Dental Disease & Cats—Why It’s More Serious Than Just Bad Breath

Did you realize that by the age of three, two-thirds of all cats will have some form of periodontal disease? What many cat owners don’t know is that the progressive inflammation and bacterial infection associated with dental disease can also spread throughout the body, permanently damaging tissue in the liver, heart, and kidneys.

Infection and disease of the teeth, gums, and mouth can also potentially lead to Feline Immunodeficiency Virus if exposed, and some felines’ teeth can be plagued with feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions, or FORLs. Over time, undetected and untreated dental disease can compromise your cat’s overall health and shorten his or her lifespan.

It’s time to call your vet and schedule a visit if your cat shows any of the following symptoms:

  • Foul breath
  • Discolored teeth
  • Red and swollen gums, or bleeding gums
  • Pawing at the mouth
  • Difficulty chewing food
  • Drooling
  • Dark red lines along the gum line
  • Ulcers on the gums or tongue
  • Pus
  • Loose teeth

Keep in mind that much of periodontal disease can be hidden beneath your cat’s gum line, so it’s best to have a veterinarian thoroughly examine your cat’s teeth, gums, tongue, mouth, throat, and jaw. This is vital in determining the presence of periodontal disease, or gum disease.

Special Offer For February Only

Before and after cleaning.

Since February is National Pet Dental Health Month and we are such strong believers in the value of dental health, we are again offering a $100 off dental cleaning special through our partner hospital, My Pet’s Animal Hospital. (Offer good only at My Pet’s Animal Hospital, for dental procedures only, not valid with any other offer until 2/28/2018.)   

During the cleaning—referred to as a dental prophy—the veterinarian will use an ultrasonic scaler to remove all plaque on the teeth above and below the gum line, and will remove any dead gum tissue. Your cat’s teeth will also be polished and treated with fluoride to eliminate any areas where plaque might form. During the cleaning procedure, your cat will be monitored under general anesthesia, and will given pain relief medication and a course of antibiotics afterwards.  

Keeping your cat’s mouth free of periodontal disease is our goal at both PetWellClinic® and My Pet’s Animal Hospital. We love doing dentals because it’s a procedure that has a huge reward for your cat’s improved overall health and longevity!

PetWellClinic® can help you determine whether or not your pet has dental disease, and how best to treat it. Examining dental health is one of the main well-care services provided by the veterinarians at PetWellClinic®, so you can bring your cat in for a consultation and if it’s determined a cleaning is needed we can help you make an appointment at My Pet’s Animal Hospital.

PetWellClinic® has three locations: 10549 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922; 7329 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919; and 228 S. Calderwood Street, Alcoa, TN 37701. Learn more about how PetWellClinic® can exceed your expectations for top quality, affordable pet care by visiting our website at www.petwellclinic.com.

You can also ask about our dental cleanings at our full service animal hospitals online at My Pet’s Animal Hospital, or call My Pet’s Knoxville location on Northshore Drive at (865) 560-0480 or the Alcoa location at (865) 984-5620.

 

 

 

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