Health Problems that Crop Up after a Dental

raintyger

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I've been wondering for a time now--

Last year I took my kitty for a dental, and right afterwards health problems started cropping up. It started with constipation which never really went away.

Since then I've read other people's posts and found quite a few people said problems showed up right after a dental. So I'm wondering if there's something about a dental that can cause problems to surface? Maybe an antibiotics course that knocks out the good bacteria? I'm talking about health issues that don't go away or stay for a long time.

I don't have any real concerns right now, I'm just asking out of curiosity.
 

shaheena

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This is an interesting question! My foster cat had a dental cleaning before he started getting blood and mucuous on his stool ( no diarrhea). The vet thinks it IBD.

I never crossed my mind if there may be a connection to the dental he had shortly before this issue came up.
 

happybird

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I feel like I should put a disclaimer on my following post so no one who has a cat who truly needs a dental exam or extractions will find what I say as an excuse not to do it. Oral health is very important to the overall health of your cat and tooth decay can cause other, serious health issues. If your cat has irritated, swollen or bleeding gums, drooling and/or pain from a cavity or rotten tooth, tartar build up, bad breath, a diagnosis of stomatitis or any other mouth/gum issues, please listen to your vet and get the dental, even if it is expensive.

That being said, I don't know about health problem related to dentals, but I wanted to share an experience I had when I used to work at vet offices. At two different practices where I worked, every single client who came through the door was told their pet needed a dental exam. It didn't matter the condition of the pet's teeth or the age or if there was an actual need. It was simply a money making machine. It made me very angry and I did not stay at either of those practices for long.

I had a hard time finding a vet I liked for my babies and tried several different ones over the course of five years. Some swore my Maggie urgently needed a dental, others complimented me on how beautiful and clean her teeth were, especially for a dog her age. I brushed her teeth once a week from the time she was a puppy until she died at 16 years old. She never had a cavity, tartar build up, or any gum irritation. Or the need for a dental (a fact verified by my current vet, who is my sister in law). The way some of these unscrupulous vets told me she needed her teeth done reminded me of the stories about mechanics telling women they need expensive work done to their car, thinking she won't know that it doesn't need fixed.

I realize dentals are very necessary in some situations. I have just been suspicious after what I witnessed and experienced. I also find the skyrocketing cost of dental exams over the past decade suspicious and troubling.

Any time any living thing is put under anesthesia, there are risks. Honestly, I would not be surprised if eventually a link between the procedure and subsequent health problems were proven.
 

denice

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I have been fortunate as far as dentists pushing unneeded dentals.  I had one of my cats to several different vets over the course of 6 years and didn't have a dental recommended.  Maybe it's something that hasn't started or caught on here.  Each of my kitties are almost 11 and each have had one dental with extractions.  One was for gingivitis, the other for FORL.  One of my kitties had the chronic digestive problems before the dental, the other one hasn't developed health problems so far  Alice had her dental three years ago and hasn't developed health problems.  If she were to start developing issues now I don't think they would be related to the dental because of the time lapsed.
 

fleabags mom

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Am not sure about illness after dental, but I do wonder if antibiotics, operations or anything can cause probs later on. Hugely stressful situation I think can lower a cat's immunity. Our cat had a UTI rather soon after being at the vets for an abscess drained, and I was told he couldn't eat before he went in - I think the lack of water & the stress may have contributed to the UTI, and perhaps as you said, the antibiotic.
 

denice

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Kitties get UTIs caused by stress so easily.  I know when I was doing the vet hopping thing and Patches was hospitalized with what I found out later was actually an IBD flare he got a UTI.  The vet at the time checked his urine, found that and thought the diagnostic problem was solved.  As far as I know that's the only one he has had but he could've had one with one of his other flares.
 

cprcheetah

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As for health problems caused by a dental, any time you put an animal under anesthesia it can add stress to their system, stress can make them more prone and/or bring out underlying problems.  IMO any time a cat or dog for that matter has a dental they should have antibiotics.  The bacteria from the mouth is showered through the bloodstream, so when they scrape and clean the teeth they upset that balance which can also cause problems.  Any time an animal is on antibiotics they should have probiotics.
 
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