Cleaning cat teeth under general anesthesia

[Aussie Willy]

Timely thread as my cat needs to get his done. August and September the vet has a discount on teeth cleaning. Still it will cost more than it has for my own recent dental visits.

I will have to take him to the vet a few days before hand to get an antibiotic shot and then they knock him out for the treatment.

 

[Rob]

My cat is very fiesty so the vet put her under and cleaned the teeth/worked on the gingivitis, cleaned her ears, trimmed her claws (she shreds me if I try to do that) and gave her her shots while she was under. She came through fine. She was about 12 the time. Now that she is 17-18, my vet won't put her under for any normal procedures. Too much of a risk and her teeth aren't that bad. She can use a scratching post for her claws, and she's letting me clean her ears a little.

 

[madm]

My cat is very fiesty so the vet put her under and cleaned the teeth/worked on the gingivitis, cleaned her ears, trimmed her claws (she shreds me if I try to do that) and gave her her shots while she was under. She came through fine. She was about 12 the time. Now that she is 17-18, my vet won't put her under for any normal procedures. Too much of a risk and her teeth aren't that bad. She can use a scratching post for her claws, and she's letting me clean her ears a little.

I also have one feisty cat that won't let anyone touch his feet. It takes two people to trim claws - one for restraint and one with the clippers. After not being able to do it myself at home for many months, I discovered that I can take the cat to the groomer at Petco and have them do the nail trim for $10. One person scruffs the cat by the neck and holds the bottom feet with the cat vertical. The groomer them snips the nails in under 30 seconds. The cat is back in the carrier in about two minutes flat. It works perfectly. I think the element of surprise helps so that the cat doesn't get to react right away. Any more manhandling than this, and the cat would start hissing and growling. At the vet, he is uncontrollable and must be anesthetized before doing anything (not just sedated).

 

[Jenny]

Over the years I have had difficulty clipping nails too, so when our current cat came to us as a kitten, I made a point of playing with his feet and toes from the beginning so he'd get used to it. He grew up to be quite a terror (it takes two vets with BBQ gloves and thick blanket to give him a shot) but if I grab him in a sleepy state I can do a fully mani-pedi on him in under a minute.

 

[PRlady]

@IceAlisa -how did it go?

 

[IceAlisa]

@IceAlisa -how did it go?

Hasn't happened yet, their surgery schedule is full. Will schedule for this month and post about it. Good thing I my workday is full on their surgery day (Tuesday), otherwise I'd go stir crazy.

 

[Karina1974]

That is a MYTH that dry food cleans the teeth. Absolutely incorrect. That would be like humans eating crackers, cookies and chips in order to clean our own. Cats don't chew their food, their teeth are not designed for mastication. Their teeth are designed to rip and tear meat prey into smaller pieces, which are then swallowed whole. I've read several reviews of "dental" kibble where the authors' cat almost choked to death from trying to swallow it whole.

Also, doing cleanings under sedation is the only way to do a full, complete dental exam.

I would also be very nervous about general anesthesia.

We've also found that dental food can work really well, if they chew it. Most crunchy foods will help, again if they chew it rather than swallowing whole.

 

[aftershocks]

sounds more like a cosmetic surgery

Not cosmetic. Bad dental hygiene (particularly in cats, as I speak from experience) can lead to bacteria traveling throughout the bloodstream and causing problems with other organs. Most cats have teeth that are prone to accumulating plaque which leads to gingivitis.

@IceAlisa, you may wish to consult with a good vet and get second opinions. Most reputable vets and vet techs know how to appropriately administer general anesthesia without problems. Generally, depending upon the age of cats, blood tests are done beforehand to determine the pet's overall health. Usually if heart issues are present, they may suggest other options.

There are very specific guidelines to using general anesthesia in dogs and cats. I've seen the whole process done with cats on many occasions with careful monitoring taking place during the entire procedure (re the cat's breathing and heart rate). There are different methods that are used. I don't know enough to discuss the actual differences.

