Dog needs a dental - vet said could well be £200+

[VivaLeBeaver]

depending how bad her teeth are, number of extractions, etc. I'm in shock. I knew she had stinky breath but she had a dental just before we adopted her 2 years ago. She has loads of dental chews but won't let me brush her teeth.

The vet said it may be worth trying the insurance and saying that she does have proepr ginvinitis. Well I've just looked at my policy and it says that dental work is excluded unless an illness or disease caused the problem. So can I argue that ginvinitis is a disease that has caused the problem???

I don't know if there is anything you can do about it now, but dental chews are generally rubbish. Knotted old rope works well for teeth cleaning, as do raw bones.

I never clean teeth, but do give bones two or three times a week and my vet always comments on how good their teeth are. They were even better when I raw fed, but sadly I couldn't keep that up.

Where do you get raw bones from - the butcher?

Tesco insurance said no, just rang them.

Yep, most butchers will give them for free, as they have to pay to have them taken away.

Thanks, will go to the butchers at the weekend.

Insurance paid for some of my cat's dental work as it involved infection and extractions, so wasn't considered 'routine' - good luck!

Definately get the vet to contact the insurers and push the gingivitis part of this - it is not routine dental treatment and in many cases should be claimable. Be aware though that if she had dental problems before you insured her then they may refuse to pay on the basis of pre-existing problems here.

Well Tesco said the ginvinitis is caused by bad teeth/oral hygeine rather than the ginvinitis causing the bad teeth. I think they probably have a point, was worth a try though.

I'm just hoping she doesn't have to have too many teeth out. Not just for my bank balance but am worrying how she'll cope. She's only 5. She's a greyhound so they are prone to bad teeth.

Most insurance companies won't pay out as it is classed as something that is maintenance and could be preventable, esp in a breed that are renowned for dental problems. If it got further along and infection and blood poisoning happen, then you will be looking at a lot more to pay out, and it will cause your dog serious harm. Also in the future I'd recommend using Petplan instead for insurance as they are more reliable at paying out for future problems your greyhound may have. Or if you have real trouble paying this bill, if you are paying housing benefit you could qualify for PDSA help, or you could contact the blue cross for advice, or ask to speak to the practice manager at the vets and ask if they would consider a payment plan.

Please don't hold back from the extractions - severe inflammation in the month can lead to bacteria damaging heart or kidneys. Your grey will be much happier after the extractions. As they can be prone to problems, make sure you up the hygiene afterwards. I know lots of owners who clean their dogs teeth, or you can gently bathe the gums daily with either a very mild solution of Listerine, or a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide on a piece of cotton wool, rubbed gently along the gums. If they have enough teeth left afterwards, then bones are good too.

Merlino's advice excellent re. options for paying. If you adopted through a rescue and you are absolutely desperate, do talk to them - they will not want to see the dog suffering.

Yes good advice, go back to the rescue if it was a local greyhound rescue (larger centres are less likely to help, as it's usually one of their conditions that the new owner is able to pay for vet bills) but smaller groups work in a different way and they are always very supportive and don't want that dog to suffer or be returned to them so they will often help you if you are really desperate, or perhaps you can agree to pay as much as you can and ask if they would help you. I do some work for a large cat charity too, and we often have to prop up owners in these situations if a bill is too difficult, you could always consider donating the money back when you can afford it. Most important thing is too get the dog treated ASAP.