Dental work, extractions, anesthesia, etc...

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've posted! Once Bailey started acting like herself again and her major health issues mysteriously improved for reasons unknown to me, I kind of drifted away from the forums. I felt like I was growing a little too paranoid and was stressing her out as a result, so I decided I needed to take a few steps back.

It's been about a year without any major issues, so the dental work that I'd been putting off has now come to the forefront. Bailey is 13 now and just had her annual exam yesterday. I'm awaiting the results of her full bloodwork panel. If everything comes back normal, I need to get her in for a cleaning, and most likely at least one extraction. Her vet recommended that this be done about 1.5 years ago, but then we had a long, stressful period of trying to find the cause of her hypercalcemia (which was eventually determined to be idiopathic and eventually normalized randomly). Her top left incisor has been loose along with gum swelling. That is the tooth that will most likely be coming out, and she may need more extractions since her teeth aren't exactly in pristine condition.

Anyway, I know there are tons of posts about dental work and anesthesia, but I have some questions about the her specific situation.

1. Are there any specific risks regarding the extraction of an incisor? I know it shouldn't affect her ability to eat once it's healed, but since it's such a big tooth, are there any particular concerns?

2. I'm pretty sure the vet said that a combination of butorphanol/midazolam is what is typically used for a pre-anesthetic. Does anyone have any experiences with this?

3. For anesthesia, either a combination of telazol/isofluorane or just isofluorane will be used. I know that isofluorane seems to be common older cats and cats with compromised health, but I've also read that a combination of anesthetics can sometimes be preferable since less of each one is used. Does anyone have any opinion on this?

4. I'm going to get a little more information once I get her bloodwork back and schedule the appointment, but how about antibiotics and/or post-operative pain medication? Does anyone have any good/bad experiences with certain ones?

Thanks everyone! I'll continue to read through the forums, but if you have any input, I'd greatly appreciate it!

I wish i can help you but my Coco has not many teeth left and the vet said its not safe for her to have anything done.
I do know about butorphanol.
Coco gets that for a pain shot and had one a few weeks ago.
The butorphanol is fine to use.
I hope every thing goes well with your cat.

Thanks for the response! How has Coco reacted to having so many teeth removed? Has she had any incisors removed or has it been the smaller teeth?

She dosent have alot of teeth because she is 16.5.
She never had any teeth removed because the vet said it isnt safe forher. She still has her incisors but one is broken a little.
I do know people that had cats that lost the incisors and they are fine.

my cat just had a tooth removed yesterday. She is doing well, but still groggy from the anethesia they used on her. Vet didn't send any antibiotics or pain meds. home with her. It was rather odd. He didn't even talk much when I picked her up. Just said to keep her in crate another 24 hours- no food/water.

Good luck with your cat.

I have had loads of dentals done on cats, definitely into double figures now!! Only one has had to go back and have another pain shot, one of the last cats had 11 teeth out, and the first thing he did at the vets was eat a pouch, and demand more!! He didn't come home with pain meds, and to be honest, didnt act like he needed any, but the one after him had 8 out and did seem a bit fussy, but she was a fussy eater before anyway

Four of my cats have had extractions and had no pain meds, just antibiotics. As I recall, the vets used isofluorane only.

Originally Posted by clpeters23

Four of my cats have had extractions and had no pain meds, just antibiotics. As I recall, the vets used isofluorane only.

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Yeah, I'm thinking of asking him to just use isofluorane. I was perusing her medical records and discovered that she was given butorphanol/midazolam and isuflourane when she had a bone marrow aspirate done at an emergency clinic, and she didn't have any negative reactions. However, now I'm wondering if her vet said butorphanol/midazolam or if I was just recalling it from before.

Originally Posted by booktigger

I have had loads of dentals done on cats, definitely into double figures now!! Only one has had to go back and have another pain shot, one of the last cats had 11 teeth out, and the first thing he did at the vets was eat a pouch, and demand more!! He didn't come home with pain meds, and to be honest, didnt act like he needed any, but the one after him had 8 out and did seem a bit fussy, but she was a fussy eater before anyway

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Wow, reading all these stories about cats getting tons of teeth pulled makes me feel a LITTLE more secure about the procedure. It's amazing how common it is. I wish I had done more at-home dental care with her, but since I got her when she was 8 years old (and she's quite an anxious kitty), I can't see how I would've ever gotten my fingers anywhere near her teeth.

You can get Logic Gel and Plaque Off, both of which can be put into food, so you dont have to worry about getting near their teeth!! One more thing to reassure you, the second dental on one of my cats this year was on a nearly 18 yo, she got through it fine