Need help from other cat lovers/Full Mouth Extraction Problems

[Tilly Twostep]

Hi there, I'm a new member to the site and I'm in a real situation and my heart is breaking. I rescued a lovely cat who was abandoned at a vet as she had very bad gingivitis and stomatitis. The shelter who took her took 8 teeth out. She wouldn't eat as it was still painful so she had a full extraction. She is the most timid ,shy and scared cat I've ever seen and I've had her 18 months. She is always nauseous and was prescribed steroids for the gums and mitrtazipine for the nausea and inappetance. Steroids were stopped because mouth was looking good but she still won't eat. I have to crush the quarter tab of mirt into tuna juice and syringe it into her mouth every two days. But I've got a medical problem too and it's too stressful for me, with a heart condition as she is so scared . Vet has said I have three options.
1 . Keep doing as I'm doing as she is a lovely cat and in really good condition.
(They did think she had early kidney disease but a kidney specific new test was normal)
2. Take her back to the shelter, where she would be probably difficult to rehome and she would be devastated as she loves me.
3. Put her out of her misery of pills and put her to sleep.
I can't stop crying about this statement and it's really affecting me. Sorry this is a long post but I'm just desperate for some

 

[Joxer]

Hi there, I'm a new member to the site and I'm in a real situation and my heart is breaking. I rescued a lovely cat who was abandoned at a vet as she had very bad gingivitis and stomatitis. The shelter who took her took 8 teeth out. She wouldn't eat as it was still painful so she had a full extraction. She is the most timid ,shy and scared cat I've ever seen and I've had her 18 months. She is always nauseous and was prescribed steroids for the gums and mitrtazipine for the nausea and inappetance. Steroids were stopped because mouth was looking good but she still won't eat. I have to crush the quarter tab of mirt into tuna juice and syringe it into her mouth every two days. But I've got a medical problem too and it's too stressful for me, with a heart condition as she is so scared . Vet has said I have three options.
1 . Keep doing as I'm doing as she is a lovely cat and in really good condition.
(They did think she had early kidney disease but a kidney specific new test was normal)
2. Take her back to the shelter, where she would be probably difficult to rehome and she would be devastated as she loves me.
3. Put her out of her misery of pills and put her to sleep.
I can't stop crying about this statement and it's really affecting me. Sorry this is a long post but I'm just desperate for some

It sounds like you are a saintly person. I have had good results placing Mirtazapine inside 1/2 of a feline Pill Pocket (my cats have always preferred the catnip flavor), then carefully folding the Pill Pocket around the Mirtazapine. That done, my cats have almost always eaten the Mirtazapine on their own (no need to pill them).

Many on this site, myself included, have had good results with Cerenia for nausea. If your cat is nauseous from the pain of the extractions, that will pass in time, so you won't have to deal with pilling her forever.

You could also try a different vet and see if you have other treatment options. I have found enormous differences in quality of care from one vet to the next, even at the same clinic.

 

[fionasmom]

I had also wondered about the use of an anti nausea medication. Mirtazapine is considered to be "useful" for nausea, but it is not usually the one that most vets use as a stand alone.

Cerenia (maropitant),as was mentioned is very common.
Zofran (ondansetron) is also.

Mirtazapine is also available as Mirataz which is a gel which is rubbed on the ear pinna and is very effective in that form.

You have had her 18 months; what is the time frame on the extractions? How recent? Most cats heal from full mouth extractions and it provides much more relief than continually fighting bad teeth or gum issues.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am glad you joined TCS, but sorry for the reason why.

I too am curious how long ago the full mouth extraction was. Was/has she been prescribed any pain meds? Most cats who have all their teeth removed usually require pain meds for a while. If she wasn't given them, it might be now that she is correlating the pain she was having with the food being offered.

What kinds of food are you trying/have tried to get her to eat? What was she eating before the extractions?

What was this 'kidney specific' test they ran?

I think with what you have said, and some of the 'tips' offered, you can figure this out and keep this wonderful cat.

 

[Tilly Twostep]

advice. She is 11 and a half years old and means the world to me

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Thank you all for your replies. The teeth extraction was over a year ago and she got over that well except she did have a lot of residual redness from stomatitis and three different vets told me it's often autoimmune and she would need regular steroids. The vet admitted administered the steroids once a month but we found that wasn't the reason she wasn't eating as her mouth had cleared with the treatment. So they stopped them. However vet said that lots of cats with this problem in the autoimmunity have inflammatory bowel disease and this could be causing the nausea. It could be confined to the stomach. She is very hard to medicate. Won't have anything even in her favourite treats. Maybe a pill popper would work but she fights me too much and I'm not able for it. I've tried putting the gel on her ear but it's just as much of a struggle to get her to stop struggling for me to do it. I end up exhausted. I live in the UK and noone has mentioned these other antinauseants but I will ask after the hiday Do they stimulate the appetite too? That's why she gets the Mirtazipine. Thanks for you help, it's so much appreciated.

 

[fionasmom]

Those two anti nausea meds are not necessarily for appetite stimulation. IBD can be a problem of the stomach. Does she vomit very often? Do you think this is really IBD as opposed to a mouth issue?

