Help- my very old cat needs tooth extraction

My 16.5 year old, super healthy 6.5kg cat has an inflamed front tooth (incisor) and the vet (including a second opinion from another vet) says it has to come out or there's risk of brain damage from infection...  It's no surprise as he has always hated eating bones and I didn't clean his teeth very often... he is super healthy generally with a whopping appetite (he was actually bulimic when younger...eat/throw up/ eat some more, seriously).

He was recently on antibiotic's for a minor eye infection, which seems to have a much improved his tooth but vet says it should still come out..  I've started him on Musashi Lycine pre-op to boost the immune system....he has never been on anything else except glucosamine for arthritis in one hip...

I'm just worried about the risk from anaesthesia,,,,being so old.  They will take pre-op bloods to ensure all is ok...and ive been told he should be on fluids the whole operation....

Any advice or tips?  (I'll be dosing myself with relaxants that day, am so worried about it)

AW, of course you will be worried! The risk, IMO, is worse if you don't have that bad tooth extracted. Serious tooth infection in cat's can cause serious pain and illness. I know many of our member's have had senior dentals done on their cats and some/most have other underlying health problems but pull through the dental just fine. It may just be harder on you than your cat - seems to be the way it goes with all of us! Good luck and keep us updated!

p.s. I have never heard anyone before say that a cat is "bulimic". If your kitty was eating and throwing up, it was due to something physically/medically wrong and not something psychologically wrong like bulimia - I believe that is only a human disease.

I had to laugh at the bulimia too.  Some cats do that...eat so much they throw up, but they aren't doing it on purpose.  They are just little piggies who don't know when to stop

I know just what you mean when you are so worried about your old guy   I worry ANYTIME any of mine have to be put under, no matter their age.  Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, but as you said, they will do a blood test before hand, and they will be monitoring him all during the procedure, so there is no reason to think he won't be just fine. 

As I see it, this is your only option, because you don't want him living in pain,  and certainly don't want an infection going to his brain, so take your relaxants and before you know it, it'll all be over with.  

for both of you

Oh thanks for the replies...made me feel a bit better....Just want it done... Yes i agree he wasnt actually 'Bulimic,which is just the term I use....he was healthy just overate i think..and this was back in the day of nasty coloured catfood,,,probably all sorts of rubbish in it that didn't agree with his tum... He has always been a piglet...even now he will follow me around the house just in case a bit of food is going...and if you are eating yourself he will stare at you till you are done. Thanks again.