Cat not eating after dental surgery. Tips for getting him eating again?

SecretAbalone

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I have a ~11 year old senior Maine Coon/Persian cross.

He was recently diagnosed with a pretty bad case of tooth resorption during a dental x-ray and had to have 14 (!!) teeth removed this past Friday.

Surgery went without complication and the vet administered a 3-day slow-release painkiller (bupomorphine ) and sent us home with 3 doses of Metacam. Here's the timeline of events:
  • First 2 days our cat seemed fine. He was a bit swollen in the mouth but was running around eating on his own. Eating what seemed to be a bit more than usual. Everything seemed fine but that was likely due to being hopped up on painkillers. His pupils were dilated- he was very obviously "medicated".
  • After 2 days of solid poops he started having diarrhea. He was still eating, but ate less than the first 2 days. We stopped administering the metacam (at this point we had given 2 of 3 doses) in case it was upsetting his stomach/killing his appetite. He peed on a rug, which he tends to do when he is unhappy.
  • Day 3 we took him back to the vet as his appetite was decreasing and diarrhea persisted. Vet examined him, he had no infection or fever. Vet gave him B12 shot under the skin to perk him up (Cobalamin, I think). Vet sent us home with fortiflora probiotic to fix the diarrhea and Codeine Transdermal in case he wasn't eating due to pain. We gave him one dose of the Codeine but it was very strong for him and nearly knocked him out for the entire day
  • On Day 4 very little appetite at all. Still has diarrhea but obviously not much is leaving his system since he hasn't eaten. We've been feeding via syringe but he keeps spitting the food out. We bought a bunch of different foods for him to try, from quality vet diet to stinky, cheap Walmart cat food.

So here we are today. Day 5. He takes a few licks of certain foods then walks off. Still trying to hand-feed but he keeps spitting out most of the food. Not sure if it's due to mouth pain, or because he's really unhappy. I know how serious this is so we're planning another visit to the vet today. Just wanted to know if anyone out there has any suggestions for getting him to eat or if any of you have experienced something similar.


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Furballsmom

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Hi! Poor guy, what a lot to go through!

I'm sure the vet will, but have them check to see if he's getting dehydrated.

Possibly something in this thread may help;

 

fionasmom

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Will he eat Gerber's meat baby food like the turkey, ham, or chicken? Make sure you get food with no additives like flavorings. To me, Fortiflora has never been much of a miracle worker and I have had better luck with Pro Pectalin...there are others out there as well. Codeine is constipating, so I am surprised that did not help a little bit in his case. He is an adorable cuddly looking little boy.
 

neely

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Welcome to TCS! :wave3: Taro is absolutely precious, he melts my heart.:heartshape: Our cat, also a rescued Persian, had FORL and needed several dental surgeries since we adopted him almost five years ago. He only has one tooth left in his mouth. Ask your vet if they can give you some cans of Urgent Care A/D to help jumpstart his appetite. Hill's® Prescription Diet® a/d® Canine/Feline

Here is an Article about how to get your cat eating again that may have some helpful information for you:
How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again – TheCatSite Articles

Sending special thoughts to your boy and you. :vibes: Please keep us posted on his progress.:alright:
 

pipperoo

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Poor baby. I've been through two cats having extensive extractions.

Its hard/weird to eat once you've had your teeth removed, so part of the problem might just be texture & technique. The poor cat might be wondering why his mouth isn't working properly!

What types of food are you feeding? is it a big change to what he was getting before the surgery? that can add to the problem as well.

One of my cats had a really hard time relearning how to eat, plus with drugs on board she was not loving life. She had a full-mouth extraction so she didn't even have those teeny front teeth or fangs with which to "grab" food. She doesn't like Fortiflora or tuna flakes or baby food, so she was nearly impossible to tempt!

Oh - this is bringing back memories. About a week after her extractions, she was just hiding out in the closet or under the bed. displaying all the symptoms of a very sick cat. Back to the dentist we went. No infection, no signs of pain (she was on meds). He suggested we go to the regular vet. Regular vet couldn't find anything wrong, so through process of elimination decided we should treat with liquid Pepcid (prepared at vet office). BINGO. because she was eating very little, excess stomach acid was causing her to be really withdrawn and uninterested. The Pepcid allowed us to turn the corner.

I would feed her about 1 teaspoon of wet food (pate) at a time, thinned down with a bit of warm water. I would cup it in my palm and hold it right up to her mouth. She seemed to accept food that way and I had to do that for a couple of weeks until she started feeling normal again. While she probably only ended up eating a fraction of what she would normally eat in a day, she definitely lost weight, but was able to stay hydrated and was absorbing some nutrients and calories.

Now she's a toothless wonder. She gums ground raw meats, small kibble and still eats pate. She is not the most elegant eater, but hey, neither am I!!
 

di and bob

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I use Delectable Lickables in the Stew, not the Bisque to encourage my cats to eat when they are sick. It is mostly licked up so easier. I even give meds in it, I have not had a cat refuse it!
Definitely encourage water, even some infant Pedialyte to get the electrolytes back, it would help with diarrhea which may be a reaction to the anesthetic used. You might offer some kibble if he ate that before, my cat only ate that after having teeth extracted. It sounds painful, but I think they swallow food more than they chew, whatever it takes to get them eating.
 

oyster

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I made chicken broth with strands of chicken floating in it. I also added tuna water for the smell and occasionally, a small piece of sardine--mashed up. My cat lapped it up post oral surgery. He had 5 teeth pulled out on Wed.
For diarrhea, I use (as recommended by a member here) a capsule of Saccharomyces Boulardii. I am also feeding a wet food that is almost like mousse in texture. These were the only thing my fur ball wanted to eat.
 

orangeversion

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It is normal for your cat to behave like this. You can use liquid food like chicken broth or something like that. And if you give your cat wet food then make sure it is totally liquid. And for diarrhea, you can consult with doctor or someone specialist.
 

cmsandford

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Good ideas to try from all the above...I would just add that for diarrhea I have added Trader Joes jasmine rice to wet pate food. Never had a cat turn away from it. (I have 5) For reluctant eaters post-surgery I have added finely chopped kitty-grass (wheatgrass) on top. Not too much...can be a laxative.
 
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SecretAbalone

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Update: we took our cat to the vet the same day I made this post. Turns out some sutures had become un-done and an infection had set in, which explains why he didn't want to eat. It was too painful for him, and likely the cause of the diarrhea.

Our vet re-did the sutures, prescribed antibiotics, and so far he seems to have returned to his mostly normal self.

Thank you for your responses everyone.
 
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