Should my 12 year old cat have his teeth cleaned?

I'm afraid of him having the anesthetic at this age or maybe


if they work on his gums the bacteria might get into his bloodstream and cause sepsis. Isn't it better to leave well enough alone, the vet says his teeth are "nasty"

Should my 12 year old cat have his teeth cleaned?
All vets will do a blood panel to check adequacy of kidney function before putting a cat under anesthesia.





My old cat had "dentals" at age 21 and 22 and her kidneys were quite bad. The vets gave her extra fluids prior and after the procedure to help her get the anesthesia out of her system. It does really take a lot of time to clean the teeth.


Her kidneys were actually more at risk from NOT cleaning than the cleaning itself because bacteria is shed into the cat's system and that can be damaging to the kidneys.





"Nasty" teeth can lead to infections, abcesses and cause the cat to stop eating entirely because of the pain in its mouth. So I strongly urge you to have it done.
Reply:yeah! I really think you should have them cleaned! ask the vet about alternatives to the anesthetic and then ask about side-effects if the anesthetic is the only way to go.
Reply:Has he ever been under anesthetic before? If his teeth are that bad, it could be more dangerous doing nothing than putting him under.





Talk over your concerns with your vet and make your decision after being fully informed of the risks, drawbacks, and benefits.
Reply:Don't worry. Go ahead and have them cleaned. Bad teeth can affect other parts of his body, just like they can in a human. He's also very possibly in pain. The vet will know how much anesthesia he can handle.
Reply:They clean the teeth because it is much less risky than leaving them to fall out, which is what could happen if you do nothing. If your cats teeth start to hurt it will stop eating and die young. You can prevent many problems by getting them cleaned.
Reply:Did you raise those same questions to your vet? What did he say? I think your concerns sound reasonable, so talk over them with a veteranarian and see what they say.
Reply:Yes have them cleaned their like our teeth they need to get cleaned. But if you feel uncomfortable about cleaning them take him to the vets and they will do it but of coarse it does cost money
Reply:Poor dental health can lead to gum disease. It can also affect vital organs such as the kidneys and liver. At this age your vet should run blood work prior to its dental. You can have a choice of having a catheter put in so he can have a continuos flow of fluids and/or emergency meds if needed. Always consult your veterinarian about such matters.
Reply:by leaving the bacteria on the teeth you could cause more damage to the liver/kidneys/heart than if you have the teeth clean. After having the teeth cleaned your vet should put your cat on an antibiotic and will probably give an injectable antibiotic following the procedure. Bloodwork can be performed prior to anesthesia which will show the vet any liver/kidney damage and how well your cat will handle the anesthesia.
Reply:I understand your trepidations becuase I and my cat went through the same thing last year - but he was 8 years old then. The vet will assess if your senior cat is able to be put under anesthesia by:


1) listening to the cat's heart to detect any heart murmurs


2) taking a blood test to confirm that all vital organs are functioning well





If your kitty passes these tests, a good vet will MONITOR the cat's vitals throughout the dental procedure and support vital organs with IV fluids.





Ask vet to use the safest anesthesia gas available. With my cat, the vet used Isoflurane.





Check the vet's reputation too... I mean, have they had deaths in their clinic - cats or dogs dying on the table while doing routine elective surgery like spaying, neutering and teeth cleaning? This is something you need to know.





Call around and ask the clinic to describe to you what happens when a cat's teeth are cleaned. Their teeth-cleaning protocol should include blood test screening, full organ monitoring and kidney support during and the safest anesthesia and induction agents possible. If they sound vague or glib - RUN and take your kitty elsewhere.
Reply:Phoebhart gave some good advice. In addition to making sure they use isoflurane (or sevoflurane, which is almost as good) for anesthetic maintenance, find out what the vet is using for induction (ketamine and ketamine mixes are not recommended in senior cats especially, but propofol is an excellent choice). The induction anesthesia is what they will use to "put him under" and the maintenance keeps him anesthetized until procedure is complete. The combination of propofol for induction and isoflurane for maintenance is safer than the older type anesthetics and results in a much shorter recovery time (like waking up faster).





