The Veterinarian's Notebook: a kitty toothache

A middle-aged cat came in to the clinic with a history of losing weight.  According to his owner, a few months back when the cat did eat, he made some noise. Now he stared at the food bowl but would not eat. Sometimes the owner noticed the cat salivate.  The cat was up-to-date on all of its shots and spent most of the time indoors.

On examination, the cat seemed bright and alert. I could feel his bones but did not notice any lumps or bumps. Heart rate and breathing were all normal. On examination of his mouth I noticed excessive calculi build up. This is normal in cats this age.  But what was abnormal was that when I put pressure on the back molars, the cat cried and pulled away from him.

His teeth were hurting him. He probably had a few tooth root abscesses. Tooth root abscesses can arise when bacteria get under the gums near the root and start to multiply, eroding gum and enamel. When it exposes the root, the tooth becomes painful.

We quickly got the cat in for a dental to remove the painful teeth so he can start enjoying eating again.

                         -- Rob Santos DVM, Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital