Periodontal disease in cats: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Symptoms

External signs of periodontal disease in a cat are noticeable at all stages of its development. Depending on the severity of the disease, doctors distinguish the following symptoms:

Fetid odor from your pet's mouth.
Bleeding gums even with slight pressure on them. Purulent discharge is possible.
Redness and swelling of the oral mucosa, as well as excessive salivation.
Decreased appetite, refusal of solid food. Some cats and cats become emaciated.
If a cat has periodontal disease, then its teeth often begin to loosen.
After eating, your jaw may tremble.
Brown plaque on the crown of the tooth or on the entire surface.

Important! Some symptoms of the disease are characteristic of gingivitis and stomatitis. In order not to start the disease, if you notice the first signs, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. This will reduce the risk of complications and speed up the healing process. Diagnosis of periodontal disease is made using a visual examination of the oral cavity, x-ray examination, and also prescribe a general or biochemical blood and urine test.

Prevention

A number of preventative measures will minimize the risk of periodontal disease in cats and dogs. Experts advise adhering to the following recommendations:

Regular oral hygiene. There are special toothpastes for cats that have an anti-inflammatory effect and eliminate plaque. It is recommended to massage your gums while brushing your teeth.
Avoid traumatic toys; it is best to use rubber or any other toys, but not metal ones.
A varied, balanced diet and the inclusion of special professional food for cats in the diet.
Regular examinations by a veterinarian to rule out periodontal disease. And also for removing tartar.
If teeth are lost, restore them in a timely manner.

If you consult a specialist in a timely manner and if medications are prescribed correctly, the likelihood of complications is extremely low. In case of advanced periodontal disease, treatment can take a long time. In addition, there is a high risk of complications as a result of which the cat may be left without teeth. Remember, the sooner you seek help from a veterinarian, the faster he will rid your cat of the disease.

Treatment

Sanitation of the oral cavity

Teeth cleaning

Treatment of periodontitis is impossible without thorough removal of tartar above and below the gum. Use a scaler with suitable tips. The oral cavity is washed generously with chlorhexidine.

Tooth extraction

After the teeth are freed from stone, those that cannot be saved are removed. In doubtful cases, rely on X-ray data.

It happens that to cure a cat it is necessary to remove all the molars, except for the fangs (occasionally, including the fangs). It is very important to remove the teeth by the roots, otherwise the inflammation will not be overcome. X-rays help detect the roots of long-lost teeth, where there is no visible crown, covered with inflamed gums.

After total extraction of teeth, an x-ray is taken again, the gums are cleaned and sutured with absorbable material.

Teeth polishing

If the doctor decides to save some of the teeth, then after thoroughly cleaning the surface, they must be polished. This makes it harder for soft plaque to stick, slowing down the re-formation of tartar.

Drug treatment

After sanitation of the oral cavity, a short course of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs (Loxicom suspension, tablets or ketofen injections) is prescribed.

Antibacterial agents are used to fight infection. Local medications are very difficult to use at home; it is a lot of stress for the cat and its owners. Sometimes doctors prescribe irrigation of the gums with an antiseptic (Miramistin, chlorhexidine, Iodinol) and local gels (Cholisal, Metrogil-denta).

A broad-spectrum systemic antibiotic is more often used if the process is advanced. The first choice drugs are amoxiclav in combination with clavulonic acid (Sinulox) and a special antibiotic for the oral cavity - Stomorgyl.

The cat is fed soft food for several days after surgery. Then, even with total tooth extraction, the pet will be able to eat dry food. If only part of the teeth have been removed, it is necessary to maintain oral hygiene at home in the future.

It is general anesthesia and the prospect of removing a large number of teeth that sometimes frighten the owner. Such treatment, if the information is presented incorrectly, looks repulsive. Sometimes an unqualified specialist himself does not undertake the operation, hiding behind the fact that “the cat is old and will not tolerate anesthesia” and other excuses.

