Mish & Mitzi's Xmas "gift" - Teeth Cleaning!

[Barbara]

I am glad to hear Mishi is back. Poor boy- an extraction for sure is more of a problem than just cleaning.
Hope you are fine soon Mishi-boy

[sirrahbed]

I am very late getting in here (always stuck at general!) and am also dense at this topic. I have had lots of cats but never even heard of teeth cleaning. DUH. I know when I take the kitties in for yearly exams and shots, the vets look at their teeth so maybe they are ok? RB Ernie and RB Bert were 17 and 18. I don't think Ernie had many teeth left actually. Do all cats need teeth cleaning periodically?? Do any of you do anything (like brush) your cats teeth? I thought the dry food did that? I guess I need educating

Oh and SO GLAD Mr Mishi is doing well after his ordeal!

[RedHedd]

Thanks everyone! Mishi is doing better than I expected - he even ate some of Mitzi's hard, dry food - He's such a manly man! And he's talking again - not quite as much as before. I don't know if they put a tube down their little throats or what, but he seemed hoarse when he first "talked" again -- all I got was a few of his mrrp'ing mutters; this morning he meowed, so all is well, although he did look a bit down so I gave him some of the pain med. My stoned big boy!

Sirrahbed, my vet never mentioned teeth cleaning to me with my Goldie until she was around 13-14 years old. She was fed dry food all her life and lived indoors, so she never hunted. Wet food was only used as a treat. I think my new two's teeth are so bad because they were living wild and eating who-knows-what. My vet said that was probably why their teeth were so badly in need of cleaning. Mishi obviously had a fighting past, with the broken teeth. I hope I don't have to do this again as I intend to keep them indoors and feed them dry food.

I did get a gander at Mishi's teeth this morning when I was giving him his meds and they're now dazzling white!

[jenluckenbach]

Sirrahbed, it is a genetic thing. Some will go on and on forever without a problem and some will alwyas have problems, possibly even at an early age. And the, everything in between. So as long as the vet keeps an eye on the situation on a yearly basis and you keep tabs in between (especially if you end up with a cat prone to tooth or gum problems) any needs will be caught early. Dry food IS the best, but ot always enough.

[RedHedd]

Since his teeth cleaning last Wednesday, I've had him on wet food as recommended by the vet. As he had started eating some of Mitzi's dry food Friday, I figured he's probably well enough to go back to his regular diet. Of course he doesn't agree with that decision. This morning he got all pouty and glum when I gave Mitzi wet food because she had her teeth done yesterday and then poured a bowl of his regular dry food. He finally did eat it, obviousy in protest, looking up at me as if I was punishing him. Sheesh! He's such a goon; albeit a very cute and spoiled one. He'll get over it.

[jenluckenbach]

They sure know how to "work a room" don't they. Give in, he deserves an extra helping of wet food.

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
They sure know how to "work a room" don't they. Give in, he deserves an extra helping of wet food.

I did give in .... When he looks up at me with those huge green eyes, I'm putty in his paws ....

[cutie_chica]

how did it go with the other kitty??

[RedHedd]

Mitzi was fine. Except for my trip & fall on the way home (I know the thread is somewhere in here), everything went well. She had to have a tooth pulled, but the instant she got home (even after being dropped on her very padded bottom) she wanted food and water and kisses from Mishi. You would never have known anything had been done to her. Both of them had a reaction to the antibiotics (diarrhea) and had to be taken off the meds after 5 days. They've both healed well and have shiny, bright-white gleaming kitty smiles