Will my cat be ok if his teeth are removed?

susank521

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I am attaching an article which I have found interesting in relation to potential progression in treatment for stomatitis and management after dental extraction as this may be of interest to others.

http://www.dentalvets.co.uk/docs/FCGS-VPJuly12 NJarticle.pdf

No doubt there are many others with more up to date information.....
Thank you for the link to the article, MServant. So much of it is over my head. In mid-June this year one of my guys (Simon, rescued, neutered, outdoor, male, approx 2-1/2 years old) had all but his 4 canines and bottom teeth between the canines extracted. At the follow-up a week after the extraction, the vet mentioned that this is not always a cure and if the symptoms recurred we would try a transdermal steroid, perhaps that's the corticosteroids mentioned in the article? I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a situation where the symptoms returned after the extraction and what treatments were used. I'm hoping it's just my imagination, but I think that I'm noticing more discharge, so back to the vet we go next week.

Since his recuperation from the extraction, Simon does very well eating kibble. He's never been a big fan of can food.
 

mservant

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Hi, I hope the article was still of some use but apologies for technical language: I am not a vet but don't always think about how 'medical' articles read as I'm used to reading them for work.

I think it's fair to assume the transdermal steroids your vet is talking about will the corticosteroids discussed in the article.

One thing that can be useful is to take information from an article like this: write down the other treatment the author is proposing as a line to be taken prior to the corticosteroids, Feline Recombinant Interferon, and ask your vet what their opinion is. Most vets and medical practitioners are well used to their clients coming in with questions from internet reading so they shouldn't be surprised. They should be able to give you an answer on how they have reached their clinical decision.  Don't be afraid to go in informed and ask technical questions, all you are doing is looking after your cat's best interests. 

It's good that Simon's eating well but so sorry his mouth is giving you concern again. Good luck on your next vet appointment, I hope the vet comes up with a successful management plan that improves things for you all.  I worry about Mouse all the time even though he hasn't been badly affected with oral problems now for about a year: I know that tooth extraction is likely at some point in his not too distant future due to the ever present light inflammation present hence my ongoing interest. 

 

gummybrain

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To anyone out there who's cat would need to have their teeth removed. Please read this.
My male cat is only 4years old. And he had been having teeth problems for the past two years. His gums would always swell an get very red and it was painful for him to eat. So me and my vet had him on antibiotics and such on and off to help. And it never got better. So in April this year, our last option was to have his teeth removed. He was diagnosed with severe periodontal disease. The surgery went on so well, we were back home the same day. He had some antibiotics and pain medication for the first week. He completely healed in less then 3weeks ! He was also eating his dry food the same day of the surgery ! And now not even 5months down the road, he is doing so well and I have heard him purr for the first time in 2years ! So please do not be afraid of the surgery ! It made my life and my cats life so much better ! He is as healthy as could be now and if I had to, I would do it all over again ! Hope this helped some of you !
 

susank521

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Gummybrain, that's wonderful your guy is doing so well! To hear him purr again after 2 years is phenomenal. I'm so glad you found a way to make him (and you) feel better.
 

25whiskers

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So glad to hear that all the kitties do so well without there teeth. I lost sleep last night after our decision to have deejays teeth removed, he's been suffering with Gingivitis for three years now, and the medicine only works for so long before he's suffering again. He's such a sweetie, I want him to enjoy his life pain free, and he hates the constant visits to the vets..
 

marluvlenn

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My cat was diagnosed with stomatitis.  He has been on steroids for two years,…but they had stopped working.  Yesterday he had all of his teeth removed and I am hoping that he will be better soon.  But in the meanwhile, since the surgery, he has barely had anything to eat or drink (he managed to lap up a small amount of gravy that I strained from his wet food, but he cried out in pain).  How long does it take for cats to start eating and drinking after the surgery?  If he doesn't eat or drink by tomorrow, I will go to the emergency vet (it is the weekend) so he can get fluid intravenously.  Just want to know about healing time after surgery as experience by others.
 

susank521

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I'm hoping that your cat is feeling a little better since you posted this last night. The first day and night are rough on the poor things. What kind of canned food do you use? I suggest a pate (eg. Fancy Feast or Friskies) mixed with lots of water into a soup consistency. Make it as thin as necessary for him to be able to lap it. This provides both food and water with the least amount of effort on his part. He'll need to be on the soup for a couple of weeks at least. It does take a while for them to heal from the extraction, some faster than others, of course. But if it "cures" the stomatitis, then it will be worth it for him. How old is your cat? Lots of good wishes that this works for him and he's feeling better soon. 
 
 

marluvlenn

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Thank you.  He still wouldn't eat or drink today so I took him to the emergency vet and they gave him fluids and injected him with pain meds that should last for three days.  The problem is that if he doesn't eat by tomorrow afternoon, the vet said he would need a feeding tube.  I am so worried. I hope that the pain meds allow him to eat.  I have been mixing wet food with water so that it is soupy since before the surgery and normally he eats it, but now he won't even get close to it.  I tried meat baby food, and am going to also try chicken broth. Thanks for your good wishes.  
 

callista

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Well--a feeding tube wouldn't be the end of the world, if it had to be done to make sure he got some food in him while he was recovering. But he won't need it if he stays hydrated and gets a little bit of food. Try smelly food, that always seems to tempt my cats. Christy, when she wouldn't eat, would still lick the gravy off wet food. See if your guy will do that.
 