It is important to understand that it is impossible to cure periodontal disease without proper cleaning of the oral cavity. You can smear bleeding gums with Metrogyl over tartar for years, take one course of antibiotics after another, and in desperation decide to take a course of prednisolone. Only this is not a treatment, but its appearance, to calm one’s own conscience. Without removing tartar, and more often the teeth themselves, all these actions are meaningless and even harmful: they exhaust the patience and wallet of the owner, and cause stress to the animal.

A little anatomy

In total, a cat has 30 permanent teeth, which replace milk teeth. There are 26 temporary ones and they are replaced at the age of 5 to 7 months. Around the root of the tooth there is a special complex - the periodontium, which ensures the fixation of the crown in the jaw.

The periodontium includes the gingival socket, the periodontal ligament and the bone part of the alveolar processes and the cementum of the tooth. With periodontal disease, it is these elements that are affected, which later leads to tooth loss.

Plaque on teeth is a colony of bacteria, which provokes the onset of inflammation in the gums during periodontal disease. Nature intended that the gingival margin independently regenerates, maintaining the integrity of the periodontal complex. When the restoration balance is disturbed due to the pathological influence of microorganisms, the gum edge decreases and the tooth ends are exposed. Then the process moves to the bone part and leads to destruction and loss of teeth.

The main reason for the development of inflammatory processes in the periodontium is poor oral hygiene and the formation of plaque and tartar. In addition, there are other causes and predisposing factors:

Inflammatory processes of the gums and mucous membranes - stomatitis, gingivitis. In this case, periodontal disease is a complication of these diseases.
Traumatization of the mucous membrane.
Lack of vitamins and minerals.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of the disease

As in humans, the main cause of the disease is the lack of cleanliness of the oral cavity. The formation of plaque after eating can provoke bacterial growth and suppuration. But lack of hygiene is not the only cause of the disease.

The main reasons include:

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Often periodontal disease is a consequence of a malfunction in the body.
Trauma to the oral mucosa. If an animal is injured or scratched in a fight or careless play, the spread of periodontal disease and the inflammatory process is quite possible.
Lack of vitamins and minerals. It is worth noting that the owner must carefully monitor the diet of his pet. Cats living at home cannot compensate for the lack of vitamins on their own.
Inflammatory processes. Stomatitis and gingivitis can trigger the onset of the disease. Therefore, if inflammation of the oral cavity is detected, the owner should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.

Stages of periodontal disease

Age has no effect on the occurrence of the disease. The most accurate way to make a correct diagnosis is an x-ray of the skull, but in which you can consider 4 stages of the disease:

There are no changes in the X-ray picture, only external signs are detected - redness, swelling of the gums, the presence of tartar and putrid odor from the mouth.
Already in the picture, a deficiency of bone mass of about a quarter of the total volume is noticeable.
Serious destructive changes are visible in the dental alveoli; bone mass deficiency is already more than half.
At the last stage, purulent processes begin - abscess cavities are visible on x-rays, the bone part of the alveolar processes is destroyed.

Periodontal disease begins abruptly as an independent disease, in most cases it is a complication of gum disease. Therefore, new symptoms are added to the symptoms of redness, swelling and odor from the mouth. The owner may notice a preference for soft food or a complete refusal to eat due to pain. While eating, characteristic “chomping” sounds are heard, and spontaneous bleeding occurs when pressing or biting.

All these symptoms are accompanied by severe pain, the animal becomes angry and aggressive. As the disease progresses, the teeth begin to loosen; they seem to crawl out of their sockets, exposing the roots. Already at the second stage, tooth loss occurs due to destruction of the gingival margin and periodontal disorders.

At the last stage, purulent lesions of the gum sockets and abscess formation occur, and an increasing number of teeth are involved in the process.

At this stage, home treatment is strictly prohibited. All abscess cavities are located deep in the gum tissue, they can affect the jaw bones and even lead to sepsis of the animal, which quickly ends in death in the pet.