Also @hanca, please realize that even in people, teeth issues are majorly not cosmetic unless you are dealing with teeth-whitening and caps for cosmetic reasons. But even with caps and straightening, such procedures can help correct issues with an uneven bite and related problems. Although cats' teeth are different from human teeth, there is the same issue of bacteria from bad teeth entering the bloodstream and causing complications with bodily organs. There is a lot of recent research that has revealed how the state of our teeth is an indicator of our overall health.

 

[Jenny]

Cats don't chew their food, their teeth are not designed for mastication.

Our cat absolutely chews his food before swallowing it, and we've had others who have done the same. Maybe their digestive systems didn't start out that way, but that doesn't mean cats haven't evolved over centuries of domestication.

 

[IceAlisa]

It's also individual. My girl is fine for the time being.
My boy purrbaby is scheduled for Tuesday 8/15. I am going to be a wreck.

 

[Impromptu]

It's also individual. My girl is fine for the time being.
My boy purrbaby is scheduled for Tuesday 8/15. I am going to be a wreck.

I'm always a wreck on dental days too ... to the point where I take the day off work and hang out in the coffeeshop next to my vet's. (Yes, I know it's over the top, but this particular kitty has other health issues besides bad teeth that make dental's problematic for him).

 

[Jenny]

I'm always a wreck on dental days too ... to the point where I take the day off work and hang out in the coffeeshop next to my vet's. (Yes, I know it's over the top, but this particular kitty has other health issues besides bad teeth that make dental's problematic for him).

I don't think that's over the top at all. Pets are family members, so why wouldn't you want to be at the clinic or nearby when they are having medical procedures?

 

[IceAlisa]

I'm always a wreck on dental days too ... to the point where I take the day off work and hang out in the coffeeshop next to my vet's. (Yes, I know it's over the top, but this particular kitty has other health issues besides bad teeth that make dental's problematic for him).

I think I would lose my mind if I had nothing to do that day. Work takes my mind off things and is therapeutic in the time of stress. So I am asking my assistant to book me as fully as possible so that the day goes by faster. My mom who is a (human) nurse will pick him up and watch him until I get home.

 

[sk8pics]

Cats are individuals and some will need their teeth cleaned more often than others. You also want a reputable vet, and not one who is looking to get as much money out of you as possible, as a certain national chain is known for. There is a prescription food that can help clean their teeth, and when
Leo was 5 he ate that food for a few years and it helped his teeth. But then I had to switch his food due to urinary tract health problems, and now he is 11, and he legitimately needed his teeth cleaned. I have never heard of a vet around here that did not put the cats under general anesthesia. But it is important since bacteria can get into their bloodstream if their teeth and gums are very bad, and that can be a problem.

Leo had blood work done and it was fine, so I went ahead with the cleaning. The vet called me about an hour and a half after I'd dropped him off, worried that he had a heart murmur. I said, "No, he is just terrified" since I'd been through that with another vet. Sure enough he was totally fine. He had to have one tooth extracted. They told me to take it easy with him that night, to give him water first and if he was okay to give him a little wet food. I took him home, he zoomed out of the carrier the instant I opened the door, and zoomed around the house, then ran over to me and made it clear he was starving. Here, Leo, I said, have some water. Leo: I don't want no stinkin' water, I want FOOD! So I mixed a little food into some water. Well,he thought there was too much water and not enough food. Splash, splash! Okay, so then I started over, and he ate all the food, then ate Callie's leftovers. Then we repeated that. Then I gave him a little dry food that I'd wetted down, and he ate all that. I thought we'd have a nice quiet evening, and he just ran around the house, and when he wasn't doing that, he sat in the kitchen, evidently hoping more food would fall from the sky.

The vet said his teeth were not all that bad, and that she'd been surprised he only had to have one pulled. And she said he would probably never need them cleaned again. So Leo came through it all fine. He is a big tough cat and the fasting is the hardest thing for him.

Callie is 14, on the other hand, and still does not need her teeth cleaned. She probably never will at the rate she is going.

Get it done if it's needed, and your cat will have a better quality of life.

