Dental Work Without Anesthesia

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Cat Ma

Cat Ma

Member Since 2015
CJ will be getting a dental cleaning soon. Although she remains OTJ and her BG #'s continue to be great, the vet wants to do dental cleaning without anesthesia as a precaution. If my cat needs teeth pulled, how can the vet do that without anesthesia?
 
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Personally, I think the risk from an anesthetic is far less than the risk from the stress and pain caused by doing a dental on a cat without anesthesia. How exactly does your vet think he's going to keep CJ still and calm while he does the dental if she isn't anesthetized?

A lot of people here have had their cats anesthetized for dental work - as CJ is OTJ, her risk should be less than for a cat that isn't all that well regulated. And it is important to remember that dental disease itself can cause a cat to come out of diabetic remission.

I did find a few articles on the internet about anesthesia-free dentals for cats and most seem to be saying that it really isn't a good idea as there is no way of doing a thorough procedure on a cat without anesthesia. This was one of the ones that seems to have a lot of information without being too technical to make sense. :)

http://www.wellpets.com/anesthesia-free-vet-dentistry/
 
My guess is the vet is concerned with CJ's kidney and lymphoma issues. Both issues are currently in remission and CJ is doing well. I appreciate my vet being cautious but your argument for anesthesia is sound. I can't imagine putting CJ through dental work without anesthesia. Clearly another talk with CJ's vet is in order.
 
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I wouldn't consider dental work on my kitties without anesthesia. The stress and pain of such a procedure without anesthesia would just be too much.
 
My vets won't do anything in the mouth other than a quick peek without anesthesia. Talk to the vet about what they plan on doing, how they plan on restraining him to do it, and the risks they feel he is at for going under anesthesia and not having the dental done. If there is a suspicion that teeth need to be pulled, they would have use anesthesia for that so they might as well do it all right from the beginning.

I am one who has lost a pet unexpectedly to anesthesia so the idea scares the crap out of me. But I think, unless the cleaning of the tooth above the gums only part is absolutely necessary for some reason, you would be better off not doing anything if you can't do it right.
 
Rudy had major dental a few months ago with anestesia. He is almost 16 years old, diabetic, with kidney issues. I was terrified to put him under, but felt it was better for him. He came out of it just fine- quicker than I expected actually. They montiored his blood pressure the entire time too as a precaution. I'm glad they did, because they ended up doing extractions- so he would have had to go under anyway. I was a nervous wreck, but he was all good- back to napping in the sun that afternoon :-)
 
Thank you all for the feedback. CJ is doing well, in fact, the best she has in several years. It's amazing what a change in diet has done for her. I have already told the vet to go forward with the anesthesia.

@Melanie and Smokey, I know the risks of losing a pet from anesthesia are very rare but it's awful when it happens. Was your pet sick prior to having anesthesia administered?

What are ways you calm your cat before a vet visit?
 
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Cat Ma said:
@Melanie and Smokey, I know the risks of losing a pet from anesthesia are very rare but it's awful when it happens. Was your pet sick prior to having anesthesia administered?
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He was losing weight for no apparent reason and his appy was off so he went in for an ultrasound and some dental xrays because they didn't do them when they did his cleaning. The vet who did the ultrasound (and he did a needle biopsy of his liver at the time) was very shocked. Said he'd only ever lost 3 and the other 2 had went into it very old and very ill, Tiger was only 7.5yrs old and outwardly pretty healthy. The ultrasound and needle biopsy shows his liver wasn't right and the vet believes there were underlying heart problems that went undetected. I am glad it was a referral and not my vets office because I can't even breathe when I drive by the place. He was my cuddler and half of a pair of very bonded boys. :(
 
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