I just looked at my pet box and I am out of doggy toothpaste but on the other hand I have a full tube of cat toothpaste that I rarely use as it is a nightmare to brush my cats' teeth.
Can I just use it for my dogs even though it is for cats?
It might seem to be a stupid question but some people here say they are vets or vet techs here, so I might as well ask.
Can I brush my dogs' teeth with cat toothpaste?
I would think it would be fine. Chances are it is a very similar formulation, so unless you are giving him the whole tube in one day, it's fine. It is probably no worse than the dog getting a kibble or two of cat food.
Edit: Kill your dog? That's funny.
Reply:no dogs conditions are different than cat it may not be healthy for your dog to use
Reply:i dont think you should because dogs need stronger toothpaste thats why u should buy doggy toothpaste
Reply:Not a very good Idea.You shouldn't use it could kill your dog just don't use human tooth paste it will kill your dog in large amounts.
Reply:Why don't you ask your dog's vet?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Should my cat be taking an antibiotic like clavamox after having his teeth cleaned?
I had one of my cats teeth cleaned about a year ago. He was given clavamox after the cleaning. I had another of my cat's teeth cleaned yesterday but was not given clavamox or any other antibiotic.
Should my cat be taking an antibiotic like clavamox after having his teeth cleaned?
I work as a vet tech. Typically if we see any sign of gingivitis..inflammation of the gums, we dose with penicillin during the dental. Antibiotics are given afterward if the vet feels that the animal had a sufficient amount of inflammation and possible entry routes for bacteria to breed. There does not have to be tooth decay and infection for the vet to perscribe antibiotics. I would not be concerned unless you know that your cat had moderate tartar and gingivitis before the dental. check your receipt to see if any other medications like penicillin was given.
Reply:no i work for a vet and clavomox is for infections and your pet dose not need that unless he had an infected tooth, other wise nothing
Reply:normally a vet will give a mild antibotic BEFORE a cleaning just incase of nicks and cuts in the gum and to ward off any kind of blood infection during the cleaning. Its not always needed after a cleaning. They might have sent some home because the vet did a poor job and nicked and cut the gums alot. I wouldnt worry much they generally know what they are doing.
Reply:It all depends on how bad the teeth are. When they have to do major scaling of the teeth it releases a LOT of bacteria into their system, and the antibiotics are given to fight that. They are often given both pre-op and post-op, but aren't given for every dental. Antibiotics aren't and shouldn't be given for every routine cleaning, but *should* be given if there are extractions, bad gingivitis, or really heavy build up of plaque.
Should my cat be taking an antibiotic like clavamox after having his teeth cleaned?
I work as a vet tech. Typically if we see any sign of gingivitis..inflammation of the gums, we dose with penicillin during the dental. Antibiotics are given afterward if the vet feels that the animal had a sufficient amount of inflammation and possible entry routes for bacteria to breed. There does not have to be tooth decay and infection for the vet to perscribe antibiotics. I would not be concerned unless you know that your cat had moderate tartar and gingivitis before the dental. check your receipt to see if any other medications like penicillin was given.
Reply:no i work for a vet and clavomox is for infections and your pet dose not need that unless he had an infected tooth, other wise nothing
Reply:normally a vet will give a mild antibotic BEFORE a cleaning just incase of nicks and cuts in the gum and to ward off any kind of blood infection during the cleaning. Its not always needed after a cleaning. They might have sent some home because the vet did a poor job and nicked and cut the gums alot. I wouldnt worry much they generally know what they are doing.
Reply:It all depends on how bad the teeth are. When they have to do major scaling of the teeth it releases a LOT of bacteria into their system, and the antibiotics are given to fight that. They are often given both pre-op and post-op, but aren't given for every dental. Antibiotics aren't and shouldn't be given for every routine cleaning, but *should* be given if there are extractions, bad gingivitis, or really heavy build up of plaque.
Worried about my cat. Teeth pulled with anesthesia?!?