Symptoms and diagnosis of the disease

Pathological changes in the oral cavity manifest themselves with mild symptoms, but over time, the clinical picture becomes as follows:

The appearance of a repulsive odor from the mouth. Cat owners often begin to visit a veterinary hospital when they begin to feel an unpleasant odor from the mouth. The unpleasant odor has a putrid character and can be felt even when the pet enters the room.
Loss of appetite. The pet refuses to eat, trying to avoid even its favorite foods. Soft food is preferable in this case for the cat, because it does not cause discomfort.
Behavioral disorder. The cat may begin to actively shake its head, try to rub its face with its paws, as if it is trying to get an interfering object out of its mouth. In some cases, while eating food, it begins to characteristically slurp, trying to reduce the pressure on the sore spot with food. Grinding of teeth may occur, and the lower jaw trembles after eating.
Increased secretion of saliva from the mouth. A sick pet suffers from hypersalivation, and sometimes there is a discharge of blood and purulent exudate. Increased salivation is indicated by constantly wet hair on the chin, and the skin is inflamed.
Inflammation of gum tissue and the presence of tartar. When the cat is calm, the owner can gently move back the upper lip and inspect the oral cavity. Tartar appears as a hard, yellow or brown formation. The gums in this area are of a rich, bright color, sometimes with signs of cyanosis. With minor damage, bleeding begins. Gentle pressure provokes the release of purulent exudate.

The above symptoms indicate the development of not only periodontal disease, but also damage to the tissue around the tooth. Untimely treatment provokes serious complications such as osteomyelitis.

When contacting a veterinarian, a full clinical examination is carried out, as well as x-rays of the bone structures of the jaw. Manipulations are performed under general sedation. Also assigned:

general clinical blood test;
biochemical panel;
taking samples of swabs from the oral cavity to confirm or refute suspicions of infection with rhinotracheitis or calicivirus;
serological blood test to diagnose feline leukemia and immunodeficiency viruses.

Before introducing your pet into the deep sleep stage, a mandatory series of studies are carried out:

ultrasound diagnostics of the heart muscle;
X-ray examination of pulmonary structures;
blood test to determine blood clotting factors.

Based on the data obtained, the specialist develops an individual treatment strategy.

Diagnostics

First of all, the veterinarian will pay attention to a complete examination of the oral cavity. The degree of damage and inflammation of the mucous membranes is assessed. With periodontal disease, you can observe swelling and red color of the gums, and bleeding in the acute period. Sometimes the opposite clinical picture is observed - the gums are pale, the gingival margin is atrophied, and the roots of the teeth are visible.

When diagnosing, it is worth taking into account the age of the cat; changes in the gums and teeth can occur due to senile degenerative changes in the alveolar processes and gum pockets.

To accurately determine the disease, an X-ray examination of the jaws should be performed. To evaluate the resulting picture correctly, good quality images in several projections are needed, so X-rays are often performed under sedation.

The images clearly show lysis and degenerative changes in the tissues of the jaw, abscess cavities and damage to the periosteum and jaw bones.

It is also recommended to conduct a number of standard tests - general and biochemical blood and urine tests.

Depending on the severity of the disease, therapy is divided into 2 types - conservative and surgical.

Conservative is used in the initial stages of periodontal disease development. It consists of hygienic cleaning of teeth from plaque and tartar. After this procedure, the crowns are coated with a fluoride-containing protective varnish. I treat the gums with antiseptic solutions and dental ointments (for example, Metrogil Denta).

During surgical intervention, the main goal is to eliminate atrophy of the gingival margin and resorption of bone tissue. All efforts are aimed at strengthening the tooth in the hole and closing its defect.

The patch method is one of the most common treatment methods. During it, an incision is made on the upper part of the gum, this flap is lifted, and the tooth root underneath is cleaned. Then the gum is returned to its place and sutured.

