Cat with awful breath

11 years ago

I adopted a cat a few months back, she's 7 years old. She's got really bad breath, it smells like fish. I called the vets office, and they said she probably needs to have her teeth cleaned, which means putting her under and a pretty nice bill to go along with it. I'm going to have them look at her next time I bring her in. When they do, is it likely that they will be able to tell whether that's the problem, and if it seems to be, is it likely to come back, or does it often cure it? I have a 9 year old cat as well, and her breath is just fine. I've never had this issue with other cats I've had, so just curious what to expect.

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mdln

11 years ago

Volunteered as vet care coordinator at a feline rescue/shelter - we saw many cats with bad breath that was cured by a good dental. Yes, by looking at the teeth you can see the amount of plaque/tartar; the vet should show it to you.

Some of the costs may be pre-procedure lab work. Discuss with your vet if there is any way to make the procedure less expensive. Also may want a second opinion. We found really huge variation in fees between the multiple vet practices we worked with.

NOT saying to go the least expensive option, as they may take shortcuts. Just would make sure you are not getting a "way out there" quote. We had one vet that would charge triple the others.

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Comments (6)

trancegemini_wa
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
cleaning the teeth will likely solve the problem but it's not a permanent cure because tartar will start building up again. But if you can get her to tolerate having her teeth brushed (pet toothbrush and pet toothpaste) it will help to keep it from building up so quickly. There are some conditions that cause bad breath but in a 7 year old cat, I would expect it is simply a build up of tartar and/or a bad tooth (maybe a few) which can be extracted. It's just like people, we get that build up of plaque even though we brush daily so you can imagine how much it builds up with pets who arent getting that same level of teeth maintenance as we do. rotten teeth and tartar build up create havens for bacteria and that's where the smell comes from.

If she has bad breath, I also wouldnt leave it long before getting the vet to take a look as a rotten or dead tooth can cause infection and even start affecting the bone and get very complicated so just get her checked out regardless, better sooner than later (it wont get any cheaper, but may get more expensive if there is an abscess or infection spreading)
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Original Author
11 years ago
Yeah, I should just get her in to have her looked at now. I wouldn't be surprised if she needs some extractions. I'll call around for some prices.
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mdln
11 years ago
I would first ask your vet if there is a way to decrease the cost. Sometimes some pre-procedure lab work is optional. Do you have a school of veterinary medicine near you? I have found their care and prices to be great. Am lucky to have Univ IL and Univ Wisc Veterinary teaching hospitals near me.

http://exclusivelycats.blogspot.com/2012/08/why-does-dental-care-cost-so-much.html
Debbie Downer
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
One regret I had with my 22 yr old calico (now deceased) is I never got her dental work. Starting when she was 9 or 10, vets recommended it for her foul breath but I kept thinking well she only had a few more years so why bother. But that girl had a lot of years left in her and by the time she was 20 it was really painful for her to eat - but by then it was too late, she was too old and frail to be put under for surgery. This is just to say - good for you for going ahead and doing it. Cats are living longer lives than they used to. Even if plaque comes back you're still coming out ahead, because its not going to be as bad at age 15 as compared to if it was never removed at age 7. I think diet may play into it as it does for people- if you do a low or no-carb diet that may help.
Else
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for that link, mdln, that's a lot of info I didn't know!!
I just checked for schools in the area, and it doesn't look like any is close enough for us to use that it would make sense.
Kashka, I do have several friends who have had cats live into their 20's, and you made good points otherwise too. Thanks!