Since spring/summer this year I had noticed that my kitty (12 years old) had been losing small amounts of weight and was being a picky eater. Nothing alarming - just a matter of ounces - but otherwise he seemed happy and fine so with nothing much else appearing, I just monitored him closely.
When he had an annual checkup this fall, we noted that he could use a dental, although it did not look urgent. Routine geriatric bloodwork is all fine (I do this every few years for each cat, even if no issues), except potassium just at the borderline of normal range. It turned out he had some advanced resorptive lesions hidden under some gum swelling in a few teeth. The root resorption was a bit too advanced to pull the teeth (showed by xrays), so the vet did a careful crown amputation and sewed the gums back together (standard procedure if pulling the tooth is not possible). Tooth resorption is supposed to be painful, so I thought that this could explain his recent small weight loss and pickier eating over the past 6 months or so.
After the crown amputation he was put on painkiller for a few days (buprenex), and now he is back to normal about the house. He seems particularly cheery so I do think maybe this surgery helped sort out the worst of the pain. After the surgery he lost a couple of ounces (not too surprising with fasting and having crown amputation and sore gums etc). The thing is that two weeks later, he is still being a pretty picky eater and has not regained any weight (I am offering plenty of soft food if he wants it). He is eating, but not regaining the lost weight - which is kind of disappointing.
Does anyone have experience of tooth resorption and/or crown amputation? Could he still have some residual pain even if the worst of the pain is gone? I have checked in his mouth, and all looks good in there. I will be taking him into the vet for a followup shortly - still I would like any thoughts anyone has to share even so!
Thank you!
When he had an annual checkup this fall, we noted that he could use a dental, although it did not look urgent. Routine geriatric bloodwork is all fine (I do this every few years for each cat, even if no issues), except potassium just at the borderline of normal range. It turned out he had some advanced resorptive lesions hidden under some gum swelling in a few teeth. The root resorption was a bit too advanced to pull the teeth (showed by xrays), so the vet did a careful crown amputation and sewed the gums back together (standard procedure if pulling the tooth is not possible). Tooth resorption is supposed to be painful, so I thought that this could explain his recent small weight loss and pickier eating over the past 6 months or so.
After the crown amputation he was put on painkiller for a few days (buprenex), and now he is back to normal about the house. He seems particularly cheery so I do think maybe this surgery helped sort out the worst of the pain. After the surgery he lost a couple of ounces (not too surprising with fasting and having crown amputation and sore gums etc). The thing is that two weeks later, he is still being a pretty picky eater and has not regained any weight (I am offering plenty of soft food if he wants it). He is eating, but not regaining the lost weight - which is kind of disappointing.
Does anyone have experience of tooth resorption and/or crown amputation? Could he still have some residual pain even if the worst of the pain is gone? I have checked in his mouth, and all looks good in there. I will be taking him into the vet for a followup shortly - still I would like any thoughts anyone has to share even so!
Thank you!