If the process has affected a large number of teeth, then splinting is performed to eliminate looseness; sometimes the splints can be replaced with dentures. If there are decayed teeth, they are removed.

Antibiotic therapy is indicated for surgery and abscess formation. The purulent cavities are opened and drainage is installed.

Regular examination by a veterinary dentist and daily hygienic oral care.
Inclusion of preventative food for cleaning and preventing tartar. To cleanse plaque from teeth, you can buy dried tendons for your pet.
Nutrition should be rational and balanced, and in no case should it include only soft types of food.
Toys should not be metal.
If teeth are lost or removed, install dentures in a timely manner to prevent dentition disorders and excessive load on the remaining teeth.

Periodontal disease and periodontitis: what is the difference?

Very often one of the names of diseases circulates among pet owners. However, periodontal disease and periodontitis are fundamentally two different nosological units.

It is important for veterinarians to know this in order to make a correct diagnosis of cats, prescribe the correct therapy and further prevention.

Distinctive features of periodontal disease and periodontitis:

Periodontitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the gums, leading to periodontal destruction, the course of which most often does not exceed 30 days, while periodontal disease is a chronic phenomenon, developing extremely slowly, possibly with an intermediate pathological condition (gingivitis).
The main process in periodontitis is inflammation, while, as in periodontal disease, it is degeneration and destruction of bone tissue.
With periodontitis, without the necessary therapy, teeth fall out within 60-90 days. With periodontal disease, teeth can be preserved for several years.

Reference!

There are situations when periodontal disease is accompanied by a secondary infection and the appearance of an inflammatory process on the gums. This may somewhat complicate the differential diagnosis of pathological processes.

Stages of disease development and their symptoms

Like many diseases in veterinary medicine, periodontal disease has a gradual development of clinical manifestations. There are 4 stages in total:

Stage 1 – the presence of only clinical manifestations. The X-ray picture of the jaw and teeth is within normal limits. In this case, the cat exhibits clinical manifestations. The gums show severe swelling and redness. When examining the teeth, tartar is detected (accumulated plaque from a long absence or improper sanitization of the cat’s mouth). Due to the active proliferation of bacterial flora, an extremely unpleasant or even putrid odor will emanate from the pet’s mouth.

Reference!

According to modern ideas of veterinarians, at the first stage of the development of periodontal disease, a diagnosis of “gingivitis” should be made, since it is impossible to differentiate these 2 conditions based on clinical manifestations.

Stage 2 – the appearance of changes in the x-ray of the cat’s jaw. It becomes clearly visible that the amount of bone tissue has decreased by ¼ part (25%) of the required amount.
Stage 3. Dystrophy reaches the periodontium. The volume of bone tissue is already reduced by ½ of normal. The clinical picture is also accompanied by severe bleeding of the gums, which can be easily provoked even by a light touch to the pathological gum.
Stage 4. All pathological processes are accompanied by a purulent secondary infection. Purulent foci appear not only on the gums themselves, but throughout the animal’s entire oral cavity. The alveolar processes of teeth are subject to severe destruction. The cat's teeth are very loose and can fall out spontaneously.

Important!

Since cats are extremely patient animals, in the first stages of the development of the disease, it is very rare for owners to bring the animal to the clinic. However, in the final stages, the disease is much more difficult to treat and is much more painful for the cat to tolerate. It follows from this that you need to take care of your pet’s oral cavity.

Main stages of the disease

Periodontal disease in cats is divided into four stages. These stages have nothing to do with the age of the animal. Although older cats suffer most from periodontal disease. There is only one way to check what stage the disease is at - an x-ray of the skull. It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis at home. Therefore, the owner should take his pet to the veterinarian before undergoing treatment.

There are 4 stages of development of periodontal disease.

