Tooth Resorption... General Anesthesia Fears

Hi guys, I brush my cat's teeth 1-2 times a week. It's hard for me to get to his lower teeth, so usually I just brush his upper teeth and wherever I can get to. Today I managed to get to his lower teeth and saw one tooth where a bloody looking part of the gum was 'eating' into the tooth. I saw photos online and it looks like tooth resorption.
I know tooth extraction is necessary, but is there any way at all to get this done via a sedative or local anesthesia? My good friend's cat died while undergoing dental work... she suffered a heart attack while under diazepam. I absolutely cannot put my boy through that... I know there are risks to any surgery, but I can't bear the thought of him dying under surgery! I am in a bind right now... I know he needs to get the tooth removed but I really, really cannot let him undergo general anesthesia. He's very used to keeping still while his teeth are being brushed. Do you think there's any way the vet would take that into consideration?

I would take him in to let the vet look at his teeth to see what is going on. One of my cats had issues with tooth resorption and I don't remember it looking like what you are describing. They actually start below the gum line and when they become visible they look like a cavity. The theory is that the cats immune system attacks the teeth or the plague on the teeth.

If the tooth needs to come out it really can only be done with general anesthetic. It is really rare for a healthy cat to die from a reaction to anesthetic. I know it does happen but it is rare. They can do blood work before the procedure to make sure there are no underlying issues with his organs.

I have never heard of a vet being willing to trust a cat to hold still enough for dental surgery under a local. I doubt yours will do this. The risks are just too great, far, far greater than the risk of a general anesthetic. I am so sorry that your friend's cat was one of the rare ones who did react very badly. What you might consider is discussing with your vet the absolute safest anesthesia available.

Regardless, this MUST BE TREATED! It is extremely painful for your cat, and cannot be left at it is!

Please let us know what you and your vet come up with, and how your cat is doing!

How old is your cat, and how old was your friend's cat? Senior cats are at high risk. Younger cats, not so much.

Amalie has FORLs and has had most of her teeth extracted over the years. They are in pain, and they aren't telling you, but yes if your tooth is degrading, it needs to come out.
So check this out:
Yue, Tommy, Amalie, and Stewart have all had a general anesthetic to get sterilized.
Amalie has had three more general anesthetics to get her teeth out. She is now around 12 years old and just had three more taken out in March.
Yue has had a general anesthetic for a teeth cleaning.
Tommy has had a general anesthetic for a teeth cleaning, for a urinary blockage, for another urinary blockage, for another urinary blockage, for having to recath during one of those urinary blockages, for surgery due to urinary blockages.
I have had 4 lady guinea pigs under general anesthetic for spays. I have had two males under general anesthetic for neuters. One of those boys went under general anesthetic at least four more times for teeth adjustments and double mastectomy. My oldest frail lady pig went under general anesthetic to assess her teeth when she was 8 years old. I held her in my arms for 15 minutes waiting for her to come around and wake back up, and she did.
Even I have been under general anesthetic 3 times I can count.
I have also had surgery on one of my rats, and he's tiny.

I understand bad things happen, and there is literally nothing you can do about it, but you can't guilt yourself if something happens when they NEED the treatment. They peacefully go rather than living with a painful issue you didn't take care of on their behalf, as their loving guardian.

Actually, my friend informed me that TWO of her cats died while under going a dental, not one.
My cat is estimated to be 11 years old (he is a former stray). Right now, he has a huge appetite (but I've always given his food in a soup-like consistency because he doesn't drink water), he's cuddly, active and generally seems very happy. Though I know cats are very good at hiding pain...

It's best to take the cat to the vet and have this evaluated. If your friend had two cats die under general anesthesia then I'd say something might be wrong with at the vet's office and they don't know what they are doing, or else the cats had other issues. I've had several cats who as they got older had to have teeth extracted and they did fine through the procedure but also, I did not know they had problems. I know when I have something wrong with a tooth it bothers me but I still eat and go through my daily normally, and so do your cats. Doesn't mean it doesn't bother him just because he is still eating.

We did an expensive blood panel on Amalie this year just to make sure she's still healthy as a part of her Senior Wellness visit so that there was nothing we needed to rule out that could end up making the procedure more complicated and everything with the anesthesiologist should go as planned.
Also all the clinics I've used with her do nerve blocks so it goes as fast as possible on the extractions, and you won't have to give them more General because she can start to come out of it if the pain gets too intense.