In addition to anesthetics, the blood work and the I.V. fluids, be sure to ask about pain medicine both during and after the surgery and antibiotics which are often started a couple of days prior to surgery. If your cat's teeth are really bad, then the vet may need to do extractions--antibiotics can help prevent the bacteria from getting into the blood stream, and the pain medicine will help keep your kitty comfortable.





I've had two senior cats receive dentals. The most recent used the above protocol and experience no problems other than his eyes being dilated after surgery. The other was wobbly and took a couple of days to recover, but he had the older anesthetics. Make sure your vet is familiar with the latest techniques and is open to explaining the process to you as well so that you feel comfortable with the procedure.
Reply:It's never too late to get your cat's teeth cleaned. I get my 17 year old cat's teeth cleaned and wish I had started earlier. The cat can get all kinds of infections. If the vet says they are nasty, get them done. I had a major problem last year and had to have 5 teeth pulled from my cat. If I had started to have the teeth cleaned earlier this wouldn't have happened. the cat was in horrible pain until the teeth were cleaned and pulled.

Help my poor cat had eight teeth pulled yesterday. she looks like she's in pain?

I just want to know if there is anything I can do for her? She is so unhappy and the dr. didn't give her any pain med's just antibiotics. My mom said maybe I could put some Lavender Oil under her lil' blanket but I don't want to make her more nauseous. I'm waking for the dr. to call but she doesn't seem to think that my cat feels pain when I give her Insuline twice a day and I know it hurts her! Please Help!

Help my poor cat had eight teeth pulled yesterday. she looks like she's in pain?
No Tylenol, it's poisonous to animals. If she is diabetic I would definitely consult the vet about pain meds. Surely they can give her something.
Reply:Poor kitty. OMG. I feel so sorry for her. Why don't you call the vet and see if it's ok to give her a tylenol? If it is I would go get her the kind for infants because it is liquid. Just send someone to get it for you because you don't need to leave her there by herself.
Reply:ah poor kitty um can't u ask a different vet to give u some pain killer or something?thats all i can think of.
Reply:You need to demand pain meds for your cat from your vet. And when this crisis is over, I would suggest you shop around for a new vet. I have had both diabetic and non-diabetic kitties that had tooth extractions. My Vet sent us home with pain meds and antibiotics as a matter of course.
Reply:Do not give her anything that is for humans. Human meds are not for animals. I was told that Tylenol will kill a cat.


To your question can cats feel pain. Yes....and they need a pain reliever from the vets. I am so surprised that you vet didn't give you something for her.


I have a cat with diabetes also and I give a shot twice a day. I give her a treat right after the shot so she puts up with the discomfort. I have a cat that had an operation recently and the vet gave her pain meds.


I think I would look for a different vet. One with some consideration for the comfort of your pet.


Good luck!
Reply:I would call the vet back up and ream him out. How humane is it to pull 8 teeth and not give the damn cat medicine? That's horrible. Call them up and demand pain meds, or you're going to turn them in for animal abuse.
Reply:Don't ask the Vet - TELL the Vet to give/recommend something!

Why does my cat grind his teeth?

He will sit and grind his teeth. Anyone know why he might be doing this?

Why does my cat grind his teeth?
usually cause by worms in the stomach. you should get it to a Vet. Grinding teeth are the beginning symptoms, usually followed by vomiting.
Reply:he's sharping his teeth
Reply:he has a secret meth addiction. get him into rehab asap.
Reply:It's going to eat you in your sleep

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What if my cat lost some teeth will she grow them back!?!?