My cat just got a tooth pulled and a teeth cleaning today. The vet put him under anesthesia. He just got home. He has been walking back and forth, but I finally put him in his favorite bed. He is just laying there, but his eyes are watering and his toungue is slighty out. His breaths are at a faster than usual rate and really deep. When he exhales it kind of seems like it's shaking his whole body. Now my neighbors cat who also had this same thing done today is fine. He is eating and playing.
It's really freaking me out. He's 9 years old %26amp; we had all the proper tests done before saying he was ok for it.
Is this all normal?
Worried about my cat. Teeth pulled with anesthesia?!?
It doesn't sound normal to me, and at the vet hospital where I work we do dental cleanings and extractions every day. Usually the cats are up and eating and behaving normally within an hour after the end of the procedure.
I would call the vet, no matter what time it is, and discuss your cat's condition with him. I would definitely take him back to the vet in the morning so he can be examined.
Dental care is very important and is not a veterinary cash cow. Taking care of a pet's teeth can literally add years to its life and prevents all sorts of pain and illness .
Let us know how your cat is after the vet sees him.
Reply:He may be having a reaction to the anesthesia...my cat had a dental a few months ago..she did some weird wandering for a while . His tongue may be sticking out where the tooth was extracted...and it may go back into his mouth once he feels like himself again..which should start within 24 hours usually,....I am not sure why the breathing is like it is..but I suggest you call the vet and tell them..they may know of something they gave him that you may not know..Did he get any pain meds at the vet? My cat did and she got a lot of help from it... Did the vet use a gas for anesthesia? If he used something else it may take some more time to clear his system...but since you are so worried..I would definitely call the vet and let them know...I gave my cat wet food for a while until the extraction areas was healed. She had wet food for 2 weeks...to allow ample time for healing..
Reply:Different cats respond and "come out of" the general anesthesia differently and at different rates.
I must ask, was it a bad tooth that HAD TO come out and was the dental cleaning necessary????
In recent yrs., vets really "push" routine cleaning,... I think it's a cash cow for them and risky for animals to be put under general when NOT crucial to.
Especially on a more senior animal (but at same token a younger one prob. doesn't even need teeth cleaned) the "good responsible vets" would hesitate to put them under anesthesia unless absolutely life-threatening.
I hope within a few more hrs. your cat will be up and about.
Reply:poor cat.i know how you feel,my cat had 2 of her teeth pulled,too.she was acting kinda like yours but she was fine a day later.i guess she just slept it off.just in case i would call the vet and explain how the cat is behaving,he`ll know what to do.
Reply:It can take a full 24 hours before all the anesthesia is out of the cat's system (sometimes the injection kind lasts longer than the gas kind), but if he's having trouble breathing like that, you need to update your vet.
Hopefully he's walking steady, can track things with his eyes and moves his ears around listening to things. If he's not, he's too out of it yet and should be watched. Don't let him go down stairs or up on furniture, he could hurt himself falling off.
It's really freaking me out. He's 9 years old %26amp; we had all the proper tests done before saying he was ok for it.
Is this all normal?
Worried about my cat. Teeth pulled with anesthesia?!?
It doesn't sound normal to me, and at the vet hospital where I work we do dental cleanings and extractions every day. Usually the cats are up and eating and behaving normally within an hour after the end of the procedure.
I would call the vet, no matter what time it is, and discuss your cat's condition with him. I would definitely take him back to the vet in the morning so he can be examined.
Dental care is very important and is not a veterinary cash cow. Taking care of a pet's teeth can literally add years to its life and prevents all sorts of pain and illness .
Let us know how your cat is after the vet sees him.
Reply:He may be having a reaction to the anesthesia...my cat had a dental a few months ago..she did some weird wandering for a while . His tongue may be sticking out where the tooth was extracted...and it may go back into his mouth once he feels like himself again..which should start within 24 hours usually,....I am not sure why the breathing is like it is..but I suggest you call the vet and tell them..they may know of something they gave him that you may not know..Did he get any pain meds at the vet? My cat did and she got a lot of help from it... Did the vet use a gas for anesthesia? If he used something else it may take some more time to clear his system...but since you are so worried..I would definitely call the vet and let them know...I gave my cat wet food for a while until the extraction areas was healed. She had wet food for 2 weeks...to allow ample time for healing..
