tell me about dental surgery/cleaning etc?

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Pip & Rupert

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hi there:

so, when we originally found out Rupert was diabetic, we had taken him in to the vet because we thought he was losing weight etc, as a result of a tooth infection. he DID have a bit of an infection and was put on a/b which made him feel a LOT better, and then we started him on Lantus.

Last time we were at the vets, she checked his gums and said they seemed a 'lot' better.... but I'm still wondering if he doesn't have a lingering issue there so we will take him back in next week for a recheck. My vet is very pleasant and open minded but seems 'old school' and doesn't really know a lot about the tight regulation , etc.etc. She was asking me about his numbers over the phone and trying to explain to her about the lows and the bounces seemed to be going over her head?! anyway. she was fine with it but a bit bemused.

I notice a lot of you on here have your cats going in for dental work. Is this just regular work or is this because you find that there is a high incidence of dental issues that are contributing to high BG levels?

Also... what risks are there for cats going in for anaesthesia when they are diabetic, what precautions are taken?

Rupert is *looking* great, still not regulated, but in a far healthier place for surgery than he was when we took him in a couple of months ago. He doesn't appear to be having any issues eating, but I'd hate to think that we are prolonging his high numbers by NOT getting his teeth looked at and missing something! He did have to have a tooth extraction about three years ago (pre DM) so it would suggest he's prone to issues!

Just wondering if anyone can give insights as to the best timing, protocol, etc. etc. for dental work. Should I wait until he is better regulated? my feeling is that if there IS any infection in there, regulation will be impossible.

all thoughts/explanations/suggestions welcomed!
 
Well I will be honest .. I never once thought about dental cleanings for cats until I came to this board .. of course, when I had other cats, I was just a baby myself, living at home with mom and dad, none the wiser :-D

Once I came here and started reading up, we figured it would be best to get mocha in for a dental as well .. she never showed outward pain of having any mouth problems, but anything to get OTJ, right? Well, we searched and searched and found a certified board specialist vet about two hours from us .. I e mailed tons and tons of questions and she answered all of them so we made an appt .. Mocha ended up needing 8 teeth extracted due to FORL's, kinda like kitty cavities? Anyways, she had also lost another tooth on her own, even before getting into the vets .. I felt awful she must have been in pain for so long, yet never showed it ..

You are right in thinking if there is any mouth pain going on, that can slow down remission .. pain and stress can raise BG's ..

I know there are tons and tons of threads on here about dentals, and asking questions and all that stuff .. I'm sure others will weigh in with their experiences ...
 
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