 

[carrie640]

I am soooo sorry you are dealing with this. We took in a very timid stray a year ago. She was a trap and release but she showed up on a regular basis to our slider door and for whatever reason, she "chose" us. She is VERY timid to everyone else and can be a challenge to handle when necessary. Lucy is my 19yo cat who is suffering from periodontal. Her two back teeth are causing so much pain that she has, literally, mutilated her jawline. In fact, she has no fur along that stretch..she just can't stop pawing at it. We've been on like 4 antibiotics and this last one, I think, has been the best for her. They are small pills, but she is a BEAR to get meds down...no matter WHAT they are. we were given a steroid (powder) for her wounds and even THAT is a HUGE struggle to apply. She promptly wipes it off. For the pill, we have a long plunger type of thing. One of us will hold her around her front paws area and the other will shoot the pill to the back of her mouth. It's AWFUL to do and she cringes and cowers every time she sees my husband now, but it must be done. I know a pill popper was mentioned, but I don't know if it is actually the same thing we use do I mentioned it. It's long and the end opens up to fit the med in. As I said, it does take two of us.....some cats are just feisty. But, I completely understand! We are considering not getting Lucy's teeth out due to her age.....very concerned how she would do after the fact, but I know living on a constant antibotic and constant skin mutilation is no way to live, either. I have no advice really on this, but there are very knowledgable people here (as proven with the previous responses). Prayers for you and that sweet face <3

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Those two anti nausea meds are not necessarily for appetite stimulation. IBD can be a problem of the stomach. Does she vomit very often? Do you think this is really IBD as opposed to a mouth

Thank you all for your replies. The teeth extraction was over a year ago and she got over that well except she did have a lot of residual redness from stomatitis and three different vets told me it's often autoimmune and she would need regular steroids. The vet admitted administered the steroids once a month but we found that wasn't the reason she wasn't eating as her mouth had cleared with the treatment. So they stopped them. However vet said that lots of cats with this problem in the autoimmunity have inflammatory bowel disease and this could be causing the nausea. It could be confined to the stomach. She is very hard to medicate. Won't have anything even in her favourite treats. Maybe a pill popper would work but she fights me too much and I'm not able for it. I've tried putting the gel on her ear but it's just as much of a struggle to get her to stop struggling for me to do it. I end up exhausted. I live in the UK and noone has mentioned these other antinauseants but I will ask after the hiday Do they stimulate the appetite too? That's why she gets the Mirtazipine. Thanks for you help, it's so much appreciated.

Those two anti nausea meds are not necessarily for appetite stimulation. IBD can be a problem of the stomach. Does she vomit very often? Do you think this is really IBD as opposed to a mouth

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Those two anti nausea meds are not necessarily for appetite stimulation. IBD can be a problem of the stomach. Does she vomit very often? Do you think this is really IBD as opposed to a mouth issue?

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Yes, most definitely as her mouth looks absurdly fine now.

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Yes, most definitely as her mouth looks absolutely fine now.

 

[Tilly Twostep]

I am soooo sorry you are dealing with this. We took in a very timid stray a year ago. She was a trap and release but she showed up on a regular basis to our slider door and for whatever reason, she "chose" us. She is VERY timid to everyone else and can be a challenge to handle when necessary. Lucy is my 19yo cat who is suffering from periodontal. Her two back teeth are causing so much pain that she has, literally, mutilated her jawline. In fact, she has no fur along that stretch..she just can't stop pawing at it. We've been on like 4 antibiotics and this last one, I think, has been the best for her. They are small pills, but she is a BEAR to get meds down...no matter WHAT they are. we were given a steroid (powder) for her wounds and even THAT is a HUGE struggle to apply. She promptly wipes it off. For the pill, we have a long plunger type of thing. One of us will hold her around her front paws area and the other will shoot the pill to the back of her mouth. It's AWFUL to do and she cringes and cowers every time she sees my husband now, but it must be done. I know a pill popper was mentioned, but I don't know if it is actually the same thing we use do I mentioned it. It's long and the end opens up to fit the med in. As I said, it does take two of us.....some cats are just feisty. But, I completely understand! We are considering not getting Lucy's teeth out due to her age.....very concerned how she would do after the fact, but I know living on a constant antibotic and constant skin mutilation is no way to live, either. I have no advice really on this, but there are very knowledgable people here (as proven with the previous responses). Prayers for you and that sweet face <3

 

[Tilly Twostep]

I am so sorry for your dilemma too. My cat loves me I know but I fear she will hate me. The pill popper I mentioned is exactly the same as you described. I am on my own and have to cope with her struggling and trying to administer drugs, it has really become too much for me now bit the choices I have are very limited and it's totally unbearable. Thank you for your understanding, its very tough being a cat carer at times, they are all so precious.

 

[Tilly Twostep]

I am so sorry for your dilemma too and for poor Lucy, that sounds awful . My cat loves me I know but I fear she will hate me. The pill popper I mentioned is exactly the same as you described. I am on my own and have to cope with her struggling and trying to administer drugs, it has really become too much for me now bit the choices I have are very limited and it's totally unbearable. Thank you for your understanding, its very tough being a cat carer at times, they are all so precious.

 

[fionasmom]

We are not vets and can't diagnose your very sweet looking little cat, but I now wonder if you are really dealing with IBD. She was on pred, but it sounds as if it did not agree with her or am I misreading? It is usually part of treatment for IBD but there is at least one other similar drug, budesonide, that is available to cats. These are all discussions for your vet, and I do understand that she is very hard to manage, but there might be some alternatives which might help.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. She is adorable. You must keep her. She would be devastated without you.
As everyone has said, you are most likely dealing with an issue unrelated to teeth, like IBD.
Don’t try to give her pills. It’s going to ruin your relationship with her.
There are long acting steroid injections that can be given. Or you might want to see if there is a vet tech from the vet where you go that might be willing to come by and medicate her for you.

 

[Tilly Twostep]

Yes, I need to find a way out of this. I will go to my vet tomorrow and have a frank talk about the alternatives to try and get he appetite back. I hope they can sort her out. It's so stressful for her at the moment and I hate to see her scared and upset. It rips me apart emotionally. Thank you for your help, guidance e and co.ments and I will keep you posted on the outcome of my visit.