Maintaining the health of your cat’s mouth is not just about providing them with a beautiful appearance. It is crucial to their overall health and happiness. Oral health problems in older cats can be a significant source of discomfort. But they could also be the onset of myriad medical issues that could substantially impact your cat’s quality of life.
Since predators are natural animals, they are aware that the sick and the weak are their targets, so it’s their nature to hide any symptoms of weakness. This makes it difficult to determine if your cat is suffering.
Old Cats and Their Dental Issues
Age is inevitable, but illness and suffering are not. Your aim as a pet owner is to help the natural aging process of your cat and to spot any signs of trouble early on. This way, you can avoid life-threatening illnesses for your pet. As a pet owner, you must be aware of some of the most common dental health problems that could arise in an older cat.
1. Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a well-known dental health concern that, while you may have thought it was only a problem for humans, could just as quickly affect your pet. Plaque buildup in time is the main reason for gingivitis, mainly affecting senior cats. Plaque bacteria slowly move to the gums and trigger an inflammation response in your cat’s immune system.
However, it’s essential to know that different circumstances may cause gingivitis. The feline Leukemia virus and diabetes are two of them. To see more articles and blog posts about dental health problems, you can browse online and check on websites about pets.
2. Periodontitis
Another common dental problem in senior cats is periodontitis, which can result from gingivitis. As plaque accumulates and gums are inflamed, it causes inflammation and bones supporting your pet’s teeth. Loss of teeth may result if you do not treat them.
The veterinarian specializing in dentistry for pets in Seattle will examine the pet’s mouth and teeth in a thorough physical examination to identify signs of periodontitis. The x-rays produced by anesthesia are also utilized to check the jawbone’s and teeth’s supporting structures to determine the severity of the bone injury.
3. Tooth Resorption
The majority of cats aged five or older suffer from tooth resorption, which is a painful dental condition. Dentin is a bony component that makes up much of a tooth’s structure and is destroyed and eroded. Extreme pain and tooth loss could result from cats experiencing this.
As of yet, the cause of tooth resorption is not yet known. However, several hypotheses have been suggested to explain tooth loss, such as an excess amount of vitamin D in the cat’s food. More investigation is needed to pinpoint the exact cause behind the painful condition.
4. Stomatitis
Stomatitis is the second most prevalent oral issue for older cats. The chronic inflammation of the mouth’s tissues for cats can be the leading cause of this unpleasant illness. Along with the gums, the tissues around the teeth and the back of the mouth of cats can get infected with the disease. Chronic gingivostomatitis among cats is another term used to describe the condition known as stomatitis.
We are still determining what causes stomatitis in cats. There is no definitive scientific explanation now; however, it could result from the cat’s immune system reacting to the calicivirus or another virus that causes immune damage.
5. Oral Tumors
Oral cancers rank fourth as the most frequently-spent feline tumor; however, most are malignant. If your pet has Squamous-cell carcinoma, the most prevalent type of tumor, and is detected, it is imperative to determine and treat the problem so it can survive.
Several factors increase the risk of developing cancer in pets. However, cigarette smoke, flea collars, and canned food for cats have all been associated with an increased likelihood of squamous cancer. If you’re searching for a Seattle surgeon that can help you, you can ask for reputable facilities or browse the web and search online.
