Thanks for all responses.

I admit lack of knowledge about feeding raw bones. Seems I asked the
(same) vet back in the 80's and he said it wasn't a good idea. Even
a big, heavy bone, if it cracks a certain way, can damage a dog's
internal organs?

Evidently the overall bill for teeth-cleaning was reasonable.

I brush my dogs teeth much as I brush my own. Mine get cleaned
every 6 months. Hers hadn't been cleaned since 2005. I don't
think she needs cleaning annually.

I think I 'allowed' the vet to talk me into the cleaning
partly because of the anesthesia risk in the years to
come: get some of it out of the way while she is very
healthy.

The vet intimated that anesthesia risk is -very- minimal so long as
no problems show in the blood analysis of a geriatric dog.
True or False?

Thanks,
Peetie

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 17:10:21 -0500, Peetie Wheatstraw wrote:


My 10-yr-old 27 lb (very healthy) dog had her teeth cleaned last
week. The vet bill:

hospitalization $ 9
ketamine/rompun iv anesthetic 58
clean/polish 43
bloodwork 40

Do the anesthetic costs (US $58) look reasonable? Ketamine is a
generic? Rompun is Bayer brand Xylazine.

I've no intention of disputing anything: just sizing up what the
next cleaning should cost. I guess the $58 includes setting up
a drip iv or somesuch.

Thanks,
Peetie

"Peetie Wheatstraw" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all responses.

I admit lack of knowledge about feeding raw bones. Seems I asked the
(same) vet back in the 80's and he said it wasn't a good idea. Even
a big, heavy bone, if it cracks a certain way, can damage a dog's
internal organs?

Evidently the overall bill for teeth-cleaning was reasonable.

I brush my dogs teeth much as I brush my own. Mine get cleaned
every 6 months. Hers hadn't been cleaned since 2005. I don't
think she needs cleaning annually.

I think I 'allowed' the vet to talk me into the cleaning
partly because of the anesthesia risk in the years to
come: get some of it out of the way while she is very
healthy.

The vet intimated that anesthesia risk is -very- minimal so long as
no problems show in the blood analysis of a geriatric dog.
True or False?

Thanks,
Peetie

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 17:10:21 -0500, Peetie Wheatstraw
wrote:


My 10-yr-old 27 lb (very healthy) dog had her teeth cleaned last
week. The vet bill:

hospitalization $ 9
ketamine/rompun iv anesthetic 58
clean/polish 43
bloodwork 40

Do the anesthetic costs (US $58) look reasonable? Ketamine is a
generic? Rompun is Bayer brand Xylazine.

I've no intention of disputing anything: just sizing up what the
next cleaning should cost. I guess the $58 includes setting up
a drip iv or somesuch.

Thanks,
Peetie
=============
I never give my dog bones either for that same reason.

On 1 Jul, 23:10, Peetie Wheatstraw
wrote:
My 10-yr-old 27 lb (very healthy) dog had her teeth cleaned last
week. The vet bill:

hospitalization $ 9
ketamine/rompun iv anesthetic 58
clean/polish 43
bloodwork 40

Do the anesthetic costs (US $58) look reasonable? Ketamine is a
generic? Rompun is Bayer brand Xylazine.

I've no intention of disputing anything: just sizing up what the
next cleaning should cost. I guess the $58 includes setting up
a drip iv or somesuch.

Thanks,
Peetie

I work in a vets (but in uk) and them prices do seem reasonable. We
would do bloods on animals over 8 before an anaesthetic, but not
always fluids, that would depend if anything came up on the blood
results.

On Jul 1, 5:10 pm, Peetie Wheatstraw
wrote:
My 10-yr-old 27 lb (very healthy) dog had her teeth cleaned last
week. The vet bill:

hospitalization $ 9
ketamine/rompun iv anesthetic 58
clean/polish 43
bloodwork 40

Do the anesthetic costs (US $58) look reasonable? Ketamine is a
generic? Rompun is Bayer brand Xylazine.

I've no intention of disputing anything: just sizing up what the
next cleaning should cost. I guess the $58 includes setting up
a drip iv or somesuch.

Thanks,
Peetie



Both the ketamine and the xylazine are available in generic forms, but
many of us use the branded items to maintain the security of knowing
that the drug is in the right form, at the right dosage, and is stable
and not prone to degredation. All of this should be the same between
branded and generics, but just one instance of an impropriety is
enough to drive me back to the branded.

Ketamine is also known as a class III narcotic, so requires special
storage and more paperwork to obtain and store. Thus, costs are
higher.

Besides time for work done, and the original cost of the meds, there
is also a need to pay for the building and utilities, such that these
costs are built in to every procedure somewhere.

I think you obtained a very cost effective preventative medical
procedure. Bloodwork allows a look at enzyme and electrolyte levels
that indicate problems within the liver, kidney, heart, muscles,
pancreas, and adrenals for starters. Additionally, there is a
baseline established such that any future bloodwork can be compared to
this, and differences noticed and acted upon. Tartar and calculus
reduction from the teeth cleaning directly affects future damage to
internal organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart. There is also a
more comfortable mouth for chewing since there is decreased
possibilities to gum recession and periodontal disease.

bruce wrote:

Both the ketamine and the xylazine are available in generic forms, but
many of us use the branded items to maintain the security of knowing
that the drug is in the right form, at the right dosage, and is stable
and not prone to degredation. All of this should be the same between
branded and generics, but just one instance of an impropriety is
enough to drive me back to the branded.
snip

My old allergist (now retired) always prescribed the branded version of
certain antibiotics and bronchodialators - his favorite antihistamines
were still under patent. From his own observations and reports from
patients he had concluded that many of the generic equivalents were not,
in fact, equivalent.

Of course he had to write a lot of letters to a lot of insurance
companies and sometimes he won and sometimes he, or rather his patients,
lost.

To patients who balked at paying out of pocket for pricier branded meds
he was apt to bark, "You want to take theophyllin (sp?) that was brewed
up in some mexican bathtub it's fine by me. Stop by the desk on your
way out and make an appointment to see me in a week because you'll still
be wheezing".

If price was a serious issue he'd send you home with a doggy bag full of
free samples dropped off by pharmacy company reps. Frequently this
amounted to a full course of brand-name treatment for an acute episode.

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
From his own observations and reports from
patients he had concluded that many of the generic equivalents were not,
in fact, equivalent.
You want to take theophyllin (sp?) that was brewed
up in some mexican bathtub it's fine by me.

...........heh, now it's China with the added enticement of non-meds added to
make fake drugs.

buglady
take out the dog before replying