Question:
What has been your exerience with dental health for your cat?.....How
often do you do it if ever....
My cat is 3 1/2 and has never had one. How often should she get her
teeth checked? . I dont know what dental care involves. Is it just a
cleaning?.....Do they do x-rays the way we humans have them done?....
Answer:
My experience with dental care is pretty limited, too; I've their teeth cleaned
but so far, no problems except tartar. Mine never seemed to need cleaning
before age 4; and it cost $80. Prices vary, though, I've heard prices on the ng
up to $200. I assume if they find problems or the cat needs extractions,
they'll let you know. I have had friends whose cats' teeth were so bad they all
had to be extracted. The cats adjusted just fine! It never ceases to amaze me,
the resiliance of those creatures. You can do a quick check yourself; if you
see redness around the gum line, or dark spots on the teeth, teeth are
obviously yellow, or horrible breath, he probably needs dental care pretty
badly. And, in extreme cases, drooling is a signal the teeth have problems.
The good news is, with regular cleaning, he may never have problems with
his teeth.
A cats teeth are generally checked at the same time a general physical exam
is done (usually with annual vaccinations). You don't need to make an
appointment specifically to have a cats teeth checked, unless you think
there is something wrong. Teeth cleaning is usually only done when
plaque/tartar build up can be seen on the cats teeth, and this is usually
decided by the vet. The health of teeth highly depends on the cat. I have
one cat who is 12 and has NEVER had a teeth cleaning. Vet says her teeth
look wonderful. But some cats need to have their first teeth cleaning
earlier than 2 years of age!! Some cats are more prone to problems than
others. It also may depend on the type of diet you are feeding.
X-rays are only done if the vet suspects there is a problem with one or more
teeth. They are not routinely done.
As I said earlier, the vet will just check the teeth when your cat goes in
for her general physical exam (this should be done at LEAST once a year for
a cat under 8 years of age.... more than once for elderly cats). If the
cats teeth do need cleaning, the cat is typically put under general
anesthetic and a vet technician does the teeth cleaning with special
instruments that are able to get under the gumline. If your vet wants to
do a teeth cleaning while the cat is awake, find another vet. Teeth
cleaning while the cat is awake does not even do an adequate job. It is not
possible to clean under the gumline when the cat is awake. Waste of money.
Some people brush their cats teeth. It probably works but I've had good
luck with teeth on my cats without the need for brushing. They all have
great teeth.
