Today, I saw a veterinary blog about pets living without teeth. A reader wrote in because of concern for a pet that lost many teeth due to dental surgeries. I’m not a veterinarian, but I’ve got one toothless cat and another that may be toothless in the next couple of years. It’s true, even though I get them regular checkups and feed high quality, natural food. So what’s happening here?
Dogs often get dental problems and gum disease because people won’t take time to brush their teeth, won’t feed (or can’t afford) a natural diet, or won’t take time to train a dog to accept tooth brushing. However, cats are a different matter entirely. They often get a disease called orthoclastic resorptive disease. In layman’s terms, the teeth dissolve from the inside out. It’s painful, infections develop, and it often results in an emergency trip to the vet when you find it for the first time.
This disease is painful because the tooth essentially deteriorates around the nerve and root of the tooth, leaving it exposed. As far as I have heard from two animal dentists and about a dozen vets, there are no preventive measures that help. Even big cats in the wild get this disease–and they are definitely on a natural diet in every respect. The most important thing is to treat the problem before a substantial infection causes systemic problems, such as heart or kidney damage.
We usually find the problem when there is an emergency due to an infection or during a routine cleaning that results in additional extractions. Once we hear that one of our cats has this problem, here’s how we handle this problem.
- We get their teeth checked every six months by a veterinary dental specialist. This actually helps save money because they have the equipment to do pet dental x-rays. Therefore, if there is no problem, nothing further is done at that visit.
- If there are additional teeth deteriorating, we evaluate how much the problem has progressed. Do we have to do surgery again? If so, how many teeth are involved?
- Depending on the age of the cat, we may do another surgery and check again in six months. If the cat is senior or geriatric, we may decide to do a total extraction right away to avoid additional surgeries and anesthesia. It’s most likely that we will just opt for total extraction.
- There is some risk of involvement of the jaw bone, even after the extractions. However, we’ve been told that additional jaw bone problems are not nearly as common as the dental involvement, but it is wise to keep this possibility in mind and check the jaw bone if there are future episodes of pain that seem to originate in the face or head area.
There are several reasons we are so aggressive in our treatment of this problem. First, we’ve never had a cat with this problem lose one or two teeth and have the disease end there. The risk of infection is reduced, as are the risks of repeated surgeries and anesthesia, when a total extraction is done as soon as the problem is professionally evaluated and it becomes apparent that the disease will need ongoing treatment.
Cats and dogs can eat quite well without teeth. In fact, a total extraction soon after discovery of orthoclastic resorptive disease may enhance the long term health of your cat by reducing the risk of dental infections, related systemic infections, and repeated surgeries and medications. All pets require some gentle after care, soft foods, and occasional coaxing to eat during the post surgical healing process.
Some pets require a bit of help with the transition by softening food and offering very appealing foods. During this time, monitor your pet’s weight, diet, and elimination to be sure he or she receives adequate nutrition, appropriate amounts of fluids, and maintains normal bodily functions. Your vet’s office can answer your questions and give you tips on helping your pet adapt.
In addition, there are a few lifestyle changes, but not much else to worry about once the transition is over. Dogs should not be expected to catch a ball in their mouth or participate in any activity that could injure sensitive gum tissue when they no longer have teeth. Likewise, remember that toothless dogs and cats have lost one means of protecting themselves. So cats should be kept indoors, and dogs should be kept in a safe, fenced yard that is not accessible by wildlife.
This is be kind to animals week, so let’s all make an extra effort to help our wonderful animals! Donate to your favorite shelter. Take your dog for an extra walk, or let your cat walk over you. Whatever you do, enjoy them and appreciate everything they add to our lives.
