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Dental Care in Elderly Cats

As cats age, they have more likelihood of developing dental issues that can cause them discomfort, or in some cases, seriously threaten their health. It’s important to keep a close eye on your pets’ teeth as they age and know the signs of a problem if they start to occur.

Some signs that your cats teeth may be causing them issues are:

  • halitosis (bad breath)

  • excessive drooling

  • teeth chattering

  • pawing at the mouth

  • teeth grinding

  • loss of appetite

It is also a good idea to check in your cat’s mouth regularly for any signs of growths, reddening of the gums, excessive plaque buildup, or lesions.

It is very common at this stage in a cat’s life for them to need a full dental cleaning. Even if an owner has brushed their cats’ teeth regularly for their whole lives, there is still a likely hood that they will need a dental cleaning later in life. Dental cleanings are done under full sedation so that we can thoroughly clean and check the mouths. There are times during these procedures where teeth may need to be extracted. It is important that when cleaning the teeth any decaying teeth are removed, as they will continue to cause pain and may cause secondary infections.

Tooth loss is very common in older cats. As they age, their teeth tend to break down, just like ours can as we grow older. Unlike humans, we do not make dentures for cats, however, many cats do just fine without them. Once the bad teeth are removed, and any remaining teeth are cleaned, the cat will feel more comfortable overall. Some owners opt to switch to a wet food only diet at this point in their cat’s life, with is a great option if it works for you, however that is not always necessary. Every cat is different, and some cats will always prefer hard food over wet. Even with no teeth left, many cats can eat hard food just fine.

For more information about our dental procedure, and what to expect click here. 

(502) 584-7055

©2022 by The Cat Clinic of Louisville.

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