What complications are possible after feline dental extractions?

Hi, I am desperate for some answers and guidance here. I have a 15 year old male cat that is everything to me! I have had him 3 years and he has always been a perfect angel. very mild mannered, polite and socialable. He never does anything wrong or even annoying and spoons with me and my boyfriend every night.
I took him in to get his teeth cleaned and they ended up extracting 6 teeth, including an upper fang. Did the antibiotics Clavamax but he wasn't taking it well so I took him in to get an antibiotic injection. The extraction sites were sutured, by the way.
Every single day, allllll day long and all night, my cat meows and cries, whines, and does this sort of low groan deep moan NON STOP ever since. I cannot handle it. I have taken him back several times to the operating vet, and then a 4th time to someone else who was reccommended by a friend. They say his mouth was healing nicely, and bloodwork very good considering his age.
I KNOW something is wrong. Hes restless, lost weight (yet eats constantly), doesnt sleep with us anymore and just walks around the apartment crying and complaining.
I cant stand to see him like this AND I can't stand to be around him now...
What are some complications that may be going on that are not visible? No x-rays were done I should also mention. Please help! I want my kitty back--they ruined my cat(

Hi Candice, I'm so sorry about your kitty troubles.  Does he eat at all?  Drinking enough?  I'm wondering if he possibly has intestinal pain from the anti-biotic.  Is he going to the bathroom ok?  Any diarrhea or trouble peeing or blood in his urine?  I'm also wondering since you said no x-rays have been done, if the dental infections have been properly handled by the antibiotic?  An x-ray of his head and especially his tummy would be good to see what the heck is going on.  I hope he gets better really soon!  Poor kitty!

Another thing, if the antibiotic is causing intestinal upset, ask the vet if Forti-flora might help.  It's a kitty pro-biotic which helps to reestablish the microflora that has been killed off by the antibiotic.  Without probiotics, the immune system is shot.

Hi, thanks for responding. I don't know of any blood in his urine, he seems to be going potty just fine. He does have constipation issues on occasion as he prides himself on what a clean cat he is, he bathes a lot and because he sheds so much (even though he's a shorthair) the fur backs him up sometimes. I give him a lax from the vet sometimes, also the brown cat lax in a time that looks like thick brown sugar. We also add olive oil to his food.
Because no x-rays were done, I am worried about root segments, or even bone or tooth fragments. It's hard to proceed because the place that did the extractions I no longer trust. When they first brought him out from the back after surgery, they handed him to me and his left paw thumbnail was all bloody and dislocated. I said, "what happened to his paw!??" Uhh we don't know. I don't think this is an injury he could have caused himself.
I have no money, I'm a student and the place that did the extractions has already been paid roughly $1000. Because there is obviously a problem, I feel like they should x-ray him for free, but at the same time I don't know if I trust them. The times I've brought him back they keep saying nothing's wrong with his mouth, and they could run other tests but they'd cost $500.
I feel like my cat is such a dream, anyone would be more than happy to have him, and I feel selfish because maybe he deserves a home that can afford to pay for proper medical needs.
He also wouldn't talk to me for a week after surgery, he really went through hell and of course "I did this to him."
Antibiotic wise, we did the clavamax twice, because of the missing upper fang it kept leeking right back out, that's when he got the antibiotic injection.
They gave me a painkiller for him, but he acts like he's tripping on mushrooms when I give him even half a dose. Its disturbing. I used it anyway and one refill at $50, now it's gone and so is my student loan money.

candicem said:

Hi, thanks for responding. I don't know of any blood in his urine, he seems to be going potty just fine. He does have constipation issues on occasion as he prides himself on what a clean cat he is, he bathes a lot and because he sheds so much (even though he's a shorthair) the fur backs him up sometimes. I give him a lax from the vet sometimes, also the brown cat lax in a time that looks like thick brown sugar. We also add olive oil to his food.
Because no x-rays were done, I am worried about root segments, or even bone or tooth fragments. It's hard to proceed because the place that did the extractions I no longer trust. When they first brought him out from the back after surgery, they handed him to me and his left paw thumbnail was all bloody and dislocated. I said, "what happened to his paw!??" Uhh we don't know. I don't think this is an injury he could have caused himself.
I have no money, I'm a student and the place that did the extractions has already been paid roughly $1000. Because there is obviously a problem, I feel like they should x-ray him for free, but at the same time I don't know if I trust them. The times I've brought him back they keep saying nothing's wrong with his mouth, and they could run other tests but they'd cost $500.
I feel like my cat is such a dream, anyone would be more than happy to have him, and I feel selfish because maybe he deserves a home that can afford to pay for proper medical needs.
He also wouldn't talk to me for a week after surgery, he really went through hell and of course "I did this to him."
Antibiotic wise, we did the clavamax twice, because of the missing upper fang it kept leeking right back out, that's when he got the antibiotic injection.
They gave me a painkiller for him, but he acts like he's tripping on mushrooms when I give him even half a dose. Its disturbing. I used it anyway and one refill at $50, now it's gone and so is my student loan money.

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I wonder if the pain med you are giving him is buprenorphine,  I have had 2 cats where they have had terrible reactions to it.  Looking off into space like they dont know where they are.  Wont sleep in usual places.  Growling at things that are not there.  One had severe agitation to the point where he threw himself against the walls of the cat carrier repeatedly.  Also pupils got very large and stayed dilated.  Just a thought but you may want to consider this.  It took about 48 hours to wear off for my cats.  Both of them had it after dental work.  I was worried they were brain damaged with surgery or anesthesia.  It was that bad.  I guess the med is pretty well tolerated but i will never let the vet give this to my cat again. 

Wow, I wouldn't trust the place either if they didn't know how the kitty's thumb became bloody and dislocated!  Do you have Care Credit?  That's an option for payment.  I wonder too if the pain med could have something to do with it, but you said you only gave 2 doses?  So must be something else going on here.  I gave that same med to my Gracie the day before she died.  I only noticed that she slept for about 10 minutes, the first time I had seen her sleep in weeks

So, different cats, different reactions?  Is your kitty still howling day and night?  

From all that I've heard about probiotics, I'd still as a new, hopefully better vet whom you can trust about the Forti-flora or whatever brand that vet carries.  It may not have anything to do with what's going on, but it's still necessary for his immune system.  

Sorry for the delay, I had final exams.
The pain medicine indeed was Buprenephine (or whatever). He has not had any for a long time now, I don't think the medicine caused any lasting damage or anything like that-- yes, he definitely acted very messed up and sort of hyperactive, or at least restless, as an initial reaction to the med., then an hour later he'd be passed out hardcore. It was particularly disturbing because we think of our pets in an innocent way, they symbolize innocence, and to not only see them act crazy and out of it but to be the one that did that to them was not something I could handle very well.
Mind you, my cat is 15 years old. He is by no means upbeat. I've only had the pleasure of knowing him for 3 years, and I love him SO much. I never meant to get a cat, long story but I ended up with him and he is the best thing that's ever happened to me! We are very close and I am getting really nervous because hes so close to his life expectancy now that I thought It would be this great thing for him to get his teeth cleaned. Ive heard about the importance of it and wanted to have it done but could not pay for something like this. I started working at this jazz club and the owner, my boss, who is a very charitable woman and a cat lady, set it up and paid for all of it. Something like $1000!
I was floored at this gesture and deeply grateful. I thought, wow, im so happy that this opportunity is arising for my cat! And it destroyed him! He is traumatized and doesn't really trust me anymore, well at first he didnt. He hated me for about a week, now we're back to good. But he is def. in pain and this pain def. started immediately after the extractions.
I think he needs xrays. I think there is embedded tooth fragments or residual root remaining in his jaw/mouth.
Yes, I am aware of care credit, I was not approved 2 years ago for it-- I have bad credit.