Reply:Different cats respond and "come out of" the general anesthesia differently and at different rates.
I must ask, was it a bad tooth that HAD TO come out and was the dental cleaning necessary????
In recent yrs., vets really "push" routine cleaning,... I think it's a cash cow for them and risky for animals to be put under general when NOT crucial to.
Especially on a more senior animal (but at same token a younger one prob. doesn't even need teeth cleaned) the "good responsible vets" would hesitate to put them under anesthesia unless absolutely life-threatening.
I hope within a few more hrs. your cat will be up and about.
Reply:poor cat.i know how you feel,my cat had 2 of her teeth pulled,too.she was acting kinda like yours but she was fine a day later.i guess she just slept it off.just in case i would call the vet and explain how the cat is behaving,he`ll know what to do.
Reply:It can take a full 24 hours before all the anesthesia is out of the cat's system (sometimes the injection kind lasts longer than the gas kind), but if he's having trouble breathing like that, you need to update your vet.
Hopefully he's walking steady, can track things with his eyes and moves his ears around listening to things. If he's not, he's too out of it yet and should be watched. Don't let him go down stairs or up on furniture, he could hurt himself falling off.
If my cat teeth need to be cleaned?
If my cat teeth need to be cleaned out will they need to put her under anaesthetic ?
If my cat teeth need to be cleaned?
Yes, it's the only way they can properly clean an animals teeth is under anesthetic.
Reply:If you are having it's teeth cleaned at the vet, yes.
Reply:If you can handle your cat your vet sells toothpaste for cats.
Peggy
Reply:just use your friends tooth brush
dress shoes
If my cat teeth need to be cleaned?
Yes, it's the only way they can properly clean an animals teeth is under anesthetic.
Reply:If you are having it's teeth cleaned at the vet, yes.
Reply:If you can handle your cat your vet sells toothpaste for cats.
Peggy
Reply:just use your friends tooth brush
dress shoes
Monday, April 27, 2009
Yesterday a cat(i dont know) scratched me with its teeth no skin broken u cant see anything no mark...?
i think ill be fine but when a cat bites u and lets say they have a disease u should get an infection right? who knows any signs to anything bad. I feel fine and im just paranoid i think its my neighbors cat cause ive seen it around their a lot and ive pet it before. the cat seems fine i saw it today just laying down. yesterday i cleaned the area scratched by the cats teeth. i was petting it it was purring but when it turned over i was going to pet its belly but that when it tried to bite me.
Yesterday a cat(i dont know) scratched me with its teeth no skin broken u cant see anything no mark...?
If you have no cut and no mark from the bite, you have nothing to worry about. If the skin was broken and the wound became red and you developed pain and swelling, then you have an infection.
Reply:Oh darling you have nothing to worry about! My parents cats bite me and scratch me even all of the time and I am completely healthy as are the cats! lol.
But it's always good to be precautious. haha
Reply:ask ur neighbor if the cat had all the injections it needed. if it is, ur fine...
when petting a cat, watch out for twiches on their tail and when they wag their tail... it means they want to hunt. and your moving hands are the closest target. =) my cat does that to me. =)
Reply:relaaxxxx tripper! if there isnt even broken skin then how would you get a desease or an infection?? If there is no place for the infection to enter your blood stream then there is no need to trip.
Yesterday a cat(i dont know) scratched me with its teeth no skin broken u cant see anything no mark...?
If you have no cut and no mark from the bite, you have nothing to worry about. If the skin was broken and the wound became red and you developed pain and swelling, then you have an infection.
Reply:Oh darling you have nothing to worry about! My parents cats bite me and scratch me even all of the time and I am completely healthy as are the cats! lol.
But it's always good to be precautious. haha
Reply:ask ur neighbor if the cat had all the injections it needed. if it is, ur fine...
when petting a cat, watch out for twiches on their tail and when they wag their tail... it means they want to hunt. and your moving hands are the closest target. =) my cat does that to me. =)
Reply:relaaxxxx tripper! if there isnt even broken skin then how would you get a desease or an infection?? If there is no place for the infection to enter your blood stream then there is no need to trip.
