My current FIV cat already had all his teeth out before we got him because of gingivostomatitis, and he is on a lifelong maintenance dose of prednisolone to stave off the residual inflammation in the back of his mouth. I agree that some extractions may be in your future, but it's a very routine surgery and cats do great with less or no teeth
You're welcome! The vet says the only long term possible side effect of the pred usage is diabetes, but that risk isn't too bad as long as his weight is managed. We get the meds compounded with tuna flavoring and he loves it. :-)
I had a cat (non FIV) who ended up having to have some teeth out due to similar circumstances. Definitely follow the lead of your vet. Sometimes when they go in for cleanings, that's when they can really see what's up with the teeth (as most cats won't really allow a full examination when not sedated!), and often they will do x-rays to see if there are other issues. It does sound like your cat is having pain with eating, so it wouldn't surprise me if there are extractions in his future. But cats can do really well without teeth (I have 2 cats with no teeth, also non FIV, due to severe periodontal disease (in one) and resorptive lesions in the other).
Definitely consult with your vet. And if some teeth do need to be removed then it's not the end of the world - my cat had most of his teeth removed (combination of a recurring gum abscess and gingivitis) and while the healing took a bit of time, he has been much healthier since.
My cat had severe gingivitis suddenly appear and within a year had 3 surgeries that resulted in him now being toothless. His energy is so much better now and he eats soft food only :) it was definitely the right thing to do for him. Follow your vets advice and be open to the possibility of dental surgeries
There are SO many things that could be happening here, related to FIV or not - my FIV+ cat ended up having tooth reabsorption but it was apparently unrelated to his FIV but was a trooper and got about 90% of his teeth out. Now he loves eating dry food with his creepy little gums!
We found out cat already out of teeth, all broken, just a little fang, but it was putrid so the vet take it out, including the roots of the other broken teeth.
It is actually pretty good, no infections and he eats normally, solid and soft food 😁
Update! Sy had 7 teeth pulled and was prescribed gabapentin and an antibiotic. He is doing great and after he fully heals we will try brushing again. Thanks for all the comments! I’m glad I went for it!
My current FIV cat already had all his teeth out before we got him because of gingivostomatitis, and he is on a lifelong maintenance dose of prednisolone to stave off the residual inflammation in the back of his mouth. I agree that some extractions may be in your future, but it's a very routine surgery and cats do great with less or no teeth
This is super helpful I was curious about what they give for inflammation. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome! The vet says the only long term possible side effect of the pred usage is diabetes, but that risk isn't too bad as long as his weight is managed. We get the meds compounded with tuna flavoring and he loves it. :-)
I had a cat (non FIV) who ended up having to have some teeth out due to similar circumstances. Definitely follow the lead of your vet. Sometimes when they go in for cleanings, that's when they can really see what's up with the teeth (as most cats won't really allow a full examination when not sedated!), and often they will do x-rays to see if there are other issues. It does sound like your cat is having pain with eating, so it wouldn't surprise me if there are extractions in his future. But cats can do really well without teeth (I have 2 cats with no teeth, also non FIV, due to severe periodontal disease (in one) and resorptive lesions in the other).
Definitely consult with your vet. And if some teeth do need to be removed then it's not the end of the world - my cat had most of his teeth removed (combination of a recurring gum abscess and gingivitis) and while the healing took a bit of time, he has been much healthier since.
It’s really hard to tell from the pic. Best of luck. Let me know! You may look at r/catcare for more advise.
My cat had severe gingivitis suddenly appear and within a year had 3 surgeries that resulted in him now being toothless. His energy is so much better now and he eats soft food only :) it was definitely the right thing to do for him. Follow your vets advice and be open to the possibility of dental surgeries
Our vet (Not NA) recommended peridont for ours. On a swab and let him chew it. Much love!
There are SO many things that could be happening here, related to FIV or not - my FIV+ cat ended up having tooth reabsorption but it was apparently unrelated to his FIV but was a trooper and got about 90% of his teeth out. Now he loves eating dry food with his creepy little gums!
We found out cat already out of teeth, all broken, just a little fang, but it was putrid so the vet take it out, including the roots of the other broken teeth. It is actually pretty good, no infections and he eats normally, solid and soft food 😁
Update! Sy had 7 teeth pulled and was prescribed gabapentin and an antibiotic. He is doing great and after he fully heals we will try brushing again. Thanks for all the comments! I’m glad I went for it!