Is it safe to put a 12 year old cat under to get his teeth cleaned?

My friend has a male cat, around 12 yrs old. His teeth are pretty dirty and is on an antibiotic for a tooth infection. The medicine is helping as he is eating normally again. However, the vet said his teeth may need to be cleaned, but also stressed that at his age he may not come out of the anesthetic. It's a tough call. Any vets out there?

Is it safe to put a 12 year old cat under to get his teeth cleaned?
The oldest kitty I have anesthetized for teeth cleaning was almost 17 years old. She had the pre-surgery bloodwork which did not show any problems and we scheduled the cleaning. She did just fine.





Before any surgical procedure for an older kitty, the vet should take all the precautions necessary.





But if kitty has health problems that anesthesia would complicate or intensify, the best thing is to skip the cleaning and treat the infections as they are now.





Purrs to you and your friend's kitty.
Reply:Hi John L,





You are so very welcome. Hope your friend's kitty responds to the medications and is able to have her teeth cleaned without any complications.





Purrs,


Patty Report It

Reply:I am not a vet but I have an older cat and I dont think it would be worth risking the cats health at that age just for teeth cleaning.
Reply:Only your friend's veterinarian should answer this question. He/she has the medical background of the cat and knows his history. If the cat is healthy, other than the tooth infection, he should come out just fine, but if there are other problems, they should be discussed with the veterinarian.





What many people don't understand is that the health of a cat's teeth is very important. It isn't as simple as "just a teeth cleaning". Dental health plays a vital role in the overall health of a cat. Many fatal diseases are caused by dental problems, so this procedure could add years to his life, as simple as the procedure seems to you.





This article explains further, the importance of dental health in cats and dogs.





http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/diseases...
Reply:Rather than trying to get vet advice "free" on-line, it's always best to get advice based on first-hand experience. If a vet hasn't seen the cat, there can be no accurate opinion given. Your vet is probably making the call after taking the cat's health into consideration as well as age. If you dispute the vet's advice, then get a second opinion.





I wonder, however, why you are asking for your "friend" instead of the "friend" asking???
Reply:Ive just gone through the same but with a 10yr old dog ,she was fine but i have a 14yr old cat and she also needs her teeth doing but i think she is to old but i am going to ask my vets advise cos we all know what bad tooth ace is like (not nice)
Reply:I am not a vet. Just a pet owner... I have had at one time or another all my cats and dogs teeth cleaned. There is always a risk being put under with an anesthetic, even for people. If the cat had an infection from his teeth already I would say his teeth must be pretty bad. Your friend should talk it over carefully with the vet and make a decision. So many bad things can come from bad teeth. It can damage their organs also...I hope all goes well for your friend and the kitty
Reply:yes you can do this..i had to for my oldest girl..she had to have a tooth removal at the same time..she came thru it with no problems...i gave her a towel that smelled like us to have with her during her surgery..when i went to pick her up they had used something around her eyes that looked oily..so when she came out from under the blankets and towels in her cage..she was kinda wild eyed..but i could tell she was thrilled that i was there to get her...when i got her home the hardest problem was getting her meds into her...she hates to be held down..and is scared of everything..but she did fine..she was 11 when she had her surgery..
Reply:My experience is the same as Patty O's. My cat who lived to be 22+ had her teeth cleaned every year up until her death and my other cats who are in their "teens" (16, 13) also have it done when needed.





You need to find a vet who will do pre-anesthesia blood work to determine the condition of the cat's kidneys and ONLY use a vet who uses the isofluorine gas for the anesthesia. The gas lives the system almost immediately that the mask is removed. Some fluid therapy before and/or after the dental is also advisable to better clear the kidneys.
Reply:I lost an 18 year old cat to the anesthesia for a tooth scaling back in the early 90s. They have a newer anesthetic for cats available now, which is not as hard on their system, %26amp; that is what I had them use 3 years ago when anothe cat needed a dental procedure. Its pricey but it was well worth it..My 8yr old will be having a dental done later this summer, %26amp; all you can do is take reasonable precautions. There aren't any guarantees with animals any more than there are for people..
Reply:I have my cat's teeth cleaned every year---he gets along fine. This year he will be eleven.