? Dental cleanings question

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Jenny&Tux

Jenny&Tux

Member Since 2023
Hi all,
I have a few questions on getting dental work done on a diabetic kitty.

Tux had 4 teeth removed a few years ago, and I’ve noticed lately that his breath is not so fresh - not terrible, but sort of fishy/cat food-y. I can see tartar buildup, and overall, his teeth are not quite white anymore.

I was thinking of taking him in for a cleaning. I have read in here that dental issues can cause more complications for diabetic cats, so I’d like to keep up on cleanings to make sure we can catch any major problems earlier rather than later.

I’ve never taken a cat for a cleaning, so I’m not sure what the procedure is, like if he gets put under, how long it takes, will it affect his blood glucose, etc.

Any advice/experiences are appreciated!
 
We have posts on everything including on dental procedures. If you have specific questions, let us know.

In general, this is a procedure that's done under anesthesia. Vets differ on how long they want your to fast your cat. Some say from midnight the night before, other vets are a bit more liberal. It may depend on what time they are planning on the procedure. Vets also vary with regard to whether they want you to give any insulin the morning of the procedure or give a reduced dose.

It's helpful to know that anesthesia can lower blood glucose numbers. So, it's important to ask how they will be monitoring your cat's blood glucose. The vet should also take X-rays before and after the procedure if extractions are done. You do not want there to be any shards of a tooth left in your cat's gum -- it's a great way to have an infection. You will want to test your cat's BG once you're home because numbers may be dropping once your get your cat home. The anesthesia or pre-anesthesia can stimulate your cat's appetite. Do NOT give your cat a full meal all at once. The anesthesia also has the effect of slowing down your cat's gut. If you feed too much all at once your cat will scarf and barf which is not a good thing if you've given your PM shot.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
We have posts on everything including on dental procedures. If you have specific questions, let us know.

In general, this is a procedure that's done under anesthesia. Vets differ on how long they want your to fast your cat. Some say from midnight the night before, other vets are a bit more liberal. It may depend on what time they are planning on the procedure. Vets also vary with regard to whether they want you to give any insulin the morning of the procedure or give a reduced dose.

It's helpful to know that anesthesia can lower blood glucose numbers. So, it's important to ask how they will be monitoring your cat's blood glucose. The vet should also take X-rays before and after the procedure if extractions are done. You do not want there to be any shards of a tooth left in your cat's gum -- it's a great way to have an infection. You will want to test your cat's BG once you're home because numbers may be dropping once your get your cat home. The anesthesia or pre-anesthesia can stimulate your cat's appetite. Do NOT give your cat a full meal all at once. The anesthesia also has the effect of slowing down your cat's gut. If you feed too much all at once your cat will scarf and barf which is not a good thing if you've given your PM shot.
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Thank you for the information.
Maybe the best plan of action would be to schedule a cleaning and plan his dosing around that?
Tux is currently on .5U - how much would I have to worry about him going hypo?
Also, I imagine it varies cat to cat, but how long after the procedure until we can get back to his regular dosing schedule?
I’m still very new to all of this, so I’m probably overthinking everything - I just really like to sort of know what to expect and to have a plan in my mind.
 
I tended to skip the insulin the morning of a dental. If Tux's numbers are back to normal once you get home, you can give your PM dose the way you usually would. If his numbers are lower than expected, you could skip the PM dose.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
I tended to skip the insulin the morning of a dental. If Tux's numbers are back to normal once you get home, you can give your PM dose the way you usually would. If his numbers are lower than expected, you could skip the PM dose.
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In your opinion, would it be a good idea to pursue a cleaning given Tux’s age (14)?
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Does an oral examination, as best can be done w/o anesthesia, show that a dental is needed? If yes I would get dental. I have had dentals don on diabetic cats at about that age w/o problems.
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I have quickly glanced in his mouth, as much as he would let me before getting upset. His breath smells a little fishy, and some of his teeth are a medium brown around his gums. Overall, his teeth are yellow/very light brown. No noticeable discomfort, but we didn’t notice any last time, and he needed 4 teeth removed. He was still crunching away at his kibble.
I can get a better look when my husband gets home and he can hold him while I get a better peek.
When he did get 4 extraction, about 3 years ago, the vet said they were keeping an eye on 2 more teeth that may need extractions later down the road.
 
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