I understand your fears. Whenever one of my cats had to be under anesthesia or even sedated I would panic thinking something bad would happen. Max had tooth resorption and had to have 6 teeth removed. When I took him in one of his canines was hanging by a thread and he had an abscess under the gum where he had lost the other canine previously. He must have been in a lot of pain. Anesthesia can have complications sometimes that we can't predict but your cat needs surgery for this condition. Talk to your vet, let him/her know your fears. Advance blood work will let the vet know if there is a condition that might cause anesthesia complication. Max was 14 when he had the procedure and recovered quickly. I am sending good thoughts and prayers for your kitty

I love the advance bloodwork idea. Problems such as CRF increase the risk of death during surgery.

The percentage of animals that die from sedation-anesthesia in a surgery is VERY VERY SMALL.
Your friend, as they said, I think you should change your vet, because it is not logical that you lost two cats in two surgeries because of the anesthesia...

Don't be afraid, do a pre-surgical analysis (here, in Spain, that means: biochemistry + blood count + chest X-ray) if is all everything right there don't be afraid to operate on your cat.
Talk to your vet to get a good explanation of the type of anesthesia and for your peace of mind, do a pre-surgical analysis beforehand.
I always do it with my babies. because I've been through your senior cat situation, too.
I have six cats, some of them have undergone up to four surgeries (mouth, intestine, sterilizations, anal prolapse...) and I never had any problems with the anesthesia.
Trust ! It'll be all right

Dickie said:

The percentage of animals that die from sedation-anesthesia in a surgery is VERY VERY SMALL.

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The actual number is 1 in 1000, 1/10 of 1%.

Two lose two at the same vet indicates one of two things. Either the vet has some real problems at their office, or the cats had conditions so advanced that their entire central nervous system and/or cardio-pumlminary system had become compromised. Drastic infection of the teeth prior to treatment may have been a part of this.

W wombat While general anaestesia is not to be undertaken lightly, it is sometimes necessary. You have to remember that everything in life has a risk, even crossing the street. Your cat is in pain. The only way to treat the pain is with tooth extraction. Tooth extraction hurts and requires anaesthesia. For a cat, who cannot be made to understand what is happening, that is general anaesthesia. Anything else would be cruel and carry its own risk secondary to the stress you are causing the cat. As everyone here has said, general anaesthesia has a very small risk of complications in competent hands.

Daisy6 said:

I love the advance bloodwork idea. Problems such as CRF increase the risk of death during surgery.

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My cat has CKD

Discuss this with your vet. He will know the proper dose of anesthesia for his age and condition, and it is very important to do pre-surgical testing to know how his condition is just before anesthesia.

If you don't have surgery, your cat, as the pain and teeth get worse, will need powerful painkillers to avoid suffering, which you will be limited by her CKD, it is much easier to operate than to hold her on analgesic drugs for long periods of time, as the latter would be much worse for her kidneys.
(This is only my personal opinion)

I, in my personal experience, had a cat last year at the age of 12, CKD and calicivirus... I had to anesthetize him several times for mouth cleaning and finally complete extraction totally. I was better advised to do so because it was much more dangerous to give her painkillers constantly for her terrible mouth pain. Then everything went very well!!

Talk to your vet, put aside your fear of anesthesia, and discuss all of this with your vet, so he or she can explain it to you .

I'm bringing him in tomorrow. Going to ask if heavy sedation is possible instead.

Well, I don't think you would want heavy sedation. The vet will know, as Dickie mentioned above, what should be used for your cat's weight, age and health.

Regardless, DO let us know how he is doing!

Mamanyt1953 said:

Regardless, DO let us know how he is doing!

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Good news! I brought him down to the vet and his blood test came back and everything is normal! He has NO signs of infection... even his kidney levels are normal! The vet says it looks like the very early stages of tooth resorption, so no need to extract! Is there anything you can do to help halt the progression of tooth resorption?

That's great! I'm so happy!
I hope it stays that good for years to come!

I don't know what can be done to keep the disease from progressing, just daily brushing and mouthwashes for your gums.
I'm sure other people can advise you better than I can.