Cat's canine tooth falling off?

kingfragile

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Hey all, my 13 year old cat has been having some problems with this left canine tooth. Today he's been rather uppity and loud due to his tooth condition getting worse. This was his mouth on the April 27th:


I looked up the condition (and hope I was right) and it's called FELINE ORAL RESORPTIVE LESIONS. But today his tooth got even worse. I can't take a picture right now because he's sleeping and seems relaxed than before. But his tooth literally is breaking off and is kinda stuck hanging off. I fed him some wet cat food today because he can't eat dry food, and after eating some wet food he started to hiss and run up and down the house. Any help on this would help.
 
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kingfragile

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I can't seem to edit so sorry about the double post. But to clarify: He's been acting the same way, doesn't seem to be pain (he was a little before, seems fine now), and his other side tooth is fine.
 

goholistic

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I apologize in advance for being frank.

We do not need more pictures of the tooth getting worse. The first is bad enough. Your cat needs to go to the vet ASAP. There are no natural remedies for this. No magical things you can do to stop it from getting worse. FORLs are very painful and the only treatment is extraction. My Sebastian had the exact same upper canine tooth removed. He's SO much happier without it!
 
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kingfragile

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I apologize in advance for being frank.

We do not need more pictures of the tooth getting worse. The first is bad enough. Your cat needs to go to the vet ASAP. There are no natural remedies for this. No magical things you can do to stop it from getting worse. FORLs are very painful and the only treatment is extraction. My Sebastian had the exact same upper canine tooth removed. He's SO much happier without it!
What kind of operation is it? Is it like surgery and they put my cat under to get it, or is it quick? My cat tends to do poop/pee in the car to the vet, hence why we don't take him. My mother/Father said  to just let it fall out and let nature do the rest. I just don't want my cat to die from surgery, or something crazy.
 

furmonster mom

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Please don't fool yourself into thinking your cat is not in pain.  Cats have a natural instinct to hide their pain, as predators they cannot appear to be weak. 

I've heard FORLs described as having razor blades stuck in your gums.  I can't even imagine how painful it must be, considering a simple cavity can bring a normal person to their knees.  

The other thing to consider is the infection factor.  Infections in the mouth have the easiest access to the bloodstream, as the blood vessels are very close to the surface.  If an infection gets into the bloodstream, you could be looking at more problems down the line, not the least of which can affect the heart.  FORLs and periodontal disease are nothing to fool around with.

PLEASE get this kitty to a vet, and get those teeth taken care of.  Be sure to get x-rays done, as I wouldn't be surprised if there were more than just that one.
 
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furmonster mom

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What kind of operation is it? Is it like surgery and they put my cat under to get it, or is it quick? My cat tends to do poop/pee in the car to the vet, hence why we don't take him. My mother/Father said  to just let it fall out and let nature do the rest. I just don't want my cat to die from surgery, or something crazy.
A good veterinarian should be able to handle dental extractions.  They should do some preliminary bloodwork to determine how well the cat will process the anesthesia.  Mine uses SEVOFLURANE as the anesthesia; it is what they use for infants, as it clears the bloodstream quickly.  My 17 year old kitty has been in for a few of these procedures, and has come through it just fine. 
 
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kingfragile

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A good veterinarian should be able to handle dental extractions.  They should do some preliminary bloodwork to determine how well the cat will process the anesthesia.  Mine uses SEVOFLURANE as the anesthesia; it is what they use for infants, as it clears the bloodstream quickly.  My 17 year old kitty has been in for a few of these procedures, and has come through it just fine. 
Alright. I'm only worried because my mother told me a story where her dog had dental work done and he had a heart attack or an illness (I forgot..) after it. I'm just worried about him.
 

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I will say, it is not going to be cheap.

If you have difficulty meeting the cost, talk to your vet about possible payment options.  There are also some threads stickied at the top of this forum section (Cat Health) that may give you some ideas.

At the very least... get kitty on some pain meds and antibiotics until you can get the teeth properly taken care of.  I had to do something similar with one of our dogs several years ago.  We couldn't keep him on the meds for more than a month, but it was enough to give us the time to get the finances pulled together.  He was a much happier dog once the teeth were extracted.
 
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kingfragile

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I will say, it is not going to be cheap.

If you have difficulty meeting the cost, talk to your vet about possible payment options.  There are also some threads stickied at the top of this forum section (Cat Health) that may give you some ideas.

At the very least... get kitty on some pain meds and antibiotics until you can get the teeth properly taken care of.  I had to do something similar with one of our dogs several years ago.  We couldn't keep him on the meds for more than a month, but it was enough to give us the time to get the finances pulled together.  He was a much happier dog once the teeth were extracted.
How much did your operation cost?
 

furmonster mom

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My costs are not going to be relevant to you.

Costs can vary depending on how many and which kind of teeth need to be extracted.  They can also vary by vet and the area you are in, as well as how much pre-testing is done, etc, etc, etc.,.

Put together a list of your questions, and have a good conversation with your vet.  Do your research, go in prepared, and don't let them off the hook.

One thing I will mention specifically... DO NOT let your vet give your cat RIMADYL.  It is a pain med that is for dogs only.  Many vets will use it for cats, but most knowledgeable consumers steer clear of it; Tramadol, Torbitol, or Buprenex are preferred.
 
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kingfragile

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We took the cat to the vet, he got two shots to fight infections and to help his mouth. He's going again on Thursday to get it removed. Thank you!
 

goholistic

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So glad to hear you took the cat to the vet and that the tooth will be removed. Let us know how it goes!
 
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