At the first stage, you can see slight swelling and redness of the gums. Bad breath is a sign of bacterial growth. It is not uncommon to notice small plaque and tartar on the teeth.
At the second stage, with the help of x-rays, significant changes in bone mass, or rather, its deficiency, can be replaced. At this stage there is a loss of 25% of bone mass.
In the third stage, bone loss is 50%. X-rays show significant changes in the dental alveoli.
At the fourth stage, irreversible destruction of the dental alveoli begins. Abscess cavities can be observed on x-rays. The animal suffers from purulent processes in the oral cavity. This stage leads to serious damage and tooth loss.

Periodontal disease in cats (treatment at home can only be carried out at the first stage) progresses rapidly. Therefore, the sooner the owner pays attention to the condition of his pet, the better.

How dangerous is the disease?

Even though this is a gum disease, the consequences for cats can be dire. For example:

Periodontal disease in cats leads to tooth loss. Not only is this not aesthetically pleasing (after all, a cat with beautiful teeth in full is more beautiful, isn’t it?), it also makes the cat’s life much more difficult, since it becomes impossible for him to chew food.

Reference! With the development of periodontal disease, even if they have teeth, cats do not chew food, but try to swallow it whole. This is due to severe pain in the cat, which he tries to avoid in this way.

With periodontal disease, active reproduction of various pathogenic microorganisms occurs in the oral cavity, the waste products of which are toxic to the cat’s body. This affects the general condition of the fluffy’s body.
If the cat is old, pregnant, or has a weakened immune system for any other reason, periodontitis can lead to such a serious complication as sepsis, which can lead to the death of the animal.

Reference!

Sepsis is a severe generalized condition of the body that occurs when an infectious agent enters the blood of an animal. The literal translation from Latin is putrid blood.

It is within the power of the owners to prevent the development of complications. To do this, it is enough to take the cat to a veterinary doctor on time and strictly follow his recommendations, even if this will not be very pleasant for the pet.

About the disease

Periodontal disease in cats is practically no different from periodontal disease in humans. A cat has 30 teeth. As in humans, in childhood a kitten’s milk teeth are replaced by molars. Around the base of the tooth is the periodontium. This is a special complex that is responsible for the function of the crown and jaw. The periodontium includes the socket in the gum and the bone part.

When a cat develops periodontal disease, it affects this area. If a pet owner notices a strange plaque on the pet’s teeth, then you need to know that a build-up of bacteria has begun that can cause disease. Periodontal disease in cats, treatment of which must begin at the first stage, develops rapidly. Microorganisms act on the reduction of the gum margin, preventing the gum margin from regenerating, and penetrate into the bone part, destroying it. As a result, the animal may lose damaged teeth.

Why does periodontal disease occur?

The most important reason for the occurrence of periodontal disease is the lack of proper care for the cat’s oral cavity.

Among the abundance of the latest developments in dentistry (specialized toothbrushes and pastes for cats, developed by veterinarian dentists), the presence of many salons providing teeth cleaning services, and recommendation articles on the Internet, owners still neglect the dental health of their charges.

Just like humans, cats have food particles left on their teeth, which gradually leads to the formation of plaque on their teeth. The cat's teeth turn yellow. If this sign is further ignored, food debris accumulates more and more on the teeth and gums, which leads to the formation of tartar - a hard plaque located at the junction of the tooth and gum.

This stone is a good nutrient medium for oral microflora. Bacteria actively multiply, which initially leads to gingivitis and then to periodontal disease.

However, insufficient hygiene of the cat’s mouth is not the only reason for the appearance of pathology. Periodontal disease also develops due to:

Injuries to the mucous membranes in the oral cavity. The most trivial situations of trauma (a fight with another animal, a scratch from fish bones, etc.) can lead to periodontal disease.
Vitamin deficiency and deficiency of micro- and macroelements. Very often, a domestic cat cannot independently maintain the mineral and vitamin balance in its body, so this responsibility is entirely transferred to the shoulders of the owner.
Periodontal disease can often appear as a result of any malfunction of the pet’s gastrointestinal tract.
Inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity (gingivitis, stomatitis) serve as the beginning of periodontal disease.

