How Much Does Dog or Cat Teeth Cleaning Cost?

Typical teeth cleaning prices

Dogs: PetMD's article by a board-certified veterinary dentist puts a routine cleaning by a general practice vet at about $350 to $500, with cleanings by a veterinary dental specialist from around $1,500 upward. The ASPCA's cost table uses $500 as a first-year dental figure for a dog.

Cats: PetMD reports that cat teeth cleaning in the U.S. averaged about $113 to $600 in 2023, and the ASPCA's table uses $300 for a cat. These are planning numbers only. Your own quote depends on your pet's mouth, your area and the type of clinic, so ask for a written estimate before the procedure.

What a professional cleaning includes

A proper dental cleaning is done under general anesthesia with a breathing tube. VCA Animal Hospitals explains that anesthesia allows a tooth-by-tooth exam, probing of the gum pockets and dental X-rays, and lets the team clean safely below the gumline, which is where most dental disease does its damage. Teeth are scaled with hand and ultrasonic instruments and then polished.

Many clinics also run pre-anesthetic blood work to check organ function before anesthesia, place an IV catheter, and monitor heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen during the procedure. Some hospitals charge one bundled price that covers all of this, while others itemize each part.

Extras that raise the bill

Extractions are the biggest variable. PetMD lists extractions at roughly $500 to $2,500 per tooth for dogs, depending on the size of the tooth and how complex the surgery is, although some clinics include extractions in a flat fee. Blood work commonly adds about $75 to $200, and take-home pain relief and antibiotics can add more.

You often cannot know the full cost in advance, because X-rays taken during the procedure may reveal broken teeth or infection below the gumline. Ask your clinic to call you with an updated estimate before doing extra work, and ask what range to expect if extractions are needed.

Why prices vary so much

Costs depend on how advanced the dental disease is, your pet's size and age, any other health conditions that need extra anesthetic monitoring, whether a general vet or a board-certified veterinary dentist does the work, and local prices. Small breeds and short-nosed breeds tend to need cleanings more often, which adds up over a lifetime.

The American Animal Hospital Association, as cited by PetMD, recommends a first cleaning by about 1 year of age for small and medium dogs and by 2 years for large dogs, and by 1 year for cats. Many pets then need one every year or two, based on what your vet sees at annual checkups.

Anesthesia-free cleaning, and how to save

Anesthesia-free cleanings are usually cheaper, but they only scrape visible tartar from the crowns and cannot clean or examine below the gumline. PetMD's veterinary dentist advises against them, as they can make teeth look clean while disease continues underneath.

The most effective way to cut dental costs is prevention. Daily brushing with a pet toothpaste, starting young, slows plaque buildup; the ASPCA notes that dental disease can lead to costly heart and kidney problems. Ask your vet whether wellness plans, dental-month discounts or payment plans are available, and check whether any insurance policy covers dental illness before you need it.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.