my cat is about a year old

What if my cat lost some teeth will she grow them back!?!?
They typically lose their "baby" or milk teeth.
Reply:believe it out not cats and dogs do lose some teeth just like humans...is the cat an adult? it probably won't grow back then, check with a vet.
Reply:Cats lose their baby teeth around 3-5 months.. After that they are adult teeth, and like humans, they only have one set.
Reply:My sister's cat Delta is 8 years old and she lost some teeth about a year ago and hasn't had any grow back, probably just old age! So depending on the age of your cat that could be the case.
Reply:depends on how old it is its just like humans you lose your baby teeth and get adult teeth and if you lose your adult teeth well too bad
Reply:No they don't, although as others have pointed out, they do have "milk teeth" which they lose. But adult teeth, like human's adult teeth don't grow back. If she lost her teeth recently, that's a sign she needs to see the vet to check for gum disease (yes, cats can get that.) I have three cats, and two of them have had teeth pulled due to infection. Nothing I did wrong, this just can happens sometimes! Not many teeth, although our female had to have one of her canines pulled. (I realized one day that it looked "longer" than the other one. Well, it was loose! Took her in, vet says that has to come out and THEN I had the FUN [NOT!!] job of giving her antibiotics everyday for about two weeks. She hated me :-( but got over it.) Aw well, I've lost some teeth too that I had to have pulled.

My vet said my cat has "Gooey teeth," how do I address this?

She was going to tell me but during the exam she found a different problem. I guess she got distracted with it and I am addressing it (the second-but primary problem), but I do remember what she said about his teeth. What do I do?

My vet said my cat has "Gooey teeth," how do I address this?
you will have to call the vet and ask her and remind her that she forgot to tell you what to do.
Reply:4000 psi power washer nozzle hidden in the tuna
Reply:the vet should of told you what medication your cat needed if any or if it was serious he should of told you what to do.

My cat is losing all of his teeth between his fangs. The vet doesn't seem to think it's a big deal...

My cat is around 6-7 years old..I'm not quite sure because I adopted him after I got back from Iraq and he was supposedly around 3 or 4 then. He's losing all the teeth between his fangs and the vet doesn't seem to care. What do I do?

My cat is losing all of his teeth between his fangs. The vet doesn't seem to think it's a big deal...
Well its weird that your vet doesnt care, I'd try another vet. But at the same time, my cat Prince is only 3 years old, and he's loosing the little teeth on the bottom between his 'fangs'. his teeth came in really crooked (ive had him since he was born, i was fostering his mom) and they've always been funny, but he is just fine without them. His gums are healthy and pink, and his fangs and molars are fine. If this is the case with your kitty, I'd maybe get a 2nd opinion, but not get too worried about it. As long as he's on a good diet and has been checked for diseases, it could just be a weird thing like my cats and he's as healthy as they come.
Reply:teath wear out and are broken and just like human teeth they do not grow after the cat become an adult. and the advanced age.
Reply:I'd recommend seeing another vet. Those incisor teeth are used not just for feeding, but also for grooming as the kitty uses them for picking out items caught in her fur.





She might be able to get along without them, but they're certainly not useless or vestigial structures.





I'd also be worried about what is CAUSING the tooth loss. It could be malnutrition, or tooth decay, or be a symptom of something much more serious.





Yeah, definitely find another vet and get her opinion.
Reply:Old age. A couple of our cats started losing their teeth when they were around 7 or 8 years old. When they ate dry food they lost more, so we started feeding the elderly ones only wet food from them on. I don't think there's really much else you could do.
Reply:How does his mouth look (and smell) in general? My cat has quite a problem with her gums and as a consequence - her teeth. The vet already removed 3 because of major decay, and she's only 6yo. Apart from seeing another vet, if your cat has swollen/red/bleeding gums, it might be a good idea to clean his teeth at least few times a week (there are toothbrushes and toothpastes specifically for cats; also wipes like "Kitty ToothWipes" which I found easiest to use)... That can be a challenge but it does help.





Changing diet also helps, they say...
Reply:In response to the above users, 6-7 years is NOT old for a cat. They live to be around 14 years or longer if they are well cared for. My friend's cat is 17 and going strong, even after surviving breast cancer and a horrible cold. My cat lived to be 15. If a cat is dead before then it was the result of neglect!





