Dentistry at Cat Care Clinic



 

The oral health of your cat is a priority at Cat Care Clinic.  At every physical exam, we examine your cat's mouth and teeth.  If problems are noted, then a dental procedure is scheduled to address the problem.  Dental disease left untreated can lead to unnecessary discomfort and pain, tooth loss, or damage to other body organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Since cats are masters at hiding their illnesses, most cats do not show signs of oral pain unless the problem is very advanced.  We do know that certain oral conditions are painful because once the cat's problem is treated (for example, extracting a diseased tooth), the owners notice that their cat acts and feels better!

Some cats do show signs of dental disease.  These signs can be bad breath, change in eating or chewing habits, drooling, pawing at the face or mouth, and depression.  If any of these signs are noticed, you should make an appointment to have your cat examined.  Contact us.

 

All cats undergoing a dental procedure at Cat Care Clinic have all 30 of their teeth x-rayed.  If any extractions are necessary, we will take more x-rays to be sure no root tips are left behind.  Your cat will be under general anesthesia for the procedure.  Please see Pictures of a Dental Procedure for a guided tour of a cat undergoing oral care at our clinic.  A thorough procedure, including extractions and oral surgery may take up to five hours.  This is part of the reason we use sevoflurane anesthetic gas exclusively.

 

 

Some Common Problems Include:


 

Resorptive Lesions: (also called Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions - FORL, or "kitty cavities").  These lesions are very painful and the only effective treatment is to extract the tooth.  A resorptive lesion is the most common reason for extracting a tooth in cats. 

 

    --Please see Tooth Resorptive Lesions for a description of FORLs

    --See  Example of a FORL for graphic pictures (BEWARE THESE ARE GORY!)

 

Tartar and Gingivitis: Tartar accumulates on your cats teeth daily.  Home care can help prevent build-up, but most cats will have to have it removed under anesthesia at least once in their lifetime.  Some cats need to have their teeth professionally cleaned once a year.

 

A Fractured Crown is painful and can lead to infection (abscess).  A fractured tooth is either extracted or repaired with root canal therapy.  If you elect root canal therapy you cat will be referred to a board-certified veterinary dentist.

 

A Tooth Root Abscess can occur from a fractured tooth or from long-standing periodontal disease.  These teeth have to be extracted and your cat will be placed on a course of antibiotics.

 

 

 

If your cat has to have a tooth extracted, do not be alarmed! Cats in the wild need their teeth for killing prey and tearing meat off bones. Our house cats who are fed from a bag or a can do not need all of their teeth. In fact, we have many patients without any teeth! Your cat will be a lot more comfortable without that painful tooth.

 

 

 

Less Common Problems Include:

 

Stomatitis: is a painful condition where a cat's own teeth lead to severe inflammation of the entire oral cavity.  This disease is usually treated with extraction of all of the teeth.

 

Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex (EGC): EGC is an immune system problem that causes growths or ulcers in the mouth.  These are treated with medication and/or surgery.

 

Cancer: Some cancers affect the oral cavity.  A surgical biopsy is taken to diagnose cancer.