Cats' teeth can need cleaning, and more often than once a decade, too, but I think bamsphd's vet is extraordinarily expensive
Our "regular vet" actually offers teeth cleaning for considerably less money. As I understand it, they don't have a dentist on staff, they host a traveling dentist a few days a month. However, five years ago or so, our cat Tigger developed kidney failure and other issues very shortly after having his teeth cleaned. We don't know if there was a causal connection in Tigger's case. However, my wife blames our eventually losing Tigger in part on that dental procedure, and she is
not going to let a traveling dentist treat another of our pets.
So instead she drives almost an hour down into Mass to visit
http://www.veterinarydental.com/ which is a specialized dentist only vet. I will freely admit they seem to do very nice, if pricey, work. You may not always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get. However, the really expensive part is that they advocate routine yearly cleaning! They try to anchor you with the idea that human dentists recommend twice yearly cleanings, and that because pets can not tell you when they are in pain you should not postpone visits for too long. I'm always pushing to let the local vet decide when cleanings are needed instead, since the local vet's standards are much more minimalist. However, I don't always succeed. As far as my wife is concerned, the pets always get the best. Getting her to go to the doctor for herself is a challenge, but she is practically a hypochondriac when it comes to the pets.
Amen. The dear wife spent $1k+ today to have one of our cats teeth cleaned, which is a recurring expense for all four cats and the dog
Update: The final dental vet bill for the cat was just under $900, though the total dental vet bill just broke $1k. However, the total bill also included a "dental evaluation" of our dog, and some over-priced dental treats.
However, yesterday the dear wife also ended up taking another cat to our regular vet because it was throwing up after almost every meal for the past few days. So that cat got sedation, an exam, X-rays, ultrasound, and had blood drawn for tests. At least she pushed back on boarding the cat overnight! She mentioned the sedation cost about $150, and the ultrasound about $300, but I don't know the grand total. Perhaps just as well. The vet did not find anything. For now we are giving over-the-counter Pepcid, and a "bland" chicken and rice diet. Hopefully the cat will get better on its own, or the blood tests will show something easy to treat. If not, I already know my wife will be taking the cat to
http://www.intownmassvet.com/ a "referral" vet down in Mass. I will freely admit they are a very very good vet. Probably the best I've ever seen. I also like it that they work to solve your issue and then hope to never see you again! However, they are also not shy about charging.
Wives and pets can sure be expensive. Even when you get your pets at the animal shelter.
If I didn't have to cover medical expenses for me, my wife, our dog and our cats, I would probably be able to retire today.