A few weeks ago, Fanny went to the Veterinarian to have her dental exam and teeth cleaned. This is my husband carrying her into the office.
I was sure that she had a dental issue because she had recently developed bad breath. A sure sign that something was going on.
A few weeks earlier, she had her yearly physical and the Vet saw that she had inflamed gums around a loose tooth. A full mouth exam is difficult to do on a cat unless they are under anesthesia. So we made a dental appointment.
I was pretty sure that she had a dental issue because she had recently developed bad breath. A sign that something could be going on.
A few weeks earlier, she had her yearly physical and the Vet saw that she had inflamed gums around a loose tooth. A full mouth exam is difficult to do on a cat unless they are under anesthesia. So we made a dental appointment.
During the dental exam it was discovered that she had three teeth that were decayed and needed to be pulled. The Vet called me before she proceeded but of course I gave her permission to pull them.
When we brought Fanny home she was still quite "high" from the anesthesia and medication. Her pupils were dilated and she acted a little hyper. She was hobbling quickly ( she has that bad leg) from one room to another and constantly wanted food. It's the most active I've seen her in a long time.
Anyway, the effects of the anesthesia wore off in a few hours and she seemed back to normal.
I gave her pain medication when she seemed uncomfortable. She was getting a slightly stronger dose of Buprenorphine than she usually gets... due to her surgery.
For two weeks we gave her only wet food then returned to the Vet for her post-op visit. Everything was fine except there was a little inflammation at the site of one of the extractions. I had to give her a course of an antibiotic to avoid the inflammation from getting any worse.
Starting back on dry food did not seem to cause her any discomfort. I was concerned about her biting and chewing since two of the teeth pulled were her canines. But I was really excited when I heard her crunching the dry food. She seemed to adapt.
Good oral health is so important to your cat's health. Fanny was never a fan of brushing but I do give her dental care treats every night and have her teeth checked every year. At the age of "19", I think she is doing pretty well.
You certainly don't want to ignore your cat's teeth since decayed teeth and gum disease can turn into a severe infection and cost you a lot of extra money.
I'd like to share a website with you which explains how you can provide good oral care for your cat:
https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/healthcare/cat-dental-care?lightboxfired=true#
Make sure you take your cat for yearly physicals. Your cat will love you for it.
Happy New Year!!!!!!!
Darlene and Fanny
PS: I'd love to hear from you.
Do you have any stories about your cat's dental care?
