Having a Pet'sTeeth Cleaned

[benny05]

Poll question: Having a Pet'sTeeth Cleaned

I am having an annual check-up for my kitties, and one of them is getting its teeth cleaned (which means she will have anesthesia (via oxygen mask).


She is 14 years old, pretty good health, hasn't had problems chewing, but I'm having her teeth cleaned because I think eliminating some bacteria might ensure her to have her teeth longer and healthier longer.

But is this procedure like an auto-repair place when you get a sticker to run your car or etc, some procedures are good to have, but not necessary for a good while? Or have some of you found it worthwhile for your cat or dog (or other pets)?

[Strong Atheist]

1. My cat got a viral infection and lost his hearing

after his teeth cleaning, but that was probably due to my vet:mad:

[bertha katzenengel]

2. i've never had it done but will soon, w/ our two older cats

I think it's a good idea. Don't know about it prolonging their tooth life -- that's kinda obvious, i guess, but i'm more worried about one of their tooth sockets getting infected and their dying from that infection.

Don't worry. :hi:

[Orsino]

3. There is a small risk with anaesthesia...

...that can be minimized by having the appropriate blood work-up done beforehand. I recommend it for all senior animals, at least.

[lavenderdiva]

4. I have always had my dog's teeth cleaned once every year or two...

and it has helped maintain their health, I feel. Just as you would take care of your own dental health, and that contributes to your overall health, its just as important for the pets in your family.

ps. I didn't take your poll, as the first answer, which I would have checked, said something about the pets being over 16 years old. I've never had cats, only dogs.

[NoSheep]

5. I had my dog's teeth cleaned when he was neutered. They were

knocking him out anyway and he was young. 3 yrs.
but I was worried. He's 4 lbs full grown. How do you medicate a 4 lb dog?
Small dog breeds, and cats, are said to have dental problems because their teeth are so small..they are vulnerable to problems due to wear that a larger animal might not experience due to the size (longevity)of their teeth.

He's 5 1/2 now and it's time to do it again. I can tell he needs it. Lots of tarter and bad breath. But I'm still concerned and I think it's good to be asking questions. I hope we get some answers.

[Beware the Beast Man]

6. Yes it's worth it.

One of my cats has severe periodontal disease, more than likely from neglect (the condition existed before we adopted her). My vet said it is the worst case he has seen in his 11 years of practice. I think it's definitely a good thing to do.

[tuvor]

7. Other--Feed them raw food and raw bones.

Speaking for our rescued 4-year-old SPCA dog, who we were advised needed his plaque-covered teeth cleaned (raised on a diet of kibble), the procedure was rendered unnecessary because we switched him to raw meat/veggies and raw bones.

A few weeks later, our vet was amazed at how clean his teeth were--and quite approving.

There's a lot of info on the web about feeding your dogs and cats raw food. Do your research, and make an informed decision.

EDIT: My wife's telling me that anaesthesia on an older animal's not the best idea, either. Maybe a second opinion would be in order...?

[AirmensMom]

12. I'm with you, tuvor!

We switched our cats over to raw meat and bones last June. It not only saved the Abys from IBD and kidney failure, but all four cats got a lot healthier overall. The Abys have pretty bad gingivitis from eight years of junk food kibble (prescribed by our former vet). They improved greatly with the raw food, but we decided to give them their first and only dentals in order to give them a fresh start. The other two kitties weren't as prone to gingivitis and have very white teeth and healthy gums since being on raw. Oh, and they don't have stinky breath.

My current vet is more afraid of anesthesia in any age animal than of dental disease ... but he also advocates raw feeding to keep their mouths healthy. He only recommends dentals in severe cases, as we have with the Abys.

Funny (or not?) -- the same vets who sell poor quality prescription diets for pets seem to be the ones who want to do dentals on them every year. :shrug:

Edit: There's a lot of good information about feline nutrition and raw feeding at www.catinfo.org.

[tuvor]

18. As I understand it, vets learn about nutrition from the pet food companies

Conflict of interest, anyone?

(Disclaimer, FWIW: Although we feed our dogs raw, we feed our cat a vet-prescribed kibble because of a kidney problem, and because he simply refuses to eat the raw food we tried to feed him.)

[AirmensMom]

19. Yes, and the pet food companies supply food to their pets.

And they're told that raw feeding is dangerous. Looks like a conflict of interest to me.

My vet prescribes raw for kidney problems. It actually cured my cat's kidney problems as well as his IBD and skin eruptions. One of our cats was a kibble junkie and it was challenging to get her switched over to raw. We did it by mixing baby food into the raw and getting the kibble out of the house. Eventually, we left out the baby food. Now she licks out everyone else's bowl.

We had a Golden Retriever that was allergic to everything. He had a poor appetite and was always thin, had skin problems, etc. If I'd known about raw then, I'm SURE he would have been a healthier, happier dog. He hated the prescription diet but loved raw meat -- but we didn't know any better at the time. Live and learn.