Attention!

If the slightest deviation in the diet or appearance of the cat’s gums and teeth appears, you should immediately show it to a veterinarian!

Causes and symptoms of periodontitis in cats

It is important to understand the difference between two diseases - periodontitis and periodontal disease. The first type of disease is characterized by an inflammatory process in tissue structures tightly adjacent to the tooth. Periodontitis is diagnosed much more often than periodontal disease.

With periodontal disease, the bone structures of the jaw and gums are affected, but without an inflammatory process. It is rarely diagnosed in domestic cats, more often in dogs of decorative breeds. There is a whole range of factors that provoke the development of periodontitis. Among the main ones are:

Problems with your cat's oral hygiene. The presence of plaque and subsequent formation of tartar gradually leads to damage to the tissues of not only the tooth, but also the adjacent gums. The presence of pathogenic bacterial microflora triggers inflammatory processes in the gums. Over time, the gum tissue moves away, and the stone penetrates into a specific formed pocket called periodontal. At this stage, serious treatment is needed. It has been noted that the older the pet, the higher the likelihood of developing periodontitis.
Infectious diseases. Inflammatory processes on the mucous membranes covering the oral cavity quite often develop against the background of viral infections, such as calcivirosis, immunodeficiency and feline leukemia, rhinotracheitis, provoked by the activity of the herpes virus. Inflammation of the mucous membrane - gingivitis, without timely treatment smoothly flows into periodontitis.
Diseases of non-communicable etiology. Among systemic pathologies, the development of periodontitis can be affected by endocrine disorders (for example, diabetes mellitus), failure of renal structures, malocclusion, and genetic changes. With diabetes mellitus in cats, the regeneration processes of all tissues are inhibited, and the overall immune status is also reduced. In case of insufficiency of the renal structures, metabolic products with a certain degree of toxicity are not removed from the body in a timely manner and begin to be released through the mucous membranes, provoking a violation of their integrity. In addition to periodontitis, cats with renal failure may be diagnosed with ulcerative lesions in the tongue and cheek area. Malocclusion, especially in breeds with brachycephalic syndrome, means that the natural process of cleaning plaque and tartar is not possible. A special role is played by genetic predisposition to diseases of the teeth and oral tissues. Some cats live more than 15 years without problems with their teeth, and in purebred cats, problems are diagnosed as early as 5-7 years of age.

The development of periodontitis is also affected by an incorrectly formulated diet. The predominance of soft food in the animal’s diet does not create the necessary load on the teeth during chewing.

Signs that indicate oral problems in a domestic cat:

Repulsive odor from the mouth. The main reason for a visit to the veterinarian for periodontitis is an unpleasant odor, intolerable and putrid, we feel it even when the cat enters the room.
Refusal of food. The animal shows interest in food, but cannot eat as a result of painful sensations. If a cat eats ready-made food, it begins to refuse dry food, preferring soft pates.
Changes in behavior. The cat's owner notes the animal's regular attempts to rub its muzzle on hard surfaces and shakes its head. Sometimes you can hear teeth grinding or slurping while chewing food. After eating, the cat's lower jaw may tremble.
Increased salivation. Constantly wet fur around the mouth due to excessive salivary secretion, sometimes mixed with blood or pus, is a reason to immediately consult a veterinarian for help. The cause of this condition can be not only periodontitis, but also more serious diseases, including malignant tumors.

When examined at home, the owner may notice the presence of tartar and inflammation in the gum area. In order to notice such changes, it is necessary to carefully move away the area of the upper lip without opening the animal’s mouth.

In addition to external manifestations, periodontitis is dangerous due to serious complications. An inflammatory lesion penetrates deep into the tissue structures surrounding the tooth root.

In advanced cases, osteomyelitis develops - rotting and decomposition of the jaw bones. The teeth gradually become loose and begin to fall out over time.

How to detect periodontal disease?