My cat needs to have his teeth cleaned but im afraid....?
My cat has to have his teeth cleaned. He is 3 almost 4 years old and his breath has started to smell bad and his gums look alittle red so i know its time to have his teeth cleaned. The only thing is im sooo afraid that he's going to die whenever they have put him to sleep( or whatever it is called,maybe anestesia?) to clean his teeth. I need people's advice who have had to get their cats teeth cleaned, Should i be so worried? what all goes on when they clean their teeth? is their a high risk he migt no wake up? i dont know what i would do if he never woke up...thanks for your answers
My cat needs to have his teeth cleaned but im afraid....?
Anesthesia is always a risk, but it is a very remote one. The best precaution you can take is to have a thorough exam and bloodwork done before the anesthesia, so any potential problems can be identified and dealt with. Most vets have anesthesia monitoring equipment as well to keep an eye on vital signs such as heart rate. The health risk of those mouth bacteria affecting other organs (heart, kidneys and liver commonly) is greater than the anesthesia risk. I anesthetize on average 3 animals a day, but when it comes to my own babies I have to let someone else do it. Nervous pet parents are common : ) You can ask the vet's office to call as soon as it's done, we do that all the time.
As far as what is done: we do a full scaling and polishing, exactly like what you'd get at the dentist's office, which is why anesthesia is needed. Animals don't sit still for that. We can do dental x-rays of any suspicious teeth and remove any that are causing a problem. Most vets don't do fillings or root canals because of the expense, but a specialty practice would do that. Our dentals go home the same day, whether or not they stay overnight depends on the vet and what drugs are used.
Reply:My cats have had their teeth cleaned a few times, and they woke up from the anesthesia fine. He will be a little loopy afterwards, he'll be very calm, and he might have some difficulty walking, but he'll be back to normal as soon as it all wears off!
Reply:I work at a vets office, and your afraid you need to talk to your vet, and make him make you feel comfy about the process, ask for a tour talk to the people who will be doing the dental for your cat, ask qestions like what kind of stuff they use to montor the cats heart rate, sidations, are the staff knowning what they are doing, if you dont trust them, get out, simple!
ask them to do blood work to see if everything is alright. yes it may cost you more for the blood work, but its worth it :)
hope everything goes alright
Cheers!
Matt
Reply:awwe, well I got to take in Nibblet too.. but, really, the kitty will be fine. they run blood tests beforehand, to make sure your kitty is up for the procedure, and then when they do the work, kitty will be sleeping soundly... then they keep the kitty overnight, so it will be all rested and ready to go home... it is well worth it honey. If you don't have it done, the kitty could get ill and die. I had a kitty that I took every year for his teeth cleaning, and he lived to the ripe old age of 24!!! get the baby's teeth cleaned, they will thank you....
Reply:It is always a risk when a cat is "put out" under G.A., but for a young cat it's pretty safe, providing they're healthy and necessary blood wk.'s been done.
I've had cats who didn't need to be under general anesthesia, a couple of the good old-time vets I'd used would just scale the tartar off teeth with the help of an assistant,.. no need to put any stress on cat.
Others,.. and I'm finding lots of nowaday vets find it a "cash cow" and want to "clean teeth" with every checkup visit.
Which I really must see the cat in distress or the badly affected teeth/tooth before I will allow the procedure under general.
Usually in elderly cats, the good vets will weigh out the risks and benefits beforehand.
Anyways, if your young kitty is troubled by his oral health (not eating well, showing discomfort, etc.) and vet recommends, then best to get done, he will be fine.
Gd. luck.
Reply:My cat is about the same age as yours. I took her to the vet in October, and he showed me her teeth and gums. He told me that she could use a cleaning, and he also suggested that I start brushing her teeth with CET toothpaste. Instead of doing either of those things, I bought PetzLife gel and tried that on her. It has worked really well. I didn't love the idea of anesthetizing my cat, buy I was honestly just as concerned with saving money. Her teeth and gums look better now, and I think I can avoid scaling for now.
