Raw Food After Dental Extractions

[sabrinah]

My kitty has been successfully switched to raw. She went to the vet today and it turns out she needs most, if not all, of the teeth she has left removed. Last time she got teeth extracted she tore open her stitches repeatedly and healed slowly as a result. Is it safe to feed raw while her mouth is essentially full of open wounds, or would it be best to go back to canned while she heals? I worry that she'll have more of a risk of getting an infection or salmonella if I feed raw while her mouth is a mess. Since my vet is 10000000000% against raw, it's not something I can ask about.

 

[dhammagirl]

I don't know for sure, but it's usually better to err on the safe side.
It's just a temporary thing until she's healed.

 

[EmmiTemmi]

With open wounds in the mouth, there is definitely an increased risk of conveying a bacterial infection through raw food. Some people might say it's fine and take the risk, but I probably wouldn't with my own cats. Your choice though. If your raw recipe is able to be cooked and maintain the needed nutrient levels I would suggest that, or, as you asked about, go back to canned until the cat's mouth is healed.

Good luck with the extraction. Praying everything goes smoothly for you two!

 

[sabrinah]

I don't know for sure, but it's usually better to err on the safe side.
It's just a temporary thing until she's healed.

With open wounds in the mouth, there is definitely an increased risk of conveying a bacterial infection through raw food. Some people might say it's fine and take the risk, but I probably wouldn't with my own cats. Your choice though. If your raw recipe is able to be cooked and maintain the needed nutrient levels I would suggest that, or, as you asked about, go back to canned until the cat's mouth is healed.

Good luck with the extraction. Praying everything goes smoothly for you two!

Thank you both! Alnutrin says their supplements "can be used in raw or low-fat cooked meat formulations," but I'll probably just stick with canned once she's willing to eat. Last time she got extractions she refused to eat anything for days and days so I might try plain cooked chicken with FortiFlora for the first couple days to get her appetite going. It's better than nothing. She won't eat baby food, broths, or tuna water so I don't have many options to get her eating!