Dental treatment for my cat

[mycatoscar]

Hi all, I took my cat for his yearly checkup and boosters today and have been advised to get his teeth cleaned under sedation. She showed me his teeth and they are very dirty and I really don't want him to be in pain or end up losing all his teeth.

I am curious what other people have paid for this type of treatment? I have been quoted £100-130 depending on if it's a clean or if teeth need to come out. Is this comparable to others costs? I don't mind getting it done but was quite shocked at the price!

Last time it was £220, to get them cleaned an one removed

Yes thats about right for a straight dental.

Oh thank you, sounds like my vet is pretty competitive then. Will get his royal highness booked in for the teeth cleaning in the next few weeks.

She also recommended giving him a complete dry food rather than wet which she said would help to keep the teeth cleaner, trouble is he simply swallows his food, the greedy piggy! Anyone got any ideas or recommendations for encouraging him to chew?

That would be about what I would charge, I would check though it is impossible to do a good job on a cat that is only sedated. It is much safer and you will get a much better job done if the cat is anaesthetised. After the dental using a finger brush (funny finger cover with small bristles on) and enzymic toothpaste will help to keep them clean in future.

Oh mine was anaesthetised not sedated btw.

oh sorry i did mean anaesthetic! Whoops. Thanks for the info. I wish I could see him letting me brush his teeth but he hates anything like that and gets very distressed - although he is very afectionate and will let dd dress him up - just no going near his mouth, has always been the same

Am just back from the vets my cat has had most of his teeth out today it cost £197, I didn't think that was too bad for the amount of extractions he needed although obviously I wish for his sake I'd gone sooner, the price you've been quoted sounds just what I'd expect.

Thanks, and sounds like it's better to do it sooner than later

I am not a believer in giving cats or dogs a complete dry diet. I think its not good for the kidneys and cats in the wild would eat a mix of wet/dry what with bones and flesh. Its not nice to see a cat drinking at the water bowl a lot (mine are on an 80% wet 20% dry diet and I never see them drink.)

Also, have had cats that would not touch dry food whose teeth were fine and never needed a dental, and cats who eat dry food needing a dental. So, from my experience, cats eating a dry diet still need dentals.

well he has eaten the dry food sample that the vet gave me, infact I gave him half which he gobbled up (and did chew!) and he then broke into the larder and ate the second half later in the day. So it's safe to say he likes the dry food

am going to book the dental treatment this week and am going to start him on 1 meal of dry food a day, the other meal meat pouch and biscuits (which he has already) So he'll be getting a bit of variety plus being encouraged to chew rather than just swallow! Fingers crossed.