According to the American Veterinary Dental Society 85% of adult pets have periodontal disease. Fortunately, it’s simple and easy to treat.
When our Ann Arbor Cat Clinic doctor evaluates your cat and determines it is in their best interest to receive a dental procedure under anesthesia we ask that you schedule an appointment. This procedure will provide the best access and visualization of the oral cavity and contribute to the overall effectiveness of scaling and polishing the teeth as well as providing painless removal of unhealthy teeth. The most common reason for extracting a tooth is due to tooth resorption. This is a progressive condition in which the tooth “dissolves” from the root upward. It is not always apparent at the crown, so if the doctor suspects a problem, x-rays may be taken to confirm the diagnosis.
We ask that you fast your cat the night before the procedure. If the doctor prescribes any medications prior to the procedure please give it as directed. We ask that you arrive between 8-9am on the day of the dentistry unless other arrangements have been made. Our dental technician will call you when the procedure is complete and give you an update as well as instructions on what time to pick up your cat.
Please leave a telephone number that will allow the staff to reach you at a moments’ notice. While your cat is under anesthesia, the doctor may discover an unanticipated extraction or other abnormality that may require attention and will need to consult with you in a timely fashion.
The Ann Arbor Cat Clinic Dental Procedure Includes
• Pre-anesthetic bloodwork
• Pre-anesthetic sedative and or/ inhalant anesthesia
• Monitoring of heart rate, EKG, oxygen saturation and blood pressure
• Ultrasonic scaling and polishing of teeth
• Fluoride application
• Dental radiographs and extractions (if needed)
• Recovery in a warmed cage
Dental Aftercare Instructions:
Your cat had general anesthesia today. This enabled us to remove calculus and tartar, evaluate the health of individual teeth and remove any teeth as necessary, clean & polish your pet’s teeth and apply fluoride treatment.
If your cat only received gas anesthesia, they should act quite normal. If your cat received any pre-medication injectable agents or pain medication, they may still be mildly wobbly or tired. Ask what was used for your pet so you will know how your cat should act at home.
You may notice a small amount of blood in the saliva, or in the water after your cat drinks. This should go away in a day or two.
Keep your cat quiet and safe overnight confined to a small room, if needed, with food, water and a litter box.
If your cat isn’t acting absolutely normal by tomorrow morning, call us!
Make sure you understand how to give any medication prescribed.
Normal activity and feeding should be fine by tomorrow.
Ask us which oral care plan, including an oral care diet and brushing, is appropriate for your cat.
The Ann Arbor Cat Clinic carries Virbac Animal Health Home Dental Care products toothpaste and toothbrushes for cats, as well as oral care diets.
Resorptive Lesions
Tooth resorption (TR) is the most common dental problem in cats. Either the tooth root (the part of the tooth below the gum line, within the jaw) or the crown (the part of the tooth visible above the gum line), or both may be affected. The tooth is eroded away beginning at the gum line and continuing into the tooth root or the crown, or both root and crown.
The cause of the condition is unknown and is under investigation. Cats over 5 years of age may be affected, and the likelihood of TR increases as cats grown older. The cheek teeth are the most frequently affected, although TR may occur in any tooth.
Affected cats often show no symptoms of the problem, even though many of the teeth are painful. Drooling, bleeding gums, and reluctance to eat hard food may be noted in some cats. The cat’s behavior may change as well; the cat may sleep more and become irritable, apparently as a result of dental pain. An examination of the mouth often reveals areas of the gums that are cherry red in color (from inflammation) or overgrown. In advanced cases, the crowns of some teeth may be missing entirely since the eroded tooth breaks off at the gum line. If the involved teeth are touched, the cat may show pain by chattering its teeth.
Evaluation
Your veterinarian may have a strong suspicion of the presence of TR after examining your cat’s mouth. However, an examination under anesthesia will be required to evaluate the extent of the problem. Even cooperative cats usually will not allow a thorough exam of the mouth, especially if painful resorptive areas are present. Anesthesia also allows x-rays of the teeth to be taken. This is an important diagnostic step to determine the extent of tooth resorption, since this cannot be judged by external appearance.
Living with the Diagnosis
A cat that has had one tooth affected with resorption is likely to develop the problem in additional teeth. Have regular oral examinations done by your veterinarian. Periodic radiographic (x-ray) examinations allow discovery of teeth that have resorption of roots, which cannot be seen externally.
Treatment
Most affected teeth need to be extracted (removed). Teeth that appear outwardly normal but have early x-ray changes may need to be extracted or rechecked in the future; this recheck may include repeat x-rays. Removal of affected teeth stops the pain and treated cats often show an improvement in activity and attitude. Cats with no teeth at all have no problem eating commercial diets, even dried kibble-type foods; although, this would no doubt be a problem for a cat that had to live only on mice!
