Page 57 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

▷ Cleaning a cat’s teeth
Using a “finger brush” that fits over your
fingertip is one way to clean your cat’s teeth.
Starting with the back teeth, brush gently in
a circular motion.

may be very painful, causing the
cat to paw at his face. Your cat may
struggle to eat or may try to eat
with just one side of his mouth. He
may avoid hard foods or lose his
appetite, drool, and have bad
breath. You may see gray pus at the
gumline, or a lump under the skin
on the cheek.
The vet may anesthetize your
cat before looking in the mouth
and taking radiographs. Your cat
may be prescribed antibiotics and 55
pain relief, but if the abscess is
severe the tooth may be extracted.

find it hard to swallow or close the
“Use a special cat toothpaste and a cat mouth. The cat may develop loose
toothbrush to clean your cat’s teeth.” teeth or a distorted face.
Tumors grow fast and need
prompt attention. Your vet may Mouth and tooth disorders
radiograph the cat’s head and take
Malocclusion jaws too short to fit all the teeth. In a tissue sample from the growth
In malocclusion the teeth are some cats, when adult teeth come to identify the tumor. Treatment
misaligned and do not fit together through baby teeth do not fall out, so may involve surgery to remove
properly when the cat closes its the adult teeth grow crooked. Your the tumor and radiation to kill
mouth. It can result from injury to vet may extract the misaligned teeth. remaining cancer cells. The tumors
the jaw or from overcrowded teeth. often recur, so your cat will need
Malocclusion can interfere with Growths regular monitoring.
eating and can also trap food and The most common type of tumor
plaque, increasing the risk of (growth) in the mouth is squamous
infections. Certain short-nosed cell carcinoma, a form of cancer.
breeds, such as Persians, may have It grows from the cells lining the Home care after
mouth and throat and most often dental treatment
arises under the tongue or in the After a dental procedure, your
gums. Older cats are most at risk. cat may have a sore mouth, and
A tumor may be seen as a nodule or he will be groggy for a while
a lumpy mass. Your cat may have because of the anesthetic. Your
vet will prescribe pain relief and
bad breath, drooling, and bleeding may provide a diet plan consisting
or ulcers in the mouth, and may of foods that are easy to eat. Put
your cat’s bed in a quiet place,
◁ Vet performing dental work with food, water, and a litter
The canines are the baby teeth most commonly tray within easy reach. You may
retained as the adult teeth grow. A vet may need to hand-feed him until he
need to extract the baby teeth so the adult can eat by himself.
teeth will grow straight.

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