Health & Fitness
Dental Health In Cats
A brief description of the various signs of dental disease, some of which are surprising. Treatment, prevention, and effects on other organs are also discussed.
Why does my cat’s breath smell so bad?
First, bad breath in a cat is not normal. It means that there is some type of oral disease. It may be that the problem is not with the teeth at all, but an allergy. Only your veterinarian can make that determination. It may be that there is a large amount of tartar on the teeth that is causing gum irritation. There might be something called a resorptive lesion that is similar to humans’ cavities. Or there might be a tooth root infection. All of these can cause mouth discomfort and pain. Signs of mouth pain may be “fish” breath, changes in appetite, drooling, not wanting to be petted near the head, or difficulty eating.
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As part of a complete preventative health examination, every pet should have their mouth looked at by a veterinarian. If there is tartar or gum inflammation (gingivitis), then a plan for dental health needs to be discussed by the owner and veterinarian. Depending on the seriousness of the dental disease, this may involve scaling and polishing of the teeth under anesthesia, dental x-rays, periodontal treatments, and/or tooth extraction. In every case, to maintain dental health, there should be some kind of home care. A “Good” level of home care is daily dental treats or a dental health diet. Look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval on the bag. “Better” home care is an oral rinse. Most of these are available from your veterinarian. “Best” home care involves daily tooth brushing. A video presentation on how to brush your cat’s teeth can be found on www.partnersah.vet.cornell.edu.
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Chicago’s own Dr. Cindy Charlier of Fox Valley Veterinary Dentistry and Surgery did a video for the AVMA on YouTube about periodontal disease in our pets. It can be found at www.youtube.com/AmerVetMedAssn.
Veterinarians are not just concerned about the pain that cats are experiencing, but also the prevention of other disease conditions. Periodontal disease can also cause disease in the heart, liver, or kidneys. In fact it is thought to be the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the cat.
What should You Do?
If your cat has not had a preventative care examination in the last year, schedule one soon with your veterinarian. La Grange Park Cat Clinic has a 10% off dental treatment and prevention special throughout March as part of a complete program of preventative health for your cat.
Dr. Pam Cuevas
La Grange Park Cat Clinic