Reply:The anesthesia used in veterinary hospitals for any surgery and/or dentals has gotten much safer than it was in the past. Many hospitals take precautions to ensure there are no problems with the pet. However, there is always a risk ANYTIME anesthesia is used. I wouldn't worry though. Unless your cat has some problem, it is very safe to have the dental done. In fact, the chances of your cat having problems from the teeth going bad is a greater risk than the anesthesia used for the dental.
If you have concerns about your regular vet, have him give you a referral to a vet who specializes in dentistry.
I am actually trying to get my 10 y.o. cat in for a dental, but she is having issues with her bloodwork. Until I can get it straightened out, I have to wait on the dental. Vets will usually do dentals on young animals with only limited bloodwork on the day of the dentistry. Pets older than 7 years should have complete bloodwork done within 30 days of the dental, to make sure the pet is in good health to come out of anesthesia ok.
Reply:Don't worry, when they clean your cat's teeth, they only sedate them. They don't put them to sleep. My cat was sedated, and she came out all big eyed and weird acting, but she was fine after half an hour.
Reply:my mom is a vet tech and so i spent a lot of time in vet offices behind the scenes. i also worked at a vet clinic for awhile. dentals aren't much to be afraid of. think of going to the dentist for a tooth cleaning yourself. i'm not going to lie, they do use a dremel, but the same thing is accomplished. also any extractions will be performed during this time. anesthesia does hold a risk of death, but a small one. we had only one cat die in over 3 years from it. we put about 3 animals a day put under so that adds up to a lot. there will be pre-work done like blood samples, and a history. the vet will talk to you about any concerns. the kitty will go to slumberland and not feel anything! (in my opinion very lucky as i do not like going to the dentist and we have no way of communicating what we are doing to an animal so they are not scared). dentals will actually improve his quality of health and therefore should be done. do realize that this is not a $50 procedure though....ask your vet also, my clinic allowed animals who had minor surgical work done in the morning to be picked up at night. they will be groggy until the next day. but nothing to be scared of.
Reply:There is always a slight risk when a cat has an anaesthetic, but a dental cleaning is a fairly minor operation and they aren't under for long. My cat had his teeth cleaned (and a couple of extractions) under anaesthetic 2 years ago aged 8. He was fine and when I got him home he acted like nothing had happened. Discuss your fears with your vet and I'm sure s/he'll be able to set your mind at rest. You can have some blood tests done beforehand to make sure his organs can cope with the anaesthetic.
My cat needs to have his teeth cleaned but im afraid....?
Anesthesia is always a risk, but it is a very remote one. The best precaution you can take is to have a thorough exam and bloodwork done before the anesthesia, so any potential problems can be identified and dealt with. Most vets have anesthesia monitoring equipment as well to keep an eye on vital signs such as heart rate. The health risk of those mouth bacteria affecting other organs (heart, kidneys and liver commonly) is greater than the anesthesia risk. I anesthetize on average 3 animals a day, but when it comes to my own babies I have to let someone else do it. Nervous pet parents are common : ) You can ask the vet's office to call as soon as it's done, we do that all the time.
As far as what is done: we do a full scaling and polishing, exactly like what you'd get at the dentist's office, which is why anesthesia is needed. Animals don't sit still for that. We can do dental x-rays of any suspicious teeth and remove any that are causing a problem. Most vets don't do fillings or root canals because of the expense, but a specialty practice would do that. Our dentals go home the same day, whether or not they stay overnight depends on the vet and what drugs are used.
Reply:My cats have had their teeth cleaned a few times, and they woke up from the anesthesia fine. He will be a little loopy afterwards, he'll be very calm, and he might have some difficulty walking, but he'll be back to normal as soon as it all wears off!
Reply:I work at a vets office, and your afraid you need to talk to your vet, and make him make you feel comfy about the process, ask for a tour talk to the people who will be doing the dental for your cat, ask qestions like what kind of stuff they use to montor the cats heart rate, sidations, are the staff knowning what they are doing, if you dont trust them, get out, simple!
ask them to do blood work to see if everything is alright. yes it may cost you more for the blood work, but its worth it :)
hope everything goes alright
Cheers!
