Should I pay $700 to have my 15 year old cat's infected teeth extracted?

The vet is top of the line and provides excellent care but my question is really - are rotten teeth really so bad in an old cat? Should I just leave them "as is" or should I pay this amount to have the bad teeth extracted and the infected teeth treated? How old is really old for a cat? Is she at the maximum at 15?

Should I pay $700 to have my 15 year old cat's infected teeth extracted?
how would you like it if you had some teeth that were painful to you and you weren't able to have anything done for it. let alone all tha bacteria and stuff in there isn't good for her either.





have the extraction done.
Reply:no.
Reply:Yes
Reply:If U love her, then yes





it's a tough call, good luck





Other than her teeth, is she healthy?
Reply:yes you should!


imagion you were the cat come on.
Reply:She's not at the max but 15 IS really really old for a cat. She could have another 5 years! It's really hard to tell :/ If you've got the money for it do it! Otherwise...just think long and hard about it.
Reply:At the age of 15 I personally wouldn't do it. Cat's can live for 20+ years but at 15 I wouldn't want to put a cat through it. The anesthetic can be hard on them and you will probably have to sign a waiver that if they don't come out of it, it isn't their fault.





I have one that is almost 19 myself.
Reply:I would definitely get the infected teeth treated. I don't care how old the animal is, that's a painful thing to deal with! Do you want your senior cat to be in pain, just because you aren't sure about the price vs. age?


If the vet feels your cat is healthy enough to undergo the dental work, then I would put your trust into that vet.


15 is senior, but not ''at the maximum''. I've heard of cats living 21-23 yrs old. A well cared for cat, has quite a long life span these days.
Reply:Either that or put it to sleep to keep it from a starving pain wracked agonizing death.
Reply:I am sorry..I am sure you love you cat....


Personally I would not, after the teeth are gone...


There has to be some pain resident...
Reply:This is one of those border line situations you have to work through with a vet. By age 15 I had stopped having my cat get routine teeth cleaning because of the risk of anesthetic which can be a problem as they get older and their health more frail. But if the teeth are severely infected and impacting your cat's long-term health (and your cat's health is otherwise good and may live for awhile longer), the risk of the infection may outweigh the risk of anesthetic.
Reply:to be honest your cat is old it will probably die of natural causes within the next 3 - 5 years but if you cant afford it ask what else you can do there sould be something you can give him to slow it down
Reply:Yes!!! a cat is juz like your child. dont let him suffer until its to late
Reply:how would you feel if your teeth were that way? nah dont do it. way too much money. go buy a new cat.. or a dozen with that much money
Reply:20 is near the end of a cat's life. I'd ask the vet what other options you have, ie how much pain is she in or can she keep living/eating with them.





You should look more into what the ramifications of infected teeth are for a pet, can the infection spread, etc?
Reply:Rotten teeth cause the cat a lot of pain if you don't take them out your cat will stop eating, plus it will basically be poisoned to death since all of that is going into its system. My cat had the same problem and once we pulled her teeth she became a lot more perky and noticeably happier.
Reply:It depends on you and the total health of your cat. 15 is old but not an end. The infection in the teeth and gums (just like people) can spread into the bloodstream and become fatal. So if your cat is very healthy at this age sure why not? I would. But if your cats health is already on the downside I would consider all other options first.
Reply:just try antbiotics...if that dont work ,avg. life span on cats 6 to 10 yrs thik about it!gl bless u.
Reply:She is on her last leg. I say get them cleaned (which you can do yourself if you are brave enough) and then get antibiotics to treat the infection. Spending $700 on a cat that is this old isn't worth it. Are you feeding her primarily soft food? If you are try adding some dry to the mix, this will help to keep her teeth clean.
Reply:It's really in her best interest to have teeth removed...Have you thought about finding a cheaper vet ? I live in Missouri and $700 seems like an exhorbinant amount of money to pay for an hour or so worth of dental work...My Grandma used to live in Colorado and she would schedule dental visits for her dogs here when she came to visit me...I remember her telling me on one visit that for what she paid my vet here (less than $100), She would have to pay her vet $500...That's a big difference !
Reply:Only you can decide if $700 is worth it. Are you worried about your cat being uncomfortable and in pain? The worst part is that if your cat is quite old it may not do well in surgery. I hate to be negative but my dog nearly died because her heart couldn't take the anesthetic because it is hard on their hearts. Talk to your vet...even the best can't assure a successful surgery.
Reply:You should definitely do it. 15 is not the end of a cat's life by any means. If you don't attend to her dental health she may stop eating because of the pain and then she WILL die.





Though it seems a huge amount of money it is probably because of gas anesthesia (around $165) which is the safest for an older cat.





One of my cats lived to 22+ and she had regular dental cleanings every year until her death. Bacteria from infected teeth can damage the liver, kidneys and other important body organs.
Reply:That's horribly painful. Either get it treated or put her to sleep.
Reply:I would pay $ 50 and have the old cat put out of it's misery. That would be the humane thing to do.
Reply:I was raised with many cats, they usually live between 13-20 years so it's hard to say how much longer yours will live. i have had one cat who we did pay to have his teeth fixed and he was able to eat better, smelled better, and lived longer because of it. if you can afford it, i think it would be a nice thing to do for your cat. you might call around and see if you can find someone to do it for less. it's not an amazingly complicated procedure.
Reply:I've known quite a few house cats that have lived into their 20s. My oldest cat is 15 and shows no signs of deteriorating. If you love your pet, YES, you should have the teeth extracted if the vet thinks it's necessary. Get a second opinion if you want to be sure.





A pet is the same level of responsibility as a child. They can't care for themselves, and if you have one, it's your job to see to it that they are healthy and happy. Would you let a child or yourself go around with a constant toothache? Most likely not.





The worst thing about cats having bad teeth and not getting regular dental cleaning is that it sets them up for upper respiratory problems. They become very prone to infection, and you'll end up spending most of your time in the vet's office, which in the long run, might cost you more money.
Reply:yes. unless you want to go to hell.
Reply:$50 probably pays for a new cat at the pound...
Reply:spend some of that and have it put to sleep. then spend some money and get a new kitty.
Reply:thats alot of money to spend on a cat that only has a year to 2 left. she might even have complications during surgery becasue of her age a die. then your still stuck with the bill. its up to you on how close you are to the cat.
Reply:I would not pay $700 for a cat that is probably living it's last days as we speak. That seems quite pricey for what it's worth.