Cat dental

[cocopuffsmom]

To make a long story short-I adopted a rescue cat over 4 years ago. Her papers said she was in good health but there was an abnormality noted that was not included with the papers. 

I found out at her first annual that this was her gum inflamation and bad teeth. The vet told me to give her dental chews and try to find a place that did cleanings since she was a mobile vet and didn't. 

So a year later, we see a new vet who tells me her teeth look fine-I was relieved and thought maybe the chews worked. She won't let me brush her teeth or look at them on my own. 

So a year later we arrive at the vet only to see that my cat has lost a molar and has large red infected gums and two molars almost rotted. We got her an antibiotic asap, blood work and scheduled a dental for extractions and a cleaning. 

I've been unemployed for awhile due to some major health issues and have been dreading this. In NYC we are estimated this will cost between $900-1300 depending on how in depth it is. That's after the $450 we just spent at her annual.

I feel really annoyed that the shelter I got her from failed to tell me she had dental issues (probably on purpose) and am especially annoyed that the last vet said her teeth were fine when what she has took way more than a year to develop. Has anyone else had a cat with this problem at only 5 years old? 

I am so worried about having her put under etc. This basically killed my already sad Oct wedding budget and xmas this year. Bad timing. 

 

[denice]

One of my cats had the issues like your kitty has at a younger than usual age.  I think the vet I was taking her to was a little scared of her.  She would drool copious amounts and a little hissing.  The vet never really looked at her teeth, she said it was because she didn't want to stress her out too much.  She has become much more combative at the vet's recently so I am glad she has a vet that still manages to get her examined.  She  had one big dental with I believe 5 extractions and she has been doing much better since.  She has only had one dental since then which would be about six years.  That dental was just cleaning and x-rays, no extractions.  I think some kitties are just more prone to dental issues.  Yes they are expensive.  If I remember right her big dental with extractions was $1300 six years ago.

 

[cocopuffsmom]

Wow, I guess i'm on par with normal pricing then. I figure everything is double in NYC anyway. The shelter probably knew but knew she would be less likely to be adopted if she needed 2k in dental work. 

 

[denice]

Shelters and rescues unless they have a generous donor base and  are no kill rarely do get dental work done.  Some will let potential adopters know that it is needed but many don't.  I have noticed here that the price of dental work, vet care in general, varies widely from one area to another.