Matt
Reply:awwe, well I got to take in Nibblet too.. but, really, the kitty will be fine. they run blood tests beforehand, to make sure your kitty is up for the procedure, and then when they do the work, kitty will be sleeping soundly... then they keep the kitty overnight, so it will be all rested and ready to go home... it is well worth it honey. If you don't have it done, the kitty could get ill and die. I had a kitty that I took every year for his teeth cleaning, and he lived to the ripe old age of 24!!! get the baby's teeth cleaned, they will thank you....
Reply:It is always a risk when a cat is "put out" under G.A., but for a young cat it's pretty safe, providing they're healthy and necessary blood wk.'s been done.
I've had cats who didn't need to be under general anesthesia, a couple of the good old-time vets I'd used would just scale the tartar off teeth with the help of an assistant,.. no need to put any stress on cat.
Others,.. and I'm finding lots of nowaday vets find it a "cash cow" and want to "clean teeth" with every checkup visit.
Which I really must see the cat in distress or the badly affected teeth/tooth before I will allow the procedure under general.
Usually in elderly cats, the good vets will weigh out the risks and benefits beforehand.
Anyways, if your young kitty is troubled by his oral health (not eating well, showing discomfort, etc.) and vet recommends, then best to get done, he will be fine.
Gd. luck.
Reply:My cat is about the same age as yours. I took her to the vet in October, and he showed me her teeth and gums. He told me that she could use a cleaning, and he also suggested that I start brushing her teeth with CET toothpaste. Instead of doing either of those things, I bought PetzLife gel and tried that on her. It has worked really well. I didn't love the idea of anesthetizing my cat, buy I was honestly just as concerned with saving money. Her teeth and gums look better now, and I think I can avoid scaling for now.
Reply:The anesthesia used in veterinary hospitals for any surgery and/or dentals has gotten much safer than it was in the past. Many hospitals take precautions to ensure there are no problems with the pet. However, there is always a risk ANYTIME anesthesia is used. I wouldn't worry though. Unless your cat has some problem, it is very safe to have the dental done. In fact, the chances of your cat having problems from the teeth going bad is a greater risk than the anesthesia used for the dental.
If you have concerns about your regular vet, have him give you a referral to a vet who specializes in dentistry.
I am actually trying to get my 10 y.o. cat in for a dental, but she is having issues with her bloodwork. Until I can get it straightened out, I have to wait on the dental. Vets will usually do dentals on young animals with only limited bloodwork on the day of the dentistry. Pets older than 7 years should have complete bloodwork done within 30 days of the dental, to make sure the pet is in good health to come out of anesthesia ok.
Reply:Don't worry, when they clean your cat's teeth, they only sedate them. They don't put them to sleep. My cat was sedated, and she came out all big eyed and weird acting, but she was fine after half an hour.
Reply:my mom is a vet tech and so i spent a lot of time in vet offices behind the scenes. i also worked at a vet clinic for awhile. dentals aren't much to be afraid of. think of going to the dentist for a tooth cleaning yourself. i'm not going to lie, they do use a dremel, but the same thing is accomplished. also any extractions will be performed during this time. anesthesia does hold a risk of death, but a small one. we had only one cat die in over 3 years from it. we put about 3 animals a day put under so that adds up to a lot. there will be pre-work done like blood samples, and a history. the vet will talk to you about any concerns. the kitty will go to slumberland and not feel anything! (in my opinion very lucky as i do not like going to the dentist and we have no way of communicating what we are doing to an animal so they are not scared). dentals will actually improve his quality of health and therefore should be done. do realize that this is not a $50 procedure though....ask your vet also, my clinic allowed animals who had minor surgical work done in the morning to be picked up at night. they will be groggy until the next day. but nothing to be scared of.
Reply:There is always a slight risk when a cat has an anaesthetic, but a dental cleaning is a fairly minor operation and they aren't under for long. My cat had his teeth cleaned (and a couple of extractions) under anaesthetic 2 years ago aged 8. He was fine and when I got him home he acted like nothing had happened. Discuss your fears with your vet and I'm sure s/he'll be able to set your mind at rest. You can have some blood tests done beforehand to make sure his organs can cope with the anaesthetic.
