Glenn and other Veterinarians

**CofC Waterfowler** · 08-11-2023, 05:34 PM

I know this topic has been discussed before but I can't find the thread. I have an established vet in Columbia. I think she does a great job. She has a philosophy to do everything possible for a pet. She convinced me to start cleaning my dogs teeth a few years ago. I was skeptical at first but I think it's important. Yes it's expensive, but my dog is good to me so I want to be good to him.

Her teeth cleaning procedure now includes dental X-rays which adds another 400 to the bill for a total of almost 900. I just can't see the need for dental x-rays for a dog but maybe I'm just being cheap. What's the resident vets say on the topic? Her partner at her practice is a certified animal vet or something like that so I suspect they push the procedure to benefit the practice, which I get. I'm part of a partnership too and the goal is to serve our clients and make money. I just think this part of the procedure is unnecessary to protect my hunting buddy and that's my ultimate goal, if that cost 900 then I will suck it up.

**Campbeller** · 08-11-2023, 07:14 PM

Dogs eat shit....... Literal shit.

**Duck Nitz** · 08-11-2023, 07:32 PM

you aint lyin

**BachelorJack** · 08-11-2023, 07:35 PM

Batesburg animal hospital.

I drive from Columbia.

It's worth the drive. And that's coming from someone who balks at waiting in line.

**SilverFox** · 08-11-2023, 08:28 PM

$200 for cleaning at my vet.

**Islandguy85** · 08-11-2023, 08:45 PM

There is a wide variation of quality with veterinary dental procedures….. and honestly veterinary in general. I have seen all levels. Who is cleaning the teeth? Do they have any idea what the hell they are doing? When I was cleaning teeth unsupervised at 19 years old I sure as shit didn’t. I worked for a vet who didn’t give a shit. Licensed staff? You get what you pay for so that is ultimately your decision. If you don’t care that is your own free choice. Is most dentistry absolutely necessary? Probably not. Is it best medicine? Probably so.
If my friends ask me where to send their dogs for dentals I usually refer them to a few places that I know do a good job and also offer dental xray as part of the package. If you are paying hundreds may as well get the best job possible.
Sucks that it costs as much as it does. Anesthesia is a major part of that cost.

I sell to vet clinics and have been in 300 practices across 4 states routinely for the past 10 years. Worked in clinics for 12 years before that. Im no vet but I have a pretty unique insight that most do not.

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**Islandguy85** · 08-11-2023, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by SilverFox

$200 for cleaning at my vet.

I would be real interested to see this procedure from start to finish…..

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**everlast** · 08-11-2023, 09:06 PM

I wonder if the benefits of dental care outweigh the detriments of repeated anesthesia

**loud1** · 08-11-2023, 09:47 PM

My dog is 12 and has pearly white teeth. She stays inside though and lives a life of leisure. She has lots of deer antlers to chew on. I guess $900 is fair to the amt of money I put into deer hunting

**Islandguy85** · 08-11-2023, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by everlast

I wonder if the benefits of dental care outweigh the detriments of repeated anesthesia

Is there a proven detriment?

I went to a friends facility and cleaned my roughly 14 year old dogs teeth(rescue), removed a few lumps, etc. She was under for an hour and popped right up when I was done. Its all about maintaining appropriate anesthesia for the patient and the task at hand.

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**FULLCHOKE** · 08-12-2023, 04:39 AM

Go on Amazon and buy the same tools that the vet uses and save yourself a lot of money.

**Tha Dick** · 08-12-2023, 05:20 AM

Some dogs chew their food, some gulp it. Ole JoJo gulped his. Had my buddies talk me into getting his teef cleaned. Gleenda hooked me right up. Only aggravation was his ass kicked the bucket 4 months later with cancer. Still pisses me off I wasted that money.

**Glenn** · 08-12-2023, 06:13 AM

I don’t have dental radiography in my practice. No plans to start any time soon.

**cajunwannabe** · 08-12-2023, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by Glenn

I don’t have dental radiography in my practice. No plans to start any time soon.

Do we take this to mean radiography is merely a way to upcharge the client? What else would be the purpose for it? How many crowns and root canals get done on animals?

I've never taken a dog in for teeth cleaning or had any tooth issue, deer horns, milk bones and chew toys seem to keep them in good shape.

**Islandguy85** · 08-12-2023, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by cajunwannabe

Do we take this to mean radiography is merely a way to upcharge the client? What else would be the purpose for it? How many crowns and root canals get done on animals?

I've never taken a dog in for teeth cleaning or had any tooth issue, deer horns, milk bones and chew toys seem to keep them in good shape.

I lean more toward the extraction route but there are two veterinary dentist operations in mount pleasant….

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**SilverFox** · 08-12-2023, 07:56 AM

I don't have a clue what certifications go along with the $200 teeth cleaning. I'm also not sure if he did the complete cleaning or not but the vet himself was the one who was cleaning them when I walked out the office. He had a tech with him. I've used this vet for over 20 years. This was on my current lab that didn't chew his food. Now that I've got that worked out and he has some chew toys I don't know if I'll need it again. He's come a long way in the last year and his teeth look pretty good.

**Glenn** · 08-12-2023, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by cajunwannabe

Do we take this to mean radiography is merely a way to upcharge the client? What else would be the purpose for it? How many crowns and root canals get done on animals?

I've never taken a dog in for teeth cleaning or had any tooth issue, deer horns, milk bones and chew toys seem to keep them in good shape.

To your first question, any diagnostic tool can be abused to upcharge a client be it a simple fecal, skin scrape, impression smear cytology to radiographs. So yes and no.

Dental radiography serves a purpose. It is not considered minimum standard of care. Dental radiograph equipment is expensive. It has to earn its keep if it’s a debit on the books. Dental prophylaxis and dental care are important. Not all dogs or cats will require the same amount or level of care. They are approached as individual cases. Two dogs same litter, one may have horrible teeth and need annual cleanings while the other may never need one.

When the time comes I want to get that animal on the dental table I have a few goals. Do no harm. Improve health and quality of life. Provide the best care I have available. Make quality care as affordable as possible. Pay my staff an above average pay. Keep the lights on at the office so we can still provide care. Pay my bills, loans and distributors. Provide for and feed my family. And lastly, hopefully get paid.

So as you can see there is a lot factored into what a procedure you may or may not feel is needed. Adding an additional $2-400 for dental rads would price the procedure beyond what most are willing and able to pay. Resulting in the pet not getting needed care and all that other stuff goes unpaid.

For me not having dental rads is a business and level of care decision. I don’t fault anyone for having it. Having it would be nice. But it wouldn’t change how I approached dental health in my practice and would be a very expensive tool I might use 3-4 times a month if that.

I hope that helps explain my philosophy and thoughts on the subject.

And $200 wouldn’t pay for the pre anesthetic bloodwork, IV catheter and anesthesia.