For as long as I can remember, I have wanted a dog and finally getting one has made my life infinitely richer.

My bank balance, though, is another story. After visiting the vet and being handed an unexpected £500 bill, I was on a mission to make sure I didn’t suffer a similar experience in the future – and it all came down to making one habit part of our daily routine.

We got our little mixed-breed in December 2020 from a dog rescue charity. He’d been found abroad, wandering the streets and trying to avoid traffic, with no siblings or mother in sight. Thankfully, it was a rescuer who spotted him and was able to get him to safety.

The charity arranged his travel and brought him to us via the Eurotunnel. My fiancé and I had been a bit anxious about how he might cope and prepared ourselves for him being jumpy and nervous around us and other humans.

Despite such a tumultuous start in life, we got lucky. Our little furball is a chaotic blend of love, excitement and relentless friendliness. He’s the happiest dog I’ve ever come across in my life, and makes every single day better.

He’s endlessly affectionate, ferociously greedy, excitable and sweet-natured.

Flanders – yes, like Ned – thinks all humans want to be his best friend, though he’s not the best at picking up on when strangers don’t want to shower him with love and attention. 

He’ll happily spend his days practically superglued to my side, or laying on his back, legs akimbo, while snoring softly. If a human snores, it’s one of the most infuriating noises in the entire world but when an adorable little dog does it, it’s charming. He’s slotted into our lives seamlessly. 

Like most dogs, his breath isn’t the best. I’m a neat freak so he’s well used to having his paws wiped down whenever he returns from a walk but he was less keen on having his teeth cleaned.

My fiancé and I had thought giving him a daily dental chew alongside occasional tooth brushing was doing the job. Dogs aren’t exactly known for their minty fresh breath, so the less than favourable odour emanating from his mouth was something we believed was normal.

Our vets soon confirmed we were the naive winners of the Being Wrong award. No, our dog’s breath was not normal. In fact, he was in need of a scale and polish. 

We pay for a monthly pet plan with our vet which covers his six month check-ups and his flea and worming treatments, but it doesn’t cover dental work. That’s fine, I thought, how much can a dog scale and polish be?

I had to force myself not to gasp when told it would be £500. Dogs need to be put under anaesthesia to have the procedure done, and if Flanders didn’t get his, it could lead to some serious health problems and risks.

The sedation bumps the price up – and the risks. If your dog is older, putting them under anaesthesia can be trickier. Professionals advise brushing your dog’s teeth every day in a bid to help avoid more invasive and costly treatments like a scale and polish, while keeping their mouths healthy.

Popular charity The Dog’s Trust states: “Daily teeth brushing will help prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar on your dog’s pearly whites. These build-ups can lead to gingivitis and dental disease, so it’s worth doing.”

Flanders still isn’t a fan of having his teeth brushed each day but he has got more used to it. At his last check-up, his dental hygiene was praised and his teeth were in tip-top shape – and we didn’t have to worry about handing over another £500 for a scale and polish.

The cost of a scale and polish will vary depending on where you’re located, as well as the size and breed of your dog.