Cat teeth cleaning/pulling?
My cat needs his teeth cleaned and possibly pulled (Last year the vet said to try to feed him chicken necks, but he wont eat them). Our vet wants $250 for having them cleaned, and then $500 if any need to be pulled. Another vet we've asked wants $385 regardless of if any teeth are pulled or not.
I was wondering (well, my mum, who's paying, was) if there is a way of being able to estimate if he will probably need to have them pulled or just cleaned? One of his canines is really browny/yellowy, with brown striped and chipped at the bottom, and most of his top teeth (not incisors or bottom teeth) are yellowy, with pink/reddish/some brownish blotched gums.
Or is there another teeth option that we haven't considered yet?
*He was a stray cat by the way. We are not horrible owners or anything.*
Cat teeth cleaning/pulling?
Wow, your cat's teeth looks better then mine (minus that one front canine).
The vet really should have been able to tell you weather at least that one tooth would need to be pulled. Mean yeah my cat's teeth looks like your cats (we can't afford getting his teeth cleaned) but its not hurting him any and we have the dental food as well. and I try to brush them (you should try that too if you can).
but really I still think a vet should be able to tell you if a tooth needs to be pulled BEFORE hand. So you can look at how much money you will be spending. But that depends on the vet. Some care about the animals, some just want the money.
Good luck to your kitty.
Reply:Wow. It sounds like his teeth are in pretty bad shape, and this could either be because he's a stray or just because of his genetic makeup. In my experience, when the teeth are chipped and brown, they usually need to be removed, and the gums should be pink...It sounds really painful.
Reply:Of course you're not terrible owners. Forget the judgment call on that one.
Me thinks your vet is not giving you all the information you require. S/he is either not fully informed or is of the breed of vet who is in the profession for the $$ and not the hipocratic oath. I have a cat with similar problems. My vet knows I'm in no financial position to have the "necessary" work done with my boy but advised me to switch over to a dental diet cat food. That has saved me a great deal. Harley still needs the dental work to some extent but he's okay for the time being.
Note: dental disease among cats is one of the leading causes of premature death. Poor dental care can lead to unforeseen infections that can affect the digestive, circulatory and cardiovascular. It's no different than with humans. Do your research.
Reply:Thats an awful lot of money isn't it? I think some vets out there are unscrupulous and in it for the cash to be charging this amount of money just to clean or pull teeth. I know they have to be put out for it and the gas costs but the amount stated is ridiculous! Of course you're not bad owners - you took him in off the streets and gave him a good home! Older cats will lose their teeth over the years and i'll give you a piece of advice. If he isn't in dire agony with his teeth, let them fall out on their own, it happens in the wild and they cope just fine with it. From your picture it seems as if he has a gum infection ( the red bits ) so i'd just ask your vet for some antibiotics to clear that up and some pain killers as it probably hurts a bit ( infection does especially in the mouth ) then let them come out on their own. My old cat lost her teeth over the years and was virtually gummy when she died but she never showed us any signs that her mouth was troubling her and she got on just fine with her dinner and her tit bits although she was on wet cat food towards the end of her life and she lived until she was 23! If you're concerned that she really needs them pulling then i'd look around for a cheaper vet! Good luck.
Reply:You did a good thing rescuing your kitty. Any cat can have dental problems. I have a 4 year old sphynx with terrible teeth/gums. He has already had 6 teeth pulled, which cost $180. That was in May and he already has had another round of antibiotics and 2 steroid shots for inflammation. He will probably need to have more removed. I have done some research and some cats will actually eat better and feel better without the teeth. Their gums are hard and they can still eat whatever food they want. I know my cat's teeth cause him pain because he has a bad attitude when his gums start getting red. He also gets really bad breath when they get bad.
The vet should be able to tell you approximately how many teeth may need to go. The difference should NOT be so great. My vet estimated $250-300 for a total extraction. You might want to check with some other vets in your area. Make sure they have lots of experience with cats teeth. You want only the best for your furry friend.