[DainBramaged]

8. I smell vet greed here big time

Putting an animal that old under any kind of anesthesia is a huge risk. I have a very good vet. I had wanted to have my oldest cat's teeth cleaned (he's 13 in December) but he said after about 9 in dogs and 8 or 9 in cats, unless emergency surgery to save the animal, is not worth it. Most of his teeth have fallen out, he's suffered no infections or problems, but the risk of killing him stopped me in my tracks.

The "give him a blood test" scam to see "if he'll tolerate anesthesia" is more bullshit.

Do what you think is right, but too many vets' play to our worst fears.

[SOteric]

9. It's vital to a cat's health.

And I take my little dude in for it everytime his vet recommends it. I had an elder cat that died of kidney failure. During his illness I discovered much about what a complex interrelationship there is between kidney function and a cat's dental health.

Trust me, please. You want to do this for your little pal.

[Catch22Dem]

10. You need another POLL option: Had it done, killed the cat

My cat stopped eating because his teeth were screwed up. Lasted about two days, certainly not long enough to starve him. So, we took him to the vet and they said he needs his teeth cleaned, but he needs to get healthy first. She gave us some pills, he ate them, and was his usual self within 24 hours. No troubles eating, played, purred, etc... Took him to get the cleaning. She called to say they were done and he was waking up from the anesthesia then called a couple hours later to say he was dead.

[Polly Hennessey]

11. Clean Teeth for Cats

All of my cats have had their teeth cleaned. Rebecca is going on the 20th and she is 13. Meg is now 19; we have had her since she was four years old and she has had her teeth cleaned on a regular basis. If the vet says they need it, I do it. Same for dogs. I think that it helps prevent teeth problems which may lead to more severe health concerns. I just trust my vet - have been with him for over 15 years.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. I have a Yorkie who is 3 yrs old, she goes to the groomer once a month

and every other time she goes, I have her teeth brushed because I visit this website, www.unitedyorkierescue.org where there are a lot of yorkies who have lost their teeth thru neglect and some are very young. I figure that maintenance is better in the long run, so that she doesn't have to endure the trauma of a cleaning or teeth removal.

[Scout]

14. yes it is worth it

my dog is approaching 12 years old ... we had her teeth cleaned 1-2 years ago.

Except for a mass/tumor in her anal gland that we thought was cancer (it wasn't!) she remains healthy.

Her teeth look nicer and breath is better.

[politicat]

15. We lost our 16 year old cat to the anesthesia.

Had I known she would have that reaction, I probably would have not had it done for her.

We had all three done at the same time - 16, 12 and 11 - and the younger ones came through fine (including a couple of pulls in the 12 year old) but it makes me nervous all the same.

Her age was probably a factor in her death, though there is a part of me that thinks that the fact that she was at the vet's overnight didn't help - she was very needy and a homebody, and I feel a lot of guilt that I didn't bring her home that night.

[Samurai_Writer]

16. I haven't done it to my cats and won't do it

My cats are 14 and 10 years old. I wouldn't put a cat that age under anesthesia unless absolutely necessary. But that's just me.

[benny05]

17. I appreciate the replies

and while the votes don't match the replies, I'd like more information.

To tell you, our kitties are our babies. We don't have any babies and spouse $ I are well past that phase in our biological lives. We love our pets.

[benny05]

20. Teeth cleaning went well

Kitty is just a little tired from the anaethesia and a little hungry. She will have to have a little bit of antibotics because the teeth were pretty dirty and they had to do some cleaning around the gum area.

Otherwise, her health report was almost perfect. She's 14 years old, and weighs 9 lbs. She acts like she's 8!

Thanks for all of the advice.

[China_cat]

21. Good, I'm glad you had it done

Tooth problems lead to a lot of other things, including heart problems from unresolved gum infections. Yes, putting an older animal under is risky but that's what the blood work's for...and it's NOT a scam. The blood work shows if there's kidney or (especially) liver impairment that could make anaethesia a severe risk due to that organ's not working properly.

My cats are 16 and over...one being 21. Dogs are all over 8, including 2 that are 13 in a breed whose life span is about 10. Dental work is part of what has helped them get to this age. In fact, the 2 that are 13 don't show their age at all.

[xmas74]

22. My vet cleans my dog's teeth twice a year.

He won't chew Milk-bones and doesn't like rawhide chews. My vet swears by it and he doesn't normally suggest services that you could do at home(his first option is always the Milk-bones or rawhide for dogs and then,if that doesn't work, cleaning). It removes the plaque and helps keep the teeth and gums from getting infections.
I started getting it done after a friend's dog died from a severely infected tooth that had abcessed and the infection got into his bloodstream. She had no idea until he quit eating. By the time she got him to the vet he had to be on IV therapy and didn't make it. Since then I've been careful about my dog's teeth.

[Mz Pip]

23. My kitty had terrible teeth

He had to have one pulled and serious cleaning and some trimming of his gums. He was 11 when he had it done. He died a couple of years later but it had nothing to do with his teeth.


Another one had very bad breath and the cleaning helped. Serious bad breath.

Mz Pip
:dem: