Removing Cat Teeth? (Scottish fold/ British Short hair?

[Shameem]

Type: Scottish Fold/ British Short hair
Age: 1 year and five months

Issue:
I got him a year ago when he was 4 months old. Since he arrived, he had an extremely bad breath, so I took him to 3 vets:
1. the first vet gave me a tube of gel (miconazole) which is for humans. Told me to put it for 7 days but not more, when it didn't work, he asked me to add another 7 days. It didn't work.
2. Around two/three months after, I took him to another vet. He prescribed (Gengigel spray) one a day for 7 days, it didn't work so he told twice a day for 14 days, it also didn't work.
3. Around two/ three months later, I took him to a third vet, he told me that his teeth should be taken out since it's hitting the gums (Pictures attached).

I don't trust the doctors here so I am asking in case any one had similar issue? especially if you're residing in a developed country? as vets are likely more advanced there.

He has no problems eating whatsoever, other than extreme bad breath, I didn't notice anything else.

I used to brush his teeth daily and spray "vet IQ 2 in 1 gum shield", they didn't make a difference.

 

[N4sreen]

I registered so I could reply to you.
I lived in the Middle East for a few years and I knew an absolutely fantastic Egyptian vet who dealt with my cat who also had a bad breath problem.

Cats in the Middle East (strays) are born with issues/infections of the mouth passed onto kittens via the mother - this may be common everywhere but I was told its prevalent in that part of the world. I kept having to traumatise my little one who was 1.5yrs old at the time by taking him regularly to get one tooth removed each time. Eventually the vet recommended that I have all his back teeth removed as the infection would spread to all of them at some point. We kept my kitty's front teeth, but lo and behold, his bad breath problem went away instantly when the back teeth were removed.

Now that we moved back to the UK and as my little boy has gotten older, his front teeth have become longer and sharper and it is sitting on the gum but not the point of your little one in the picture. The vet here has recommended that I do get that tooth shaved down.

You may wonder how a cat would cope with no back teeth, they do surprisingly. Having back teeth that were infected before his birth made eating difficult and frequent abcesses when food got stuck in the teeth. They swallow food fine and can lead a healthy life. I usually break up chicken etc into fine consistency, almost mash/mince it so its easier for him, and wet food he just eats no problem. Removing teeth doesn't mean they can't taste it, it's a different way of eating and they learn to adapt.

Pick a vet who comes recommended by people and take their advice. I suspect that topical gels won't make a difference, even antibiotics won't if it is an underlying gum issue that your kitty has.

I am sure that other people will give excellent advice, but this has been my experience.

I hope it helps and I hope your kitty finds relief sooner rather than later as no cat owner wasn't to see their little one suffer. Xx

 

[N4sreen]

I just want to add, that the reason the front teeth weren't removed was due to the vet's recommendation that those remain and only the back be removed as he said front shouldn't be removed unless there is no other option.

(I also forgot to mention the ability to have dry food with no problem. My kitty would swallow the dry food whole but these days I break it down into a rough powder otherwise he strategically eats everything around it. He doesn't like them too much but they are the novel protein that has to have to ensure his stools are the right consistency.)

 

[Antonio65]

It seems that your cat has a sore gum line, as far as I can see from the photos, and this is what my cat had when she was young and still has, though at a lesser level.
She had a very bad breath when she was a young kitten, and I had her visited a few times. On one of these occasions, the vet told me that my cat had to have all her teeth removed, or they would fall anyway... she was 5 months old, I was desperate!

Well, she's past 3 years and 6 months old now, and not only she still has her teeth (but 4 front teeth that got broken during a play), but her breath improved a lot and the gum line is much less sore.
Anyway, we found out that she's positive to calicivirus, and this could be the cause of her issues when she was young. She got the virus long before I could vaccinate her, probably when she was a feral and of course she can't be cured now.
I've been told that it is possible she might have issues in the future.

So, I think that your cat might have something similar?

 

[Shameem]

I just want to add, that the reason the front teeth weren't removed was due to the vet's recommendation that those remain and only the back be removed as he said front shouldn't be removed unless there is no other option.

(I also forgot to mention the ability to have dry food with no problem. My kitty would swallow the dry food whole but these days I break it down into a rough powder otherwise he strategically eats everything around it. He doesn't like them too much but they are the novel protein that has to have to ensure his stools are the right consistency.)

