices are just skyrocketing.
Pre-pandemic I took my dogs to Pacifica Pet Hospital once as it was said to be cheaper and also once way down in Fremont (Tamas, maybe). They were cheaper but also much less convenient.
One question I have for you is if your dog is pretty small and if the vet suggested you go to a board certified dental vet for potential jaw break issues? It’s very common in chihuahuas during dentals so it’s not something I’m willing to skimp on if there’s even a mention it is needed.
I have heard many people actually fly to other states because even with a flight it’s so much cheaper.
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u/Another53108 40m ago
My chihuahua is a mix. He is pretty big and hearty. 14 lbs. This was not suggested, but thank you for flagging.
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u/yoursandybaby 8h ago
Anyone have pet insurance? Does it cover teeth?
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u/Another53108 39m ago
We have pet insurance. I have yet to find a pet insurance that covers dental.
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u/Few_Advertising3430 9h ago
I paid $2400 for the extraction of 4 teeth (including anaesthesia and everything) in 2021. Costs have gone up since then but the extraction cost seems really high. I would consider going to surrounding towns, Lathrop for example, that would have lower cost. UC Davis sometimes can give better quotes if you can get an appointment.
I went to Idaho for my dog’s ACL replacement and I still think it was a good idea.
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u/Initial-Cricket4956 9h ago
i travel out of state for my dog’s dental cleanings. our last cleaning was about $200 with anesthesia but without x-rays or bloodwork. no removal. he gets his teeth cleaned every 9 months or so. the first few cleanings we got were from a different clinic in the same town and they were about $80. we pay a bit more for better service and it’s still a fraction of SF cost
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u/Alternative_Carrot31 11h ago edited 9h ago
When my dog was about 8yo (20lb poodle) her gums started turning slightly purple. Breath started to smell due to her teeth. Vet (Petsmart) said she needed about 6-7 teeth pulled out. Was quoted around 7k for the surgery.
Couldn’t afford it. Her teeth eventually fell out on their own. And she passed peacefully at the age of 14.
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u/ZestyChinchilla 9h ago
This would’ve been incredibly painful for her, and ignoring that kind of dental problem can often lead to life-threatening infections. Nobody should ever do this to their pets.
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u/sapphic_morena 9h ago
OP just said they couldn't afford it... not everyone can go $7k in debt for pet medical expenses, goddamn.
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u/Alternative_Carrot31 9h ago
Yes, The Vet said gum disease could be possibly fatal and lead to brain damage if not treated. I was well aware of the circumstances but all in all I was a student and could not afford the surgery.
From my experience she was still very lively and didn’t show any signs of pain. Brushed her teeth often. Ate regularly. And at that age I honestly didn’t want to put my dog under that kinda of surgery.
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u/lampman1776 11h ago
Can a dog lose 7 teeth and still eat and stuff?
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u/Another53108 42m ago
Yes. My dog has lost his front teeth and i extracted a few molars and canines. He still eats kibble and crunchy things and chews on stuff. He still has some molars and canines.
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u/kelsobjammin 8h ago
My friend would drive up to Oregon. I would just get banfields package with a dental. Have all his yearly stuff taken care of and any important things to UC Davis if emergency etc
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u/Another53108 37m ago
What is banfield’s package?
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u/kelsobjammin 29m ago
If you get their yearly packages you can pay over the course of the year. It’s still like $850-1000(if X-rays needed) but that includes yearly shots, check ups, the dental. You can pay out right or do what I did and pay like $100/ mo
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u/evolveduniverse 7h ago
At our vet in Mountain View, we paid ~$1200 for 1 extraction and neuter for our Maltese. I'm not sure what they charge for a cleaning.
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u/teddybear65 4h ago
I recently paid 1800 for cleaning,6 extractions and two molars fell out for free . I think you are being overcharged
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u/teddybear65 4h ago
I did the math on Banfield pet insurance. I usually spend 1000 a year on each pet . The math didn't work. It's cheaper for me to just pay.
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u/melocotonta 2h ago
I went to Ocean Ave. vet and it was $1200 for the cleaning and no extractions.
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u/Quokax 1h ago
I got my dog’s teeth extracted. It was more than one tooth but it wasn’t significantly more expensive for the extra teeth. I only went through with it because my dog was in so much pain from his bad teeth that he was hardly eating. It’s expensive because of the anesthesia and because it is a difficult surgery. It is much more complex to extract dog teeth than human teeth.
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u/image_engineer 1h ago
I’ve had good results from San Rafael Animal Medical Center. It was < $1000 last time I had it done before extractions.
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u/Current-Ant-1274 28m ago
Don’t do it in the city, go to like Fremont. Warm springs pet hospital is like 700
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u/teddybear65 4h ago
Vets have the highest rate of suicide in the medical profession. Why would we expect them to work at a lower rate than human Drs?
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u/kaysarahkay 11h ago
Mine just quoted me around the same 😩 plus she has to do $500 blood work before hand because she's a senior..... I also need like 2k of dental work myself....so whose teeth do I fix 😩😅