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. If a tooth is infected, they can remove it with local anesthesia and won't need to put a cat under.
Oh, absolutely not. My cat's had both lower canines out (in separate procedures), and that is a surgical extraction, because they have to cut into the gumline and then stitch it back up after they remove the tooth. Good luck doing that on a cat that isn't anesthetized!
99% of all defective cat teeth just fall out on their own. No problem. If a tooth is not infected, I would not put an elderly cat under anesthesia to remove them. I could be wrong and have no vet experience, I just would not do it.
You are wrong. FORL teeth don't "fall out," they are reabsorbed. My cat has had ten FORL teeth removed in the past 3 years.
Last edited by ContraPagan; 05-02-2018 at 11:26 AM..
My 19-year old girl has decreased her eating in the last couple of weeks. She is hyperthyroid and has high blood pressure so I suspect that her teeth may be giving her problems. She has a vet appointment tomorrow so hopefully we'll figure out what's up with her.
Hello, I have a 18 year old partner in crime and she has several broken teeth, stage two kidney disease, dental disease, and her liver is trying to shut down. He tongue now has sores and is changing color, and we are now doing a cocktail of medication. The vet at the er talked to me about the quality of life, saying if we put her under for an x-ray and then also took out teeth, it might be too much trauma to her body. She kind of made it sound like the best option is to let her go bc it could come back after the surgeries and it's a high risk. With Covid I wouldn't be able to be in the room either. How did yours work out? Any advice?
I faced something similar with my 17 year old a few months ago. He was very sick (multiple things). I took him in on a Monday and they could not take an x-ray without sedating him so I brought him home. By Wednesday his situation had deteriorated and I took him in Thursday for a quality of life visit. They were able to get him an x-ray without sedation at that visit and from that it was clear he was a lot sicker than I had imagined and so with me there he was euthanized.
Do you have a regular vet where you can be in the room? Where I live there is a vet who euthanizes at the owner's home.
It is understandable that you want to be in the room, but these are difficult times. My only suggestion is that you ask them to sedate the cat before the euthanizing shot. I have had a vet avoid the former and it was a terrible experience.
Hello, I have a 18 year old partner in crime and she has several broken teeth, stage two kidney disease, dental disease, and her liver is trying to shut down. He tongue now has sores and is changing color, and we are now doing a cocktail of medication. The vet at the er talked to me about the quality of life, saying if we put her under for an x-ray and then also took out teeth, it might be too much trauma to her body. She kind of made it sound like the best option is to let her go bc it could come back after the surgeries and it's a high risk. With Covid I wouldn't be able to be in the room either. How did yours work out? Any advice?
Check the latest Covid procedures with your vet. A few months ago, we had to have an old cat euthanized. I was allowed in the room. They make an exception, to be allowed, inside for euthanasia.
Because dental disease affects the whole body. It causes kidney infections, kidney failure and heart failure to name three.
Cats hide pain, if that cat needs extractions then she is in pain.
Do you know at what age a cat needs more than a CBC/ minor chem before a dental cleaning? Mine turned 10 in August and is going for a dental in November
Do you know at what age a cat needs more than a CBC/ minor chem before a dental cleaning? Mine turned 10 in August and is going for a dental in November
I have a full blood panel done on any cat having anesthesia regardless of age, but especially 10 and up.
I totally agree with @catsmom21, we vets should always offer a full blood test on cats >8 y.o, however that doesn't mean that the general anaesthesia is not going to involve any risks. To be honest, even when everything looks ok in the bloods and we put them on fluids, monitor their blood pressure, etc, complications can happen. Unfortunately with elderly cats and dogs we never know if there might be something else going on, and dental procedures usually take a long period under anaesthesia. As a vet, I personally wouldn't do a dental in such an elderly cat if is healthy otherwise, not in discomfort when chewing, and eating absolutely fine. But we have the obligation of offering options too. It depends a lot but when something doesn't sound quite right to you, is always worth getting a second opinion from another vet.
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