marluvlenn

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Well, since my last post I managed to give him a jar of baby food…but then another 24 hrs past and he wouldn't eat so I had to go back to the dental vet again.  They checked his mouth…it is healing well, so they think it is his stomatitis causing the pain.  It is possible that the extractions won't help the stomatitits in his case, but it is still too early to say. They gave him a steroid for the pain and say he should probably eat again by wed…they also gave him more fluids.  I think the steroids are helping…he seems to be in less pain and he did exactly as you said:ate the gravy from wet food…he managed the gravy from two cans…I hope that gives him enough calories to get by until he is ready to eat more substantial food.
 

purplemilkywayy

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My former roommate had a cat whose teeth were ALL removed. He's a fluffy black cat and looks like Toothless. She feeds him dry food soaked in a little bit of water, and he gobbles it up every time. He's also a happy and friendly cat. I don't think having no teeth bothers him. He was only 2 when his teeth started falling out (and had horrid breath), so having no teeth is better than having painful teeth. 

However, if he were my cat, I would feed him canned food. It's better for him and easier to "chew" and digest. Besides, soaking kibble in water breeds bacteria. 
 

marluvlenn

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HE ATE!  THANK YOU LORD,  HE ATE!

HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He at a full mini can of wet food mixed with water!  The steroids helped…I truly hope that the dental extractions will eventually heal his stomatitis, but in the meanwhile, until we know more, at least the steroids are making him pain free enough TO EAT!  

I was so afraid I would have to put him asleep.  

The vet said that  it is less likely that the extactions worked (likelihood down to 50 %)  ….but I am still optimistic…one thing I know…his mouth no longer smells..so that is a step in the right direction.

Did I mention that he ate?

Thank you God!

and thank you to you all for your support.

   
 

snowflkelcn

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Hi everyone, I almost read all of your comments because my 1 year old cat Bal is having the same problem.

At first time that I realized that something in his mouth I took him to the vet. Unfournately she couldn't understand what happens in his mouth and said he's changing form baby to adult teeth and that's all you must use a mouth spray. After that my cat started to could not eat or drink at all. I fed him for a while and changed the vet. He gave us antibiotics and didn't work again. I took him 3 different vets in time.

Then one of them finally found his problem and he said this is a auto-immune disease named lenfositik plasmositik,gingivit,stomotid complex and suggest us cortisone for three times. However It works just for a while then nothing changed in his mouth. 

Now,

Our vet. sugess immunosuppressive therapy before remove all of his teeth but I really worry about this medicine. (Also he took lots of antibiotics etc. cause he was sick when I saved him from streets, then dental problem started)  It looks like dangerous to me. I afraid of stir up something worse instead of make him better.

When I read all of your comments surgery seems better to me. Does anybody heard about immunosuppressive therapy before? and what do you suggest to me about this problem.

Bal is suffering with this issues for 6 months.  When you think he's only 1 year old, too early and a big problem for him. 
 
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matthewbaby

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his surgery is coming up in a few months.I am really scared for him. how long does it take to heal. how will he eat while he is healing.. his mouth is so sore right now he keeps losing weight. they gave him some shots to help him. I am hoping he will gain some weight back before surgery.
 

marluvlenn

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What immunosuppressive therapy is he being given?  The surgery for my cat didn't work…in 20 percent of the cases it doesn't work…but the dental vet told me that in such cases, there is a therapy called cyclosporine that can help…this is a type of an immunosuppressive drug...and that after a year of this treatment on top of the surgery, cats usually heal.  He has been on this med for three weeks and is much improved…both clinically  in terms of having no pain and eating with a huge appetite, to the vet looking in his mouth and seeing improvement.  We are hopeful.  The vet also told me that using this drug without having teeth removed doesn't usually work.  I hope this helps.  Since I am not a vet and I don't know your cat or his past medical history I don't know if it is right for him, but if this is the drug that your vet recommends and you do decide to use it, have his blood drawn first to make sure that he doesn't have FeLV or FIV.  In any case…I am happy with the effects of this drug on my cat so far.  He is his old self again…it is so great to see him not in pain.
 

marluvlenn

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What kind of shots did they give him and why is his teeth being removed?
 

kelseyrat

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I just got back from the vet's office, where I had to leave my Maine Coon, Frank, for extraction of all his teeth except the canines.  He is around seven years old and has struggled with mouth problems the last three years or so.  He was first diagnosed with chronic gingivitis and we were told by our vet at that time he would have to have antibiotics every now and then to knock it back.  He also prescribed Vetricyn for me to squirt in his mouth.  We stopped using that vet within the last year due to several circumstances and we now have a vet (45 minutes away) who is good as gold.  I have been taking Frank to this vet for his dental issues the past several months and have briefed him on Frank's dental history.  He told me up front the best course of action at that time was a monthly steroid shot for up to six months, at which point we would need to take a break.  He was honest and said there is really no cure for what Frank has and it is really just about managing the symptoms.  I took Frank in today for his steroid shot and told the vet Frank has had a bad month and the past week his mouth has really been hurting him.  He told me he knew it seemed extreme, but what the American Dental Society for Cats (Or something along those lines, I don't remember the exact title) recommends is extraction of all the teeth.  He told me we were at the point the shots were no longer effective and this was really the best course of action given Frank's condition.  This was very upsetting news.  I'm glad I found this thread and I am glad to hear from folks whose cats have endured the same thing.  It makes it a little easier to bear.       
 
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