Yesterday, I took our two cats in to this vet. It was close to $300 for each cat to get to vaccinations and to have a basic examination. She said our 7 year old female cat would need her teeth cleaned next year as there was a little bit of plaque building up. Then she said Tyler, our handsome male cat, needed a tooth pulled and his teeth cleaned. She explained that some cats, and they don't know why, are prone to cavities and have chronic teeth problems. She said it would be between $800 and $900 dollars!!!!
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I don't know why the annual exam/shots would cost so much unless the vet also did blood work in preparation for the dental work. My cats' annual costs about $130 each including nail trim and city license. A full blood work panel cost me $180 a couple of years ago. The costs for the dental work sound about right (assuming it is necessary). My oldest cat's last dental cleaning to include the extraction of one tooth was $620. The anesthesia alone is $150 and the extraction was $200. It was a complicated tooth to remove as it had broken into pieces. But she was 12 years old at the time and it has been two years now and she has not required another cleaning. I spoil her by feeding her wet food which is not good for her teeth. I lucked out with the younger cat as she refuses wet food and eats only dry (or prey as she is also quite the little hunter).
Once my older cat hit about 10 years old, my vet bills escalated. It was $1400 last year and has already cost $600 this year to remove an external tumor. The vet thinks she has chronic pancreatitis and want to perform some expensive $500+ scan to verify - the $225 pancreatic blood panel is not conclusive.