I hate that your kitty is still in pain.  What a mystery.  If you don't have any money, maybe Mrs. Moneybags might help you out again???  It's worth a try if you approach it just right, I guess. She seems like a kind person.  Hope she does!

Well, I did get fired. I guess. She probably would help but I think it would be inappropriate to ask? And she told me that she would "never not talk to me" and then stopped responding to me when I'd text about the schedule (work) or really anything.
Anyway, the thought definitely crossed my mind. I don't want to take advantage of her, her kindness.
I never meant to let her down as an employee, she knows that, I just couldn't handle it with my school load this semester and I was consistently very late.

She (Caroline, my boss) is very passionate about helping people/animals in general but it manifests itself largely in rescuing cats. She has NINE cats! All rescues. Like, 6-8 exotic birds that are rescues. Theres a "bird room" in one of the levels of her mansion-like home. She seems to dedicate her life to giving and helping, and that seems to be what she does with the fortune she's built.

Thank you for caring

candicem said:

Well, I did get fired. I guess. She probably would help but I think it would be inappropriate to ask? And she told me that she would "never not talk to me" and then stopped responding to me when I'd text about the schedule (work) or really anything.
Anyway, the thought definitely crossed my mind. I don't want to take advantage of her, her kindness.
I never meant to let her down as an employee, she knows that, I just couldn't handle it with my school load this semester and I was consistently very late.

She (Caroline, my boss) is very passionate about helping people/animals in general but it manifests itself largely in rescuing cats. She has NINE cats! All rescues. Like, 6-8 exotic birds that are rescues. Theres a "bird room" in one of the levels of her mansion-like home. She seems to dedicate her life to giving and helping, and that seems to be what she does with the fortune she's built.

Thank you for caring

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Sure, it could be inappropriate to ask, but I suppose that depends upon how the request is approached.  You might start by telling her you really appreciate the help she had so generously given and what problems you and the kitty are still having now.  I don't know.  Maybe talk it out with someone else and pretend they are her and see how it sounds first?  It really sounds like this generous soul could be your only avenue for hope, so I would seriously consider it.  Maybe if you offer your help to her in some way, after you finish school and have more time?  Or even offer to pay her back at some point in the future?  

Those are some good points. She doesn't want me to post her back. It was actually her idea
One day I was working at her house and she was telling me that one of her cats just got their teeth cleaned. I asked her how much that cost, that I was looking into getting my cat's done.
The next time I came over she said, "this is what I'm gonna do: I like helping people and I like cats, and I know how much your cat means to you. I'm going to put $400 on my account at this vet clinic, you can call them on Monday and make an appointment for Farve to get his teeth cleaned."
Ive expressed my gratuity, I think. ??

That was very generous of her and I'm sure you have thanked her for it.  And since it was her idea to pay for his cleaning before without you having to ask, you don't know what her response will be if you ask.  But I'm thinking she might again be helpful.  Does she know about the situation he is in right now?

I agree with Ginny above - if I were in your shoes, I would go back to this woman and explain the situation.   I think the vet's office should be willing to do more tests for free (or at least deeply discounted) since your cat was fine before the dental work, and now he is obviously not OK.     If your boss paid for and set up the appointment at that vet's office, I'm sure she has patronized them in the past and probably has some kind of relationship with that clinic.  Maybe she could call them and persuade them to be more helpful?   I'm so sorry this is happening to you & your cat - I know it hurts so much to see them suffering when you feel powerless to get them the help that they need    I would go to your boss and make an impassioned plea for help - maybe instead of just outright asking her for cash, simply explain how your cat is not bouncing back after the dental work and the vet clinic isn't helping you out -  ask her to call the clinic and see if they can't be more helpful.......it might mean more coming from her if she is a very good client of theirs (they won't want to lose her business!)

Very well said @jolie0216  !