Author Topic: $1600 for my dog's teeth?  (Read 13749 times)

Zooport

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$1600 for my dog's teeth?
« on: July 26, 2016, 04:50:57 PM »
I was wondering if anyone out there knew about this sort of thing.  I took my dog in to have a tooth pulled and they dropped a $1600 bill on me.  They said she needed 4 teeth pulled and with anesthesia and everything the bill went to that.  They have my dog, or I would refuse to pay. 

This is a new development at my vet.  Vet, who is a SUP surfer, was always fair and reasonable on cleaning and pulling teeth, but he hates doing it and has brought in this dog dentist to take over.  The dentist is treating this like it was for a human.  Has anyone else had this experience?  Any advice?

I'm going to talk to the head vet and I am going to rip them to shreds on Yelp, but other than that, I am at a loss.  I certainly will never return.


« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 05:24:03 PM by Zooport »
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SlatchJim

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2016, 04:59:56 PM »
There's a lot to be said for soft dog food.

Weasels wake

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2016, 05:10:31 PM »
Depends on the dog's age, but still, a basic vet can handle tooth issues, a dog dentist?!? 
That's Newport for you, that part of Cal. has all the "basic" needs for all the extravagances for people with money to burn on themselves or their pets.  Take your dog to a vet someplace else, like Compton, he or she will be fine with a simple extraction or deep cleaning w/o a "dog dentist".
You don't use the same vet as the Kardashians do you?
« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 05:12:30 PM by Weasels wake »
It takes a quiver to do that.

Zooport

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2016, 05:17:13 PM »
Depends on the dog's age, but still, a basic vet can handle tooth issues, a dog dentist?!? 
That's Newport for you, that part of Cal. has all the "basic" needs for all the extravagances for people with money to burn on themselves or their pets.  Take your dog to a vet someplace else, like Compton, he or she will be fine with a simple extraction or deep cleaning w/o a "dog dentist".
You don't use the same vet as the Kardashians do you?

I agree.  This is a new development with my vet, who has always been reasonably priced, and done cleaning and extractions himself.  I agree about the location, I think it is because we are in Newport Beach.  Problem is, I'm not a rich Newport Beach elite, I'm a teacher who happens to live there.   Oh well, fooled me once, but twice is not going to happen.  I am so extremely pissed.
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Tom

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2016, 05:18:08 PM »
Guess you won't be getting a new Sunova soon. I would think they would be required to give you an estimate before the operation. Might want to check with other vets.

Zooport

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2016, 05:25:07 PM »
Guess you won't be getting a new Sunova soon. I would think they would be required to give you an estimate before the operation. Might want to check with other vets.

Yeah, there went my new board.  $%^%$#%$!!!  The dog dentist went way over their estimate, said the dog had more bad teeth than they thought.
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southwesterly

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2016, 05:38:40 PM »
 It's a good thing your dog doesn't need braces.

SUPcheat

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2016, 05:40:37 PM »
  I pulled teeth on people with local for 80 to 120, impactions up to 300 apiece.  You got hosed. Probably the anesthetic, which seems to be the expensive part with animals, but still......

I guess I should have been an animal dentist.
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hbsteve

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2016, 05:49:35 PM »
We have a good friend that has worked at two vets over the last 10 years.  I've sent her a text question.

Zooport

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2016, 06:10:12 PM »
  I pulled teeth on people with local for 80 to 120, impactions up to 300 apiece.  You got hosed. Probably the anesthetic, which seems to be the expensive part with animals, but still......

I guess I should have been an animal dentist.

Did I ever get hosed!!!  I'm dripping and sloshing from this hosing.  Can I bring my dog up to you next time?  I'll just say it's my small, hairy kid.  :)
« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 06:14:41 PM by Zooport »
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Zooport

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2016, 06:10:46 PM »
We have a good friend that has worked at two vets over the last 10 years.  I've sent her a text question.

I would really appreciate that. 
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Bean

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2016, 06:11:05 PM »

... The dog dentist went way over their estimate, said the dog had more bad teeth than they thought.

So, they missed 3 teeth in the initial exam and decided to pull them without talking to you first?  I might offer them the choice of $800 or court...


pdxmike

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2016, 06:14:53 PM »
One of my previous dogs had dental work that was expensive, but so long ago I can't remember cost or exact procedure--I think it was pulling some cracked teeth.

It seems high, but that's a guess.  I imagine anesthesia is probably a big part of it, but then, if that's true, then it seems like once the dog is under, adding to the number of teeth pulled shouldn't add greatly to the price, but that's a guess also.  Sounds like the vet's upfront communication could have been better for sure.  I can see how it could be difficult to determine exactly how many teeth needed pulling prior to the procedure, but it seems like the possibility of more teeth needing pulling was probably something the vet could have predicted and warned you about.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 06:18:57 PM by pdxmike »

Zooport

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2016, 06:31:58 PM »
Hey Carl, and anyone else who is interested, here's a copy of the bill and the dental chart.  What do you think about this?  Looks like they did a lot of stuff and my dog needed a lot of help apparently.  Sorry about the orientation. 
« Last Edit: July 26, 2016, 06:33:47 PM by Zooport »
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SUPcheat

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Re: $1600 for my dog's teeth?
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2016, 06:57:11 PM »
Wow, looks like you got "itemized" to death.  If you submitted that bill to an insurance company for people, they would not honor a lot of those charges.  I did routine prophys on people for 70 to 80 bucks. 

Of course, I have been retired since the end of 2011, so prices would be higher, but still?

I am not trying to get you inflamed against your vet, though, he is practicing in a god awful expensive area.  I know that when I saw fee schedules for Marin over Fremont, they were routinely 150 to 250 percent higher for the same services, so area of practice makes a difference.  I would imagine Newport Beach has extremely high overhead.

You should travel outside your area for non-emergencies to find more reasonable vets rather than supporting the local vet's desire to practice in God's Little Acre of oceanside wonderousness.
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