No matter how paradoxical it may be, even the owner of the animal can carry out the initial diagnosis. To do this, you just need to pay attention to the cat’s behavior (how he eats, whether he chews food, whether he scratches his teeth with his paw, etc.) and examine his mouth.

In this case, clinical signs are revealed: redness of the gums, tartar, and so on. If this clinical picture is detected, the owner is obliged (if the cat’s health is dear to him) to take him to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

There, doctors conduct a full examination of the oral cavity and determine the location and area of the lesion. For a more accurate diagnosis of the stage of the disease, X-ray instrumental diagnostic measures are performed. Photographs of the jaw and teeth will give the doctor grounds to make a diagnosis of “periodontal disease” and at what stage the disease is developing.

The cat is also prescribed a general blood and urine test to determine the degree of generalization of the infection (leukocytosis, changes in the leukocyte formula to an inflammatory pattern, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), leukocyturia and other changes).

Therapy at different stages of the disease differs significantly.

In mild (1 and 2) stages, when the periodontium is not yet affected by the pathological process, doctors most often make do with conservative treatment. Its main stages:

Teeth cleaning. A veterinary doctor removes tartar and plaque from the enamel using surgical instruments or ultrasound.
Teeth polishing (optional). The owner may be asked to polish the cat's tooth enamel. This is done in order to prevent the proliferation of bacteria (on the smooth polished surface of the teeth there is no place for microorganisms to attach, so they do not have the opportunity to reproduce).
Coating of teeth with a special varnish containing fluoride. This event is carried out to strengthen the cat’s teeth.
The gums are treated with an antiseptic to destroy pathological bacteria.
To relieve inflammation, the doctor may prescribe antibacterial drugs (metronidazole, ABs of the cephalosporin group and others) and veterinary drops for lubricating the gums (“Zubastic”).

There are situations when even in the early stages there is a need to resort to surgical intervention, but this happens extremely rarely in some special cases.

Important!

You should not remove tartar yourself, as you can damage your gums and teeth, as well as the mucous membranes of your mouth. At the veterinary clinic, specialists will do everything carefully, in sterile conditions and, if necessary, put the animal under anesthesia to make it easier for him to endure the procedure.

Unfortunately, advanced cases (stages 3 and 4) have to be treated surgically. Veterinary dentists perform the following operations:

Removing gum atrophy and strengthening teeth in sockets. It is important to completely clean the roots of the affected teeth.
If preservation is impossible, the teeth are removed.

IMPORTANT. After surgery, you should definitely take antibacterial drugs prescribed by your doctor!

Periodontal disease

According to statistics, 3 out of 4 cats over 6 years old suffer from diseases of the teeth and gums. One such disease is periodontal disease. In the early stages, periodontal disease in cats does not cause pain or discomfort, so the disease often takes on an advanced form. To prevent its progression, you need to examine your pet’s oral cavity every month.

How to prevent a cat from developing pathology?

You should monitor your cat's oral cavity. You need to purchase a toothbrush and toothpaste for your cat from a veterinary pharmacy and brush his teeth regularly. Yes, he may not like it (even, most likely, this is exactly what will happen), but he will clearly like injecting antibiotics and recovering from anesthesia less.
It is important to monitor your pet's diet. If you feed dry food, it should be premium food, as it contains substances that help prevent the formation of tartar. At the same time, cheap food, on the contrary, contains many substances that contribute to the formation of stones not only on the teeth, but also in other organs (kidneys, gall bladder). Also, premium food contains a sufficiently balanced amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which has a beneficial effect on the cat’s overall health.

Attention!

Premium food must be purchased only in specialized veterinary pharmacies!

Treat injuries and inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity in a timely manner.

Periodontal disease is a terrible disease that leads to disruption of the life and well-being of a pet. However, this is quite easy to avoid. Simply paying enough attention to a purring family member is enough. Then your cat will make you happy every day, because a healthy cat is a happy cat!

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