Cats have teeth too

Remember when your pets didn't have teeth? We all remember when cats and dogs went to the vet annually like clockwork, got vaccinated, got a free rubdown by their veterinarian and were sent out the door with a recommendation to be seen again next year.

Times have changed. Veterirnarians have upped their game, and pets are the better for it. Also, It turns out that pets do, indeed, have teeth. And those teeth get dirty, infected and broken just like ours do. It also turns out that if we are proactive we can keep them healthier in the long run.

With one caveat, and sadly that caveat is cats. Yes cats do get tartar; they do get infections, and if they do enough in-home acrobatics they may even break a tooth now and again. Cats also get cavities. Unlike our cavities which our dentist likes to cruelly and unfairly pin on our candy and soda addictions, cats' cavities seem to be caused by bad genetics and some viral diseases.

Seem to be, because we (the veterinary profession) has yet to completely nail down the cause(s). We know genetics plays some roll because Asian cats (Siamese, Burmese, etc..) are notoriously prone to these cavities.

Which, whoops, brings us to the real name of kitty cat cavities, which is not kitty cat cavities, even though that sounds awesome, and I would have named it that, but I'm not a veterinarian. Veterinarians when given half a chance to give something a complicated name will jump at it, so: Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions (FORLs)

Resorptive because unlike our own cavities these ouchy guys start down below the gum line when the body begins destroying the tooth from the roots. Often all we see on exam is redness at the gum line.

However, if you've ever lost a filling, you know that these things hurt. Which brings us to regular veterinary visits (you know I was going there). We can't diagnose what we don't see, and guess what, your cat isn't going to yowl, scream or starve itself to show you it has a painful mouth.

At every visit we look in your cat's mouth. We do this not merely to annoy the cat (though that is an added bonus) but to look at the teeth and assess the gums.

Red gums equals pain, and both of us know that no pet should ever be in pain if we can help it. So, once again, if you cat has not seen a vet, any vet, in a while, make an appointment now. Your cat will thank you for it - well not really, but she will be healthier for it.

Our Winner! Maya Martin

Remember if you want your cat's photo in our blog, please post to our Facebook page. The kitty with the most likes by next Tuesday WINS!

How cats benefit from regular veterinary care

And the winner is: Jamie Dyan Carpenter's cat Gracie. Thank you everyone for posting your kitty pictures. The contest will restart now, so get those pictures posted and collect those likes, and remember, if you haven't liked Ventana Animal Hospital yet, please do!

As we have already mentioned repeatedly, April is Cat Health Awareness Month. Cats need veterinary care too, and though many cats are dearly loved by their pet parents, these same cats are receiving inferior veterinary care to dogs, often in the same household.

We at Ventana are working hard to make veterinary visits more relaxing (like Gracie up there) for our feline patients.

As was brought up in our last blog post, inferior cat care is often due to misperceptions made by owners, and it is our duty as pet care professionals to help everyone understand the importance of regular pet care. 

Alaina, our in-house cat care specialist has compiled a series of blog posts to help us all out (as I confess fully to my own dog bias - having exactly zero cats).

Annual visits to the veterinarian can be stressful to both beloved cat and loving owner, but neglecting these visits can lead to missed opportunities to catch a little problem before it becomes a big one. There is a misconception that these visits are merely for the cat to “get their shots.” The purpose of the annual exam is not to vaccinate your cat; rather it is to do a head to toe examination to assess their health.

During this visit our doctors will check teeth for tartar and gums for gingivitis. We will examine his eyes and ears. The doctors will listen to your cat’s heart and lungs and then palpate his abdomen to check for any pain or abnormalities. During the exam you will be able to address any concerns you may have, in fact we encourage you to make a list of any questions you have to bring to the appointment with you. After the physical exam is complete the doctor will administer any vaccines that may be due. 

Alaina Rhodes

Okay, I admit, Christina Jones' cats Oscar and Bombadill did not actually win the contest. But, for dog people, orange cats are a close to dogs as cats get, so I have a weakness for them.

Have a fantastic week. Stop by and see us at the SAHBA Home and Garden Show this weekend. Please, if you have not already, Like us on Facebook so that your cats too can become famous, check out our web page and most importantly, if we have not seen one of your cats recently, please bring her in. You can follow this link to make an appointment today.