My Nervous Experience Brushing My Old Dog's Teeth, But It Was Totally Worth It!

Hello there!

I'm sharing our experience with my 14-year-old cat, Kuzia, who's been with me since he was a month old. We're basically inseparable.

Despite his age, he's never had any issues with his teeth - at least, we've never noticed any problems.

But a few days ago, Kuzia started showing signs that something was off. He was eating poorly, avoiding his food, and even turning his head away from his bowl like he was afraid of it.

Plus, there was this nasty breath smell coming from his mouth, which we'd never noticed before...

I took a closer look at his gum and saw that it was swollen on the left side. Even a gentle touch made him wince in pain.

Since I was scared to take him to the vet right away, I decided to try a special gel for cleaning his mouth.

It brought some relief, but it didn't solve the problem entirely. So, I took him to the vet clinic nearby.

It's not like he's a young cat anymore, so it's probably a good idea to check his overall health while we're at it.

I'm not going to write about the clinic itself - it was a mixed experience, and it really depends on the individual case and the quality of the staff. What I will talk about is the ultrasound teeth cleaning procedure with removal of tartar and infected teeth and the necessary preparation.

After the vet took a look, Kuzia was diagnosed with:

The vet recommended cleaning with removal of tartar and infected teeth, if necessary - which, considering his age, is likely. However, the procedure can only be done under anesthesia, just like the X-ray, which will determine whether any teeth need to be removed.

For now, Kuzia needs to apply Holerasal gel on his gums, which is available at any pharmacy.

Preparation for teeth cleaning (oral sanitation)

Before undergoing this cleaning, it's essential to run some tests (blood work) and get an ultrasound of the heart, as there may be contraindications for the procedure.

Given Kuzia's age, this preparation is a must, but I think it's a good idea for young animals too - you never know what might come up!

As I was told, there are no alternatives to sedation - if an animal has a weak heart, they'll be prescribed treatment to improve heart function, and the cleaning will still be done under anesthesia.

I have to admit, I got a bit anxious - our last experience with anesthesia was almost 14 years ago, when Kuzia was neutered.

We were relieved to find out that this is a standard procedure and cats usually handle it pretty well, just like life without teeth.

We scheduled the necessary tests and a week later, we had the dental cleaning, if everything goes smoothly...

Cost

All procedures, including tests, ultrasound, consultation, cleaning, X-ray, and medication after the procedure, cost us almost 17 thousand!

But you do what you gotta do for your beloved pet, especially since we weren't spoiling him with clinic visits anyway...

Dental cavity treatment with removal of affected teeth (up to 7 teeth) - 9000 rubles.

The dentist explained to me that it might be necessary to add 2-3 thousand if there are more teeth, but she wouldn't just remove them. And for some reason, I trusted her. The dentist was a young woman, but she was professional and experienced.

Removing teeth based on the X-ray results, which costs 2500, is done right before the cleaning.

Ultrasound of the heart - 1500 rubles.

Tests (general blood test + biochemistry) - 2700.

Plus consultation with the dentist - 1500 rubles.

After the cleaning, we were given the necessary medication for around 600 rubles.

Test results

Our test results were mostly normal!

The ultrasound of the heart didn't show any deviations,

the general blood test was good.

Only in biochemistry, the salt levels were slightly elevated, and the liver indicators were a bit off...

But for our age, this is normal, and the doctor said we should consider the cat's poor diet lately and lack of water intake, which is partly due to the wet food and constant sleep.

Apparently, there's even a special food that helps stimulate a cat's thirst!

How the cat handled the procedure

You can't feed animals 12 hours before anesthesia.

We were scheduled for 10 am, and the last meal should have been at 11 pm the night before.

Water is okay to drink.

I felt terrible for my pet, who, as if on purpose, started begging for food.

Even the most patient person would find it awkward to have breakfast with him.

The procedure didn't even start until 1 pm!

The poor little guy was starving for the whole day.

He was second in line, and before 12 pm, there was a consultation with other animals.

I don't get why we had to bring the cat at 10 am?

While I was there, they put a catheter in Kuzya's leg and sent him to rest in a cage next to another cat. And they let me go home, saying that we couldn't pick up the cat before lunch...

They called me at 3 pm and said we could pick up Kuzya at 6 pm. He handled the procedure well.

They cleaned his teeth, removed 7 teeth (we didn't have to pay extra), including the one with parodontitis!

After the X-ray, these teeth were no longer serving the cat and could have become a source of infection in the future.

These were the molar teeth, the canines remained in place.

Kuzma was fully conscious and relatively in order.

(Before the procedure, we shaved him, as it was very hot)

The cat was agitated, wandering around the apartment all evening, peeking into every corner. 'Catching leftovers,' as they say.

One paw was slightly wobbly, but he was no longer unsteady.

In the clinic, they monitor animals until they are fully 'back to normal' and return them to their owners already feeling better.

Despite the stress and the effects of the medication, the cat's hunger took its course! Kuzya ate three portions of wet food right away. I brought him pâtés, soup, and jelly.

After a couple of days, the little guy was even eating small pieces of meat. Although I was feeding him by hand, he was still hesitant to eat from the bowl.

It was unusual, but there were no signs of illness.

For comparison, a photo of perfect teeth and pink gums after a cleaning).

From the next day, Kuzma was prescribed a course of antibiotics, Kladaks, a sedative, and a pain reliever in the form of Anaprin tablets.

(There are photos of the treatment above)

I don't know how to give injections, and I don't want to torture the animal.

Additionally, we had to apply a gel or a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine to the stitches twice a day. They should dissolve over time, and the gel helps to prevent infection.

On the second day, the cat was lethargic and very sad ((, eating very little, mostly liquids.

Apparently, the painkiller wasn't working well. Kuzya ate very little food, especially the pink antibiotic tablets, although it's written that animals should take them well.

I decided to dissolve the tablets in water and pour them directly into the cat's mouth after meals.

Kuzma didn't like it, but he tolerated it.

This method paid off, and the next day the cat looked happier and started eating better!

After a week, we had to take Kuzma to the vet for a check-up. This was free of charge.

Results of the treatment

I'll say straight away that I couldn't take detailed photos of the infected teeth, and I didn't want to torture the cat for the sake of the review.

But the teeth were in a bad state...

There was pus in the gum pocket, a lump on the gum (also a result of tartar buildup), and a yellowish tartar.

The gums were swollen and dark in color...

I'm happy to report that there was no bleeding or bad breath afterwards.

When I applied the gel to Kuzia's teeth, he didn't make any painful noises, which was a relief.

Of course, it's possible that his mouth was still sore...

After a week, I took Kuzia to the dentist for a check-up.

Everything went smoothly, except for one small issue where the stitches came undone.

The dentist just needed to reapply the gel to Kuzia's teeth.

He's been eating better and gaining weight ever since.

Take care of yourselves and your pets!