Thank you for your detailed response! The vet only recommended that I remove his back teeth as they are pressing the gums causing infection. I feel more comfortable having them removed now, but I have to make sure that he would be able to eat dry food since I have another cat that only eats dry food.

Thanks again

 

[N4sreen]

Thank you for your detailed response! The vet only recommended that I remove his back teeth as they are pressing the gums causing infection. I feel more comfortable having them removed now, but I have to make sure that he would be able to eat dry food since I have another cat that only eats dry food.

Thanks again

Hi! Yes dry food isn't a problem, they just swallow the little biscuits. When we were living abroad my cat only has Royal Canin dry food as well, that is all he ate. Occasionally I would give him home cooked chicken/fish but his diet was just dry. Of course he couldn't chew but he adapted well. Then when we moved to the UK I started him on wet food. He eats both no problem.

 

[Shameem]

It seems that your cat has a sore gum line, as far as I can see from the photos, and this is what my cat had when she was young and still has, though at a lesser level.
She had a very bad breath when she was a young kitten, and I had her visited a few times. On one of these occasions, the vet told me that my cat had to have all her teeth removed, or they would fall anyway... she was 5 months old, I was desperate!

Well, she's past 3 years and 6 months old now, and not only she still has her teeth (but 4 front teeth that got broken during a play), but her breath improved a lot and the gum line is much less sore.
Anyway, we found out that she's positive to calicivirus, and this could be the cause of her issues when she was young. She got the virus long before I could vaccinate her, probably when she was a feral and of course she can't be cured now.
I've been told that it is possible she might have issues in the future.

So, I think that your cat might have something similar?

I don't think that's the case since he was born in house and never got out, the people who had him fully vaccinated when he was 2-4 months old. The vet also did blood tests on him and he was fine. He has other health issues like his arthritis and heart murmur, but they these are treated separately.

 

[Shameem]

Hi! Yes dry food isn't a problem, they just swallow the little biscuits. When we were living abroad my cat only has Royal Canin dry food as well, that is all he ate. Occasionally I would give him home cooked chicken/fish but his diet was just dry. Of course he couldn't chew but he adapted well. Then when we moved to the UK I started him on wet food. He eats both no problem.

That's great to hear, I'll vaccinate him this week and schedule the surgery afterwards. I'm a bit nervous but hopefully everything will go smoothly.

 

[N4sreen]

Thank you for your detailed response! The vet only recommended that I remove his back teeth as they are pressing the gums causing infection. I feel more comfortable having them removed now, but I have to make sure that he would be able to eat dry food since I have another cat that only eats dry food.

Thanks again

Can you get food toppers where you are? They are great to moisten the dry food and make it softer. Failing that, and probably the better option is to make soup by boiling chicken bone and meat or boiling fish. Then add a little to the dry food to moisten it. You will have to experiment as to how much liquid your cat wants, bit start with smaller quantity of liquid and build up if your kitty prefers more soup.

 

[N4sreen]

That's great to hear, I'll vaccinate him this week and schedule the surgery afterwards. I'm a bit nervous but hopefully everything will go smoothly.

Don't be nervous. When I saw how the bad breath just vanished instantly and not overnight, I was so glad I listened to the vet's recommendation.

You could also just with a mortal and pester, lightly and roughly break down the dry food into smaller chunks if you don't want to give the dry food as is.

 

[Shameem]

Don't be nervous. When I saw how the bad breath just vanished instantly and not overnight, I was so glad I listened to the vet's recommendation.

You could also just with a mortal and pester, lightly and roughly break down the dry food into smaller chunks if you don't want to give the dry food as is.

The issue is that my other cat who has been with us for 12 years, only eats pure dry food and little by little (not mixed with any toppers). So I have to keep dry food for her out all the time, which he has access to as well. I think breaking it to smaller chunks is the best option as both could eat it, I already got Royal canin dental. I also feed him wet food once a day and will try to control his dry food intake as much as I could while I'm at home.

 

[N4sreen]

The issue is that my other cat who has been with us for 12 years, only eats pure dry food and little by little (not mixed with any toppers). So I have to keep dry food for her out all the time, which he has access to as well. I think breaking it to smaller chunks is the best option as both could eat it, I already got Royal canin dental. I also feed him wet food once a day and will try to control his dry food intake as much as I could while I'm at home.

Yes, you have it under control.
You got this!