For a quick fix, the steroid shots have done wonders for Max. They last 1-2 months. I tried brushing his teeth, but he wouldn't have it!
Good luck with your kitty and his teeth. I hope he feels better soon!
I was wondering (well, my mum, who's paying, was) if there is a way of being able to estimate if he will probably need to have them pulled or just cleaned? One of his canines is really browny/yellowy, with brown striped and chipped at the bottom, and most of his top teeth (not incisors or bottom teeth) are yellowy, with pink/reddish/some brownish blotched gums.
Or is there another teeth option that we haven't considered yet?
*He was a stray cat by the way. We are not horrible owners or anything.*
Cat teeth cleaning/pulling?
Wow, your cat's teeth looks better then mine (minus that one front canine).
The vet really should have been able to tell you weather at least that one tooth would need to be pulled. Mean yeah my cat's teeth looks like your cats (we can't afford getting his teeth cleaned) but its not hurting him any and we have the dental food as well. and I try to brush them (you should try that too if you can).
but really I still think a vet should be able to tell you if a tooth needs to be pulled BEFORE hand. So you can look at how much money you will be spending. But that depends on the vet. Some care about the animals, some just want the money.
Good luck to your kitty.
Reply:Wow. It sounds like his teeth are in pretty bad shape, and this could either be because he's a stray or just because of his genetic makeup. In my experience, when the teeth are chipped and brown, they usually need to be removed, and the gums should be pink...It sounds really painful.
Reply:Of course you're not terrible owners. Forget the judgment call on that one.
Me thinks your vet is not giving you all the information you require. S/he is either not fully informed or is of the breed of vet who is in the profession for the $$ and not the hipocratic oath. I have a cat with similar problems. My vet knows I'm in no financial position to have the "necessary" work done with my boy but advised me to switch over to a dental diet cat food. That has saved me a great deal. Harley still needs the dental work to some extent but he's okay for the time being.
Note: dental disease among cats is one of the leading causes of premature death. Poor dental care can lead to unforeseen infections that can affect the digestive, circulatory and cardiovascular. It's no different than with humans. Do your research.
Reply:Thats an awful lot of money isn't it? I think some vets out there are unscrupulous and in it for the cash to be charging this amount of money just to clean or pull teeth. I know they have to be put out for it and the gas costs but the amount stated is ridiculous! Of course you're not bad owners - you took him in off the streets and gave him a good home! Older cats will lose their teeth over the years and i'll give you a piece of advice. If he isn't in dire agony with his teeth, let them fall out on their own, it happens in the wild and they cope just fine with it. From your picture it seems as if he has a gum infection ( the red bits ) so i'd just ask your vet for some antibiotics to clear that up and some pain killers as it probably hurts a bit ( infection does especially in the mouth ) then let them come out on their own. My old cat lost her teeth over the years and was virtually gummy when she died but she never showed us any signs that her mouth was troubling her and she got on just fine with her dinner and her tit bits although she was on wet cat food towards the end of her life and she lived until she was 23! If you're concerned that she really needs them pulling then i'd look around for a cheaper vet! Good luck.
Reply:You did a good thing rescuing your kitty. Any cat can have dental problems. I have a 4 year old sphynx with terrible teeth/gums. He has already had 6 teeth pulled, which cost $180. That was in May and he already has had another round of antibiotics and 2 steroid shots for inflammation. He will probably need to have more removed. I have done some research and some cats will actually eat better and feel better without the teeth. Their gums are hard and they can still eat whatever food they want. I know my cat's teeth cause him pain because he has a bad attitude when his gums start getting red. He also gets really bad breath when they get bad.
The vet should be able to tell you approximately how many teeth may need to go. The difference should NOT be so great. My vet estimated $250-300 for a total extraction. You might want to check with some other vets in your area. Make sure they have lots of experience with cats teeth. You want only the best for your furry friend.
For a quick fix, the steroid shots have done wonders for Max. They last 1-2 months. I tried brushing his teeth, but he wouldn't have it!
Good luck with your kitty and his teeth. I hope he feels better soon!
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