Teeth Cleaning?

My vet is saying that Obi needs to have his teeth cleaned.  Needless to say, I am apprehensive; he is 15/16...have you had an older cat who got his or her teeth cleaned recently?  Did it go OK?  Is it "necessary"?

Good dental health is important for cats. Quite a few problems can arise if you don't keep their teeth in good shape. If your vet doesn't require it (and if they don't, I'd start to seriously consider getting another vet), do get a senior blood panel done before the cleaning, The blood work may show any underlying issues which could determine how safe it is for your cat.

Good luck!

Yes indeed, Obi was in for his blood work today regarding other things.  She said he needs a dental.

Both of my kitties have had dentals but they were younger.  The oldest one of mine had one at was 9.  Patches dental was done for resorptive lesions so I know there will be other dentals in his future, there is nothing that can be done to prevent it.  There are kitties here who have had dentals done at the age of your kitty.  They can foresee most issues with the anesthetic with blood work.  There is always that slight risk with anesthetic that cannot be foreseen but age doesn't have anything to do with those.  On occasion we have had very young cats have a fatal reaction to anesthetic when they are neutered.  Those are very rare though.

I know Patches issue seems to be progressing very slowly but if it becomes more aggressive I will probably have full mouth extractions done to 'cure' the issue.

Years ago I had a 14 year old have their teeth cleaned, they put them under with more of a 'twilight' anesthesia, so it's not as deep or as problematic. My present thirteen year old had to be put completely under for abscess surgery and I was so glad that my vet 'knew' him and any problems that could have come up, he came through fine, and it was extensive!

If your vet says that your kitty needs a dental, I'd go with it.  Periodontal disease is nothing to sneeze at.  Besides the pain factor of bad teeth, infections in the mouth are dangerous.  The gums and membranes in the mouth are very thin, so it makes access to the bloodstream very easy.  Infections that get into the blood stream from PD can cause problems with the heart down the line.

I'm going to copy one of my old posts here for ya...

I've had a few animals go in for regular extractions.  One was my mom's older schnauzer (16 yrs when we took him), who seemed to have never had his teeth cleaned.  The other is our older cat who had chronic FORLs (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion).  There are a few things that I cover with my vet before procedures...

1. anesthetic - I prefer Sevoflurane.  It is a gas that they use on infants, easily discontinued and cleared from the system if there are any adverse reactions.
2. pain management - NO RIMADYL.  This is a pain med that is specified for dogs only, but a lot of vets use it on cats.  When it's used with surgical procedures, it's administered as an injection.  The problem with that is if your cat has a reaction, it cannot be flushed out of the system.
3. For that reason, I prefer oral meds to be given at home.  If there are any reactions, the meds can be stopped and swapped for something else.  Buprenorphine/Buprenex is popular these days, but my older cat had a reaction, so we use torbutrol.  The difference is that Bup is an opiate that targets the entire nervous system to dull pain.  Torbutrol runs through the blood stream to target the specific pain (like asprin).
4. Antibiotics - again, I prefer oral over injections for essentially the same reasons as the pain meds.  It couldn't hurt to ask your vet if you can get a jump on the antibiotics to put any infections in check if the situation warrants it.  I've done this when I had to wait a month or so (due to finances) to get the procedure scheduled.

I have a long relationship with my vet (11 years), so we've had many discussions on these issues and she knows how I think/feel.  There was one time that a new vet took our consultation, and I literally had an argument with her over the Rimadyl issue (and a few other things).  I made no bones about talking to my regular vet about the experience.  Point is, do your research, talk about your options and preferences, and stick to your guns on things that you feel are important.

One vet told me that my cat's teeth needed cleaning right away.  I bought him in for the cleaning & told the vet I was really worried about him going under.  She said his teeth really did not need cleaning. Then I found out that the first  vet had little experience with cats.   However, if you have never had them cleaned they probably need it.   What I was told is that having IV fluids during the procedure was better for older cats.  They normally only give SubQ.  I also got the antibiotic shot rather than giving him pills for 2 weeks.

Thank  you both for the info.  I think the vet intends to send Obi home with Bup, he has had it before, and hates the taste but...I will ask about an IV antibiotic.  He has GI issues so I would just as soon bypass the GI tract.

myrnafaye said:

 
Thank  you both for the info.  I think the vet intends to send Obi home with Bup, he has had it before, and hates the taste but...I will ask about an IV antibiotic.  He has GI issues so I would just as soon bypass the GI tract.

Click to expand...

The IV is for the fluids during the procedure.   The antibiotic is a shot.  My Rizzo was really good at spitting out those pills & it was such a fight.  Costs more but it was worth it to me.

You do need to realize that anesthesia is more hazardous for a kitty of this age.  Has this cat had a dental in the past?  Do you brush this cat's teeth?  Does this cat eat bones?

As with humans, dental health is important, and a dental infection can find it's way to the heart.

I would ask more quesstions.  Is there a build up of tartar and plaque?  Is there gum disease present? 

Also, many cats of this age develop a heart murmur.  Many vets require a heart monitor when using anesthesia of this age.  It does make the price jump.

And most likely, a cat of this age will have a tooth or a few teeth removed.  So that will need to be managed and monitored for proper healing.

She thinks he may have a cavity, and yes there is stuff on his teeth..I just worry.  he does not eat bones and will not let me near his teeth to brush them.

What have others done regarding dental health in a senior cat? 

I heard it is more difficult for senior cats to go under anesthesia... Just like what Freedom said, it is "more hazardous for a kitty of this age". It really depends on the severity of the situation. Trusting my vet and only if the dental cleaning will help tremendously, then I would go for it.

I bought C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews  for Biscuit. He would chomp on it really good, which helps clean his teeth! I got the product on Amazon. I am not sure if it will help Obi, but I thought I would mention this product to you if you have not heard of it yet.   

Obi is scheduled for his dental on Monday, and I am having terrible qualms about this.  All his lab work was great; he has a heart murmer of a "2", that is all.  The vet thinks he may have a cavity or 2.  She monitors his heart, has fluids on board and antibiotics before the procedure.  I am just so nervous about putting him under.   Comments appreciated.

I been studying cats for about 4 years & I have never heard of one having a cavity.  Learn something new everyday.  This is what I would consider:  can your cat live a normal pain free live for 4-5 years without the dental or are there major problems that need attention.  The cavities sound worrisome because they can cause pain.  What do they do; pull the tooth?  A hard call for you!  Good luck!

Yes, cats do get cavities.  I dont know if he can live pain free for another 4-5 years, but that is indeed the question, and also, how might a mouthful of bacteria effect his health?  I think the vet looked at his gums and said he has periodontal disease and that one of the front excisors looked like it had a cavity.  He wont let me near his mouth very well, so I cannot tell.  I looked on line last night and found a lot of encouragement and really no discouragement; many comments, including from vets, said the age is not the issue, overall health is.  His labs were all great.  He does have a "2" heart murmer.... 

I did just a bit of reading on cavities.  You are right.  Like people bacteria will affect his heart & other organs.  Good luck & I hope you have a great outcome!