1/20 Kitty AMPS 75 - Dose and dental questions!

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Kathy and Kitty

Kathy and Kitty

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Yesterday: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3246

Okay, Kitty and beans have dutifully completed a full seven days on the 1.5 dose. We are eligible to reduce by a drop tonight. We can stay at 1.5 longer, if that would be better. We would also be happy to grab a little dosecrease! Thoughts, anyone?

Also: It is time to schedule Kitty's follow-up jaw x-ray and dental cleaning. One local vet has the right fancy digital x-ray; they specialize in dental care, though the vet is not a Board-certified dentist. I will call them to make sure I feel good about them.

I copied Sienne's dental notes from Brenda & Morris' condo: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2931#p28475p28475. But I wonder whether Kitty needs antibiotics in advance. He has no ongoing infection; was that particular to Morris, or is it standard?

Kitty is doing so well with his numbers. I hate to disrupt that, but it must be done.

p.s. This is a good moment to suggest... wouldn't a dental stickie be a wonderful idea? :idea: :mrgreen:
 
no advice on dosing, but wanted to say good luck with the dental. I am starting to do research on dentals for mocha, and am beyond nervous!
 
Hi Kathy & Kitty,

Kitty seems to be regulating nicely. I hope Sami and I follow in your foot steps sometime in the near future.
 
Yes and no... Kitty had an abscessed tooth removed in April of last year. For some inexplicable reason, they did not even suggest that his teeth get cleaned at the same time. They also didn't do full x-rays. (FORMER vet.) They also didn't send me home with pain meds for him, and I was too ill-informed and naive to ask -- hurts by heart to say that.

I can say, though, that I was a total dummy about anesthesia, and Kitty did fine. I just want it go more smoothly for him this time.

Kitty had anesthesia in October, and it seemed to go well. There are details about how to adjust the dose the night before, how much to give in the morning, how to make sure the vet monitors BG during anesthesia, getting the right x-rays, which anesthesia and AB (if any) to request, and how to feed on return home (little bits at a time, so that they don't throw up).

I think those are the major issues, but I want to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.

I believe the dentals are as hard on the bean as the kitty!
 
I didn't get the list in time for ABs when Gabby had her dental. I did have a PM exchange with Jojo around Gabby's dents and she mentioned that the checklist was put together for a kitty that was going to need extensive dental work. So, the course of ABs pre-procedure isn't likely to be necessary unless you know about a problem. That said, it's hard to know if there's a problem until most cats are sedated and the vet is in the cat's mouth. My vet doesn't put cats on ABs post-procedure unless there is a clear infection. She does give a shot (not the 2-week AB) as a precaution.

As far as the dose reduction,
Tight Regulation Protocol said:
When the cat regularly has its lowest BGs in the normal range of a healthy cat and stays under 100 mg/dl overall for at least one week, attempt to reduce the dose.
Click to expand...

According to Tilly, you should be good to go. Get others to chime in, as well.
 
Tight Regulation Protocol said:
When the cat regularly has its lowest BGs in the normal range of a healthy cat and stays under 100 mg/dl overall for at least one week, attempt to reduce the dose.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Sienne! I read that not only as "it's okay," but also as encouragement to reduce the dose when possible.

Reductions between the .5 and the .25 mark are tricky. I think we'll measure as we have been, then take out one medium drop and see where that leaves us.

The AB info sounds logical. I will want to be prepared with the right AB to request if it turns out he needs it. My understanding is that Convenia is NOT the appropriate choice, although that's what was used with Kitty twice by the original vet.
 
when mocha was diagnosed back in may of 09, the vet did a quick look in her mouth and said, teeth and gums look fine, and that was it. She has never had any dental work done. Are the X rays to see if there are root problems with their teeth? I know prices vary everywhere, but Im nervous once the vet gets in mochas mouth, they are going to find things we have no clue about, and the bill is going to get out of control.
 
There are several people on the board who have experience with dental. If you post the question, you'll get much better info than I can offer. There must be ways to take a quick look at Mocha's mouth and see what things looks like -- inflammation of the gums, "food breath." Let's see what the experienced people say.
 
I did start up a thread on dental questions, under the general feline diabetes board, and got some questions to ask the vet.
 
