Should I have his teeth pulled?

Back in the spring Spot had a bad UTI. During the exam the vet noticed his back teeth were really bad and he does have awful breath. He recommended a cleaning but said he'd probably have to get them removed.
I am really worried about putting him under anesthesia because he's nine y.o. I was thinking that was old, but the more I read, it seems cats live for many years beyond that.
Is it more important to take the risk of extraction and surgery or just leave him be? He doesn't seem to suffer, he still eats dry food and has forever, but it takes him about 3 or 4 days to eat a whole bowl. Of course, he gets wet food in the morning and at night, so he may just be partial.
I need some suggestions on the route I should take.

I'd get him in for the dental & extraction now. The longer you wait, the worse his teeth will get & the older he will get. Just make sure you do bloodwork prior to putting him under anesthesia.

It's best to let the vet pull any bad teeth. It's the same for cats as it is for people. These teeth can cause bacteria to enter the cat's bloodstream and have a harmful effect on vital organs such as the heart and kidneys. IMO, your cat will get through this and be just fine, but talk to your vet about your concerns about putting the cat under. You can also have pre-anesthesia blood work and a physical done, which will enable the vet to determine the best and safest anesthesia to use.

The bad smell can mean infection and that can get serious I would also assume that tooth pain for a cat is as bad as it is for a human. I woulod get it done and make sure the vet has a blood pressure moniter

he still eats dry food and has forever,

Why???

If you are gonna get them pulled, I would advise to do it soon as the older they get the more they might react to the anesthesia. My first cat had his teeth cleaned at about age 10/11 and he didn't have a very good reaction when he came home. So I made up my mind that unless it was absolutely necessary to have him put under for any teeth cleaning, etc., it would not get done.

I didn't like his reaction to it when he came home at his age.

Taurus77- you asked

Is it more important to take the risk of extraction and surgery

Click to expand...

Yes, it is, especially if he is young and healthy...and, nine is not old. The point is that you can manage any risk for the surgery...you cannot manage the risks associated with dental disease. And...I think that, because he eats the dry food so slowly, he is probably experiencing discomfort - if not pain - right now.

I recently answered a similar question in another thread. You can read my reply, which includes a series of necessary procedures (which manage all risks) at this link.

Thanks for all your advice. I think I'm going to have it done. Has anyone used Banfield hospital at Petsmart for surgeries? I am thinking of going there because I feel they are more up to date and seem to really treat the animals like loved ones instead of animals.

My Chynna is 16 years old. She had her first dental this past April when she was 15 years. She had to have most of her teeth extracted.

Blaise gave me some great information and I made sure I talked to the vet and asked lots and lots of questions.

Because of her advanced age she had to go in 24 hours before the surgery for hydration. They do that to protect their kidney function. Plus because of the number of teeth she had extracted, they kept her in for an additional night and day.

I was sent home with injectable morphine and an injectable antibiotic. I have a hard time giving her pills and was really worried about trying to give them when her mouth was so sore. They showed me how to inject the medication into her scruff.

She was eating a well pureed diet when I picked her up, now she is back to normal and eating a pate style wet food and doing well. She still has her small front teeth, one incisor and a few small back ones, but she's mostly toothless, but at least she isn't in any pain now. She had gotten to the point where she wasn't eating anymore and had become emaciated Now she's put on some weight and her coat looks and feels more healthy too.