As to your question, get a different vet. Preferably at a different clinic. As has been previously mentioned, it is likely the result of decay and needs to be treated immediately before it gets worse.
Reply:Perhaps get a different vet! My vet was supposed to do a dental cleaning every year with his checkup and didn't, then what all offended when we got cheesed off at him because our cat had to almost have his teeth pulled (luckily it was not that bad yet). Make sure the vet cleans his teeth at least once a year.
Reply:Get a second opinion from a different vet from another clinic.

My 8 yr old cat may need all of his teeth pulled - has anyone else had this recommendation from a vet?

I have two brothers and only one has this issue (the other brother is allergic to his vaccinations, but that is another story). Apparently his gums are rejecting his teeth and they are red and swollen. Vet says he was born with this. We have tried the OraVet gel but it is too painful to apply twice a day. We have also tried steroid shots which worked on a temporary basis. They also no longer work. The vet says that the only option is to remove all of his teeth. I think that would be a great ordeal to put an 8 yr old cat through. Does anyone know of any other options, or has had a cat that has been through a similar situation?





Thanks to all who offer serious answers!


:-)

My 8 yr old cat may need all of his teeth pulled - has anyone else had this recommendation from a vet?
One of my aunts cats needed to have their teeth removed. The surgery went well and the recovery process took some patience.





Be sure you have a couple of days to spend with the guy so he can get the proper care. He most likely will need MAJOR help eating, and he might not even eat so try to blend the food to liquid as best u can and set it in a bowl. Unless you use a bottle with KMR Milk, he might have trouble eating on his own.





Also be sure that the meds he takes will not contribute to a loss of appitite. The meds my aunts cat affected his appitite and he was really down and out of energy within 3 days.





Also have your vets number habdy in case there are any problems afterwards.





Also note Monitor him while eating!!! this might need to be done at least 2 weeks after surgery.








Good Luck!!
Reply:kill the cat
Reply:sounds like this is the only option, but you might want to get a second opinion
Reply:I would check with another vet. I've never heard of this situation before and wouldn't rush into action until I was certain there was no other way.





And to the person who says kill it, who likes cats anyway...you sound like a nutcase.
Reply:If he's eight, he's only middle-aged. He's not a YOUNG cat, but he's also not old, either. He could easily have another good 8 years in him.





I haven't had this situation, but I do have this one. I have a mama-cat who found me last year, pregnant, and gave me a houseful of kittens (3 of the little monsters I still have - now 10 mos. old!) The momcat has lost all but one of her fangs. The vet said it was probably due to poor nutrition when she was on her own, coupled with the drain on her body during pregnancy. However, she seems to eat just fine - even dry food. She's adorably snaggle-toothed right now, and I'm ultimately going to have to have the final fang pulled, and because her gums are bad, she may eventually lose the rest of the little teeth, too. Personally, I think if he's in pain, get the teeth removed. Bad teeth can cause lots of other health problems - serious ones to the heart, kidneys, liver, etc. -- so it would be better to get your baby OUT of pain and out of harms way re: dental issues. As long as you're willing to make sure he gets food in a soft diet, he'll be just fine. He may look a little funny like a toothless old man kitty, but as long as you keep loving him like crazy and tell him how pretty he is, he won't mind all that much!!





Good luck!
Reply:my cousin is a vet and she has described a similar situation and i say. yes he maybe allergic to his teeth i have heard it before. after the teeth are gone he will have to eat only soft food but his pain will be gone as what is causing him pain is his allergic reaction to his teeth i say do it you may still have 10 years left in the cat yet.





goof luck
Reply:Many cats have a great many teeth pulled when they reach an advanced age. Infected teeth are very painful and they can't get root canals or caps. My cat, who lived to be 18, had many teeth pulled.





With so many excellent canned and pouch cat foods on the market, it shouldn't harm its quality of life any.





Many older cats suffer greatly from the failure to pull teeth. Some vets are nervous about putting them under anesthesia, especially if they don't like their blood tests.





A vet can recommend the best foods for its condition.





You can nonetheless visit or phone another vet if that would help.

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