What Is the Cost of Dog Teeth Cleaning in Canada? Updated in 2024
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But sometimes, a proper cleaning by your vet is in order, and it can be helpful to know the process, both in terms of how a vet cleans a dog’s teeth and how much you might be expected to pay. Generally, you can expect to pay about $300-$1,000 for dog teeth cleaning in Canada depending on the usage of anesthesia and where you are located.
Read on as we look at how much it can cost and what you can expect when you take your dog for professional teeth cleaning in Canada.
How Much Does Dog Teeth Cleaning Cost?
The cost ultimately depends on your vet, your location, and your dog’s size, age, and health. It may be necessary to anesthetize your dog for the procedure, which will impact the price.
The estimate for teeth cleaning without anesthesia can cost about $300 to $700, but with anesthesia, it might run around $500 to $1,000.
What you can expect from a standard dental cleaning can include:
- Physical examination of the dog’s heart, respiration, and temperature
- Blood work for pre-anesthetic testing
- Intravenous fluids set up for the procedure
- Anesthesia administered and teeth examined
- Dental radiographs taken
- Teeth scaled and polished
The vet will discuss all of this with you and let you know what to expect or about any problems encountered during the procedure.
Additional Costs to Anticipate
Things like periodontal treatment and tooth extractions will affect the cost of the cleaning. While your vet will go over expenses, unexpected complications can happen that will add to the price.
For example, the vet might discover a tooth that needs to be extracted during a routine cleaning. While your dog is under anesthesia, they will likely pull the tooth.
Other factors, such as an extended stay at the clinic or if antibiotics are prescribed, will also add to the cost.
The Importance of Dog Teeth Cleaning
A lack of regular teeth cleaning at home and annual teeth checkups by your vet can lead to serious consequences1. In fact, in dogs over 3 years of age, at least 80% have periodontal disease2, and many dog owners are unaware that there’s even a problem.
If not treated, dental problems can lead to the following health conditions:
- Heart disease: If the gums are inflamed due to periodontal disease, the liver and heart are also prone to inflammation. This can lead to diseases such as endocarditis3. In fact, heart disease and periodontal disease tend to occur at the same time.
- Immune system: Periodontal disease can progress from the gums to the bloodstream, which can damage other parts of the dog’s body.
- Diabetes: Higher instances of periodontal disease occur with diabetic dogs. If the periodontal disease gets worse, so does the diabetes.
- Broken jaw: Certain breeds are more prone to this, such as Maltese, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, and Chihuahuas, because these small dogs have large teeth. Infections in the mouth can weaken their small jaws, and doing ordinary daily things could lead to a fractured jaw.
- Tooth loss: Dogs are quite adept at hiding pain, and since their appetite trumps mouth pain, you might not even know that there’s a problem until a tooth can’t be saved.
Overall, dental issues can cause severe pain, and dogs are more likely to lose teeth and be at risk for organ damage. Regularly brushing your dog’s teeth will help prevent dental disease, and you should be able to detect any problems before they become severe.
How Often Should I Clean My Dog’s Teeth?
It’s recommended that you brush your dog’s teeth at home every day or at least three times a week. You should also opt for a professional cleaning once a year.
If your dog has a history of periodontal disease, they might need to be seen by your vet for more frequent cleanings. You cleaning your dog’s teeth will definitely help, but just be sure to also get them professionally cleaned annually.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Dog Teeth Cleaning?
Many pet insurance companies cover unexpected expenses, such as injuries or illnesses. But unless your insurance company offers wellness plan coverage (usually for an additional fee), dental cleanings are considered standard care and aren’t typically covered.
That said, if your insurance plan includes emergency dental care, that should cover things like tooth extractions and treating dental disease.
What to Do for Your Dog’s Teeth in Between Cleanings
You’ll want to continue brushing your dog’s teeth regularly or get started if you haven’t already. You can also try dental chews if your dog is less than cooperative with teeth brushing.
There are a few tips that you can try in order to keep your dog’s teeth in good shape:
- Use dog toothpaste with a toothbrush designed for dogs. The toothpaste should taste quite good to your dog, which might make the process easier. Never use human toothpaste, as it can potentially make your dog sick, and some of the ingredients are toxic to dogs.
- Ensure that they have dry kibble to eat, which can help scrape tartar off the teeth.
- Try dental dog wipes for cleaning the surfaces of the teeth.
- Invest in chew toys designed to clean teeth.
- Always feed your dog healthy, high-quality food, which helps keep their overall health optimum.
When introducing your dog to teeth brushing, start with a toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs. Gently pull their lips back and brush their teeth and gums.
Once you’re finished, offer them a treat and plenty of praise. This should help solidify teeth brushing as an enjoyable experience. When you go to buy the toothpaste, aim for a flavour that you know your dog will love.
Conclusion
Taking care of your dog’s teeth is an essential part of dog ownership. If you are consistent and do a thorough cleaning every week, that should help keep the professional cleaning costs lower.
Given how common periodontal disease can be, cleaning a dog’s teeth is more important than some dog owners might think.
For the all-important yearly dental cleaning, consider pet insurance, or just ensure that you have enough in your budget.
Featured Image Credit: DWhiteeye, Shutterstock