 

[IceAlisa]

@sk8pics thanks for sharing that story. Cats are so funny (and so fun!)

 

[IceAlisa]

Dental cleaning took place this morning. Vet called to say all went well, no problems under anesthesia, no extractions. Picking him up in a few hours!

 

[Jenny]

So glad to hear it @IceAlisa - extra love tonight!!

 

[Japanfan]

IceAlisa's purrbaby!

 

[skipaway]

I know that you are relieved. Glad all went well.

 

[IceAlisa]

Thank you, everyone! He is home now. Unsteady on his feet like a drunk, huge pupils but hungry. I fed him half a jar of Gerber baby food with chicken which he loved and would have eaten more but I am reluctant to give him a big meal. Maybe in a few hours. He's not so thrilled about his shaved paw. I think it's best to let him sleep it off.

 

[Japanfan]

Unsteady on his feet like a drunk, huge pupils but hungry.

How utterly undignified for a feline!

He's not so thrilled about his shaved paw. I fed him half a jar of Gerber baby food with chicken which he loved and would have eaten more but I am reluctant to give him a big meal. Maybe in a few hours. He's not so thrilled about his shaved paw. I think it's best to let him sleep it off.I think it's best to let him sleep it off.

Eating baby food isn't so dignified for a feline either, but I'm sure he'll enjoy it and forgive you for the shaved paw.

 

[IceAlisa]

How utterly undignified for a feline!

He is very undignified in general. He and his sister constantly beg for treats.

Eating baby food isn't so dignified for a feline either, but I'm sure he'll enjoy it and forgive you for the shaved paw.

I think they would sell me on eBay for a jar of Gerber baby food. It's their ice cream.

 

[sk8pics]

Glad it went well! Interesting idea Gerber baby food. Maybe I will try that with Callie.

I had to laugh at your fur baby staggering around. I think my vet had expected Leo to be like that too, but he zoomed around the house at high speed with no problem at all.

 

[IceAlisa]

Gerber baby food is really a treat and not a substitute for cat food. But I give it, for instance when they had an upset stomach and were dehydrated. Or as dessert.

My kitty was goofy for the rest of the night but is back to normal this morning. The vet says his sister's teeth are OK for now.

I truly appreciate everyone's support, kind words and advice. Glad to have you all in my corner.

 

[Jenny]

Never thought of baby food. When one of our cats had severe digestive issues in his final months, canned pumpkin really helped him a lot.

Our cat loves Weruva canned food. I did a lot of research on it, and it seems to be one of the best options as the ingredients are minimal, and real (as opposed to the random "meat and meat by products" in many of the brands carried by vets, not to mention all the grain/rice filler).

 

[Impromptu]

Yes, I've given baby food to a low appetite cat before too... it worked (although you have to be careful to make sure you get a flavor that doesn't include garlic, or onions).

I'm glad your cat came out of the dental work ok.

 

[IceAlisa]

My vet uses a spoonful of Gerber to help the thermometer go down.
I feed mine Weruva and Tiki.

 

[IceAlisa]

On Sunday I was buying cat food and the store clerk recommended the DentaTreat supplement by Wysong. I gave half a dose to them tonight to see how they tolerate it. If they do, will give full dose. Has anyone tried it?

 

[Impromptu]

Never tried it... it probably couldn't hurt anything (but your wallet). I've always had 2 cats, e.g. they eat the same food, get the same dental treats, and I still end up with one cat who has bad teeth, and one is who perfectly fine. I just figured that some cats just have bad teeth no matter what you do (although, as I said, I've never tried the expensive stuff).

 

[Peaches LaTour]

We took our cat, Luna, to have this surgery last week. Felt so guilty when she cried for her breakfast that morning and we couldn't feed her. Dropped her off at the vets & several hours later they called me to say they were unable to do the surgery because they couldn't manage to draw enough blood from her to test for problems pre- surgery. I was really upset but nothing else to do but reschedule for two more months. They quoted us $375 minimum for the procedure providing it was merely a cleaning & there was no other problems.