Does it seem like every cat you know nowadays has more dental work done than you do? Maybe your grandparents had a cat that lived a couple of decades without ever having their teeth checked, but more recently, there's a lot of hype about pets needing dental exams, cleanings, and other treatments. Does your kitty really need to open wide for the vet or can you do as your grandparents might have and just let your cat's teeth follow a natural course? While the matter may be up for debate in many circles, the facts, as always, should lead the way.
Your Cat's Mouth Really Should Be Inspected Regularly By A Vet
Oral health can sometimes be an indicator of problems in other areas of the body, such as diabetes, kidney or liver disease, and even intestinal parasites. The teeth also tell a veterinarian how old a feline is, which is nice if you find a stray or otherwise adopt a cat from unknown origins. Bad breath, though, is more often than not a tell-tale indication of bacterial infection, due to gum disease.
Any Potential Dental Issue Can Cause Serious Discomfort For Your Cat
Dental disease usually progresses at a slow rate, which may mean your cat simply adjusts to the discomfort, rather than displaying overt signs of pain. Cats are also notoriously proficient at hiding pain, injury, and disease, to avoid showing any weakness to potential enemies. A dental issue may present itself in subtle ways that are difficult to catch or in a way that's hard to miss:
Since you don't want your kitty in any pain, even if the condition won't have serious consequences, you do want to request a dental inspection if you suspect there are any abnormalities within their mouth. While an extraction, for example, may not be necessary to save their life, it will go a long way in improving it, if a tooth is severely decayed.
Just Like You, Prevention Goes A Long Way With Dental Problems
Cleaning an animal's mouth, although not typically done for animals in the wild, may stop gingivitis in its tracks, preventing further decay. Especially if you expect your cat to live a long and happy life, it's vital that you nip progressive problems in the bud. While wild animals make do, a domestic feline deserves the dental devotion that will keep them in purr mode and that sometimes involves cleaning and the occasional extraction (both under anesthesia).
You Don't Need To Go Overboard, Without Due Cause
Just because a cat has teeth, that doesn't automatically mean they need constant work. Some breeds are more likely to develop dental issues, while other felines go their entire lives without a troubled tooth. Don't succumb to the trend or be pressured by peers who swear by obsessive dental cleanings for their own pets; rather, trust your instincts and the advice of your carefully chosen veterinarian.
While your cat's teeth may not need as much fussing and fixing as yours, they do need to be monitored. The most important checkup your cat receives, however, is the physical, during which you should mention any dental concerns you have. Your vet may or may not recommend dental work, but at least you're both aware of the situation and, thus, have everything under control. Whether viewed as hype or not, a pet's oral health is a significant part of their overall well being, and that's a fact.
For more information, contact a veterinarian.
Share18 December 2019
When I moved into the town I'm living in now, there was a large population of stray cats. Unfortunately, that population kept growing in rapid numbers because none of the cats had been fixed. I knew that wasn't a healthy situation, so I reached out to a local shelter and a veterinarian to launch a trap-alter-release program. Within about a year, we had the entire population altered and released back to their environments. The logistics were significant, but not overwhelming. That's why I built this site. My goal is to teach others how to launch a similar program in their own neighborhood to help keep the stray cats healthier and safer.