This dental topic from the old board may help too - take from it what you will, as there is some debate: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... ?8,1934105

I think you are fine to shave the dose. ;-)

My civvie Sweetie, who is about 3, just had her first dental done a few months ago. She had some mild gingivitis and needed a cleaning. No x-rays as there were no extractions. Used Clindamycin pre and post dental. Her teeth are still nice and pearly white now.....god forbid she need another dental next year.....she's only three! :shock:
 
Devon, It was $325 for the pre-dental bloodwork, the dental itself w/IV fluids, and the ABs.

Alternatively, when Sasha had her full mouth extraction done in Chicago 12 years ago, it was only $600 or so for everything (including 20 some tooth extractions and her canines). My how prices have gone up in a decade!
 
Here is the thread on Covenia: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... ?8,1905168

Also, know which pain meds they will use before, during and after.

And remember to ask what anesthesia they plan to use and if they mention any of the recall ones, point it out and ask them to research and advise what alternatives will be used.

I provided links in The general health thread.

Also, depending on how long it's been since Kitty's been in - they may and may be a good idea if they don't suggest it - want to do a full bloodwork up before hand.

I talked with my vet about dentals for Sydney and Maui and she wants to do that before Maui is scheduled.

Find out what time to remove food, water, etc.

Ask for cost estimate, they can easily provide it. Mine did and made it a little high, just to be safe. Maui's estimate was over $500 (it included the BW and 1 extraction).
 
Re: 1/20 Kitty +5 62

Kitty looks like he likes the idea of a dosecrease. We should take of a drop, not .25, right? I guess .25 is usually for those who go below 50 or 40.

Thank you, Hillary! I'm trying to get all my questions organized, and I also want to know what meds are a red flag.

It bothers me that this vet is the one in the area with the fancy digital x-ray equipment and a "special interest" in dentistry -- but he isn't Board certified.
 
Website with a dental slideshow

Okay, so I swear I'm going to get together all of my info from Pablo's dental tonight (I've been saying that since it was done three weeks ago), but in the meantime, here's something else. The Carolinas Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic has this really cute presentation on their website that chronicles a dental cleaning on a dog. Link: http://www.carolinasanimalhospital.com/Day_at_the_Dentist.php Naturally you're not close enough to go to NC, but it'll give you an idea of things to ask your vet!

Like I said before, they literally did everything I could have wanted (I know because I watched it start to finish), and they are very top-of-the-line. I was impressed not only with the body warmers they used, but they had IV fluid warmers too. C'mon! You know they are really with it if they are using the same things humans get when under anesthesia! I was impressed.

And regarding your vet not being board certified in dentistry...there are less than 100 Fellows of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry and less than 200 Diplomates of the American Veterinary Dental College worldwide. So it's not as if a ton of vets have these additional credentials for dentistry. However, that really says something for those vets who do.

Oh, and the quote for just a dental cleaning (including antibiotics, pain meds, x-rays, presurgical bw, etc.) was $600. And I'm in the South, so that's REALLY expensive. Of course once Pablo had those lovely extractions, the bill was twice that much, but that's a whole 'nother story. ;-)
 
gosh ... this sounds like it can get real pricey real fast .. We would kind of be topped out at what Cassandra was charged. Anything closer to the 5 and 6 hundred dollar price ranges I'm seeing on here is out of our budget unfortunately. I guess I could call the vet, but Im sure they won't be able to give me much of an estimate over the phone.
 
Re: 1/20 Kitty PMPS 80 - DOSECREASE!!

It isn't 1.5, and it isn't 1.25. How about 1.5 skinny? I measured his 1.5 and took out a medium drop. Looks closer to 1.33 than 1.4. haha_smiley AS IF I could see that!!

Whatever. Happy dance time. flip_cat flip_cat

Holly, thanks for this dental info! I feel much better about the Board certified thing. I'll try to watch the video -- I'm a little squeamish.
 
congrats on the reduction!
fwiw, i couldn't find anyone who was board certified around here. i think the closest one was at UT knoxville.
i wasn't up for the drive. my vet ended up doing alex's dental this past august.
 
Thanks, Jill! Kitty's beans behaved well this last week, don't you think? :mrgreen:

The vet I'm using referred me to this other veterinary hospital close to me, because they have the digital x-ray and they do a lot of dentals.

I guess I shouldn't worry so much. Or at least, worry about something else! :lol:
 
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