Maxwell Update + Vimtag Winner

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers for Maxie yesterday as he had his annual dental cleaning.

Unlike us humans, a feline dental is usually done under anesthesia, so it's a bit more involved and causes a bit more concern than a human's trip to the dentist!

And this time, it became especially worrisome when we received a call after they had Maxie anesthetized and began to see exactly what they were dealing with.

Maxwell has a condition our veterinarian is convinced was exacerbated by Maxie's poor health as a kitten. Although veterinary medicine has been unable to prove the link between chronic respiratory infections and stomatitis, our doctor has seen far too many to believe it's mere coincidence.

And Maxwell had it all as a kitten: he fought respiratory infections, calicivirus and kennel cough, along with all the ear issues we recently told you about.

Allie: Hrmpf. I had to endure the vet yesterday too, but no one's asking how I fared! I think I'll just leave.

Some day, our boy will be completely toothless. Yesterday, he lost three more. (they wanted to take 4 teeth, but decided to wait and watch the fourth one.)

And two of them were A Big Deal.

The left lower fang (or canine) had severe bone erosion and had abscessed. Despite Marty's persistent attempts to argue for keeping it, eventually he was even convinced it had to come out.

Maxie, this morning. He's on buprenorphine for pain, but otherwise acting like his usual cheerful self.

Taking a lower canine in a feline can be a very challenging thing, and can end with a fractured jaw. Just ask CHo over at Naked and Hungry blog - it happened to her "naked" sphynx cat Jake when the last of his teeth came out.

Our veterinarian, Dr. Eberhardy, told us late yesterday afternoon that Maxie had provided his dental challenge for the month - he said he was sweating bullets during the careful procedure ... but all went well.

The other Big Deal was the big molar in the back. Historically, we've had issues with these incisions getting infected in Faraday and Allie, so we're watching it carefully.

All 3 teeth were on Maxie's lower left side, so he's pretty bare over there now!

How's he feeling? We'll let him tell you himself. ;-)

 
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Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
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Rafflecopter has spoken, and the winner is:

Concatulations to Sharla, Angel and Isabella over at Beaded Tail!

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February: Pet Dental Health Month

~ Revised from an original post in 2013 ~ 

As you may have already heard, February is Pet Dental Health Month.

Did you know that many experts believe dental disease is the number one disease seen by veterinarians? Almost all adult dogs and cats have some form of it.

Inflamed gums around fang & molars from plaque Photo: Marco d'Itri

Over 75% of cats who have their teeth cleaned suffer from tooth resorption and over 80% of dogs over age 5 have periodontal disease. And tartar buildup is common to both.

Why cats are prone to tooth resorption while dogs are more impacted by periodontal disease is a mystery.

Tooth resorption sounds almost like an autoimmune disease: the cat’s own cells attack and wear away at his tooth until it is destroyed. The cause is unknown, though there is some speculation about it.

Faraday: Wait. My toofs are attacking themselves???

Periodontal disease in pets is the same as it is in humans: inflammation around the tooth where the gums pull away and form infected pockets that begin to break down the bone and connective tissue that holds teeth in place.

Needless to say…both are bad for your pet!

There’s this odd phenomenon that occurs when talking about tooth care – and it happens to both humans and pets. People tend to place less importance on dental care than they do basic medical care.

Why is this so? It’s odd, but we tend to forget that our mouth is connected to our body. Most people don’t consider that bacteria thriving in tooth decay can enter the bloodstream and infect critical organs such as the heart, liver or kidneys.

That’s true both for people and for pets.

In older cats especially, oral infections can have a damaging impact on the kidneys. And by the way, renal failure (kidney disease)? It's irreversible. Unlike humans, dialysis is not readily available as a treatment option for failing kidneys, and it's very difficult to administer. And though there have been successful kidney transplants in cats, it's expensive and comes with its own set of complications. Bottom line: help keep your cat's kidneys healthy by keeping his teeth healthy.

Good dental care isn’t that difficult if approached properly, and Dr. Jean Hofve of Little Big Cat has outlined a good five-step plan to get your cat used to daily brushing that works – if you commit to sticking with it. And there are additives you can put in your pet's drinking water that help fight plaque and are Veterinary Oral Health Care approved.

 

In addition, annual (and depending on the breed, sometimes twice-annual) professional cleaning can work to prevent major dental catastrophes down the line as your pet ages.

Have you ever scheduled a dental cleaning for your pet? Now might be an excellent time to do so, as many veterinarians offer discounts on routine cleaning during February, in honor of Pet Dental Heath Month.

Ours does, and I've taken advantage of that discount for both Faraday and Maxwell (much to their chagrin).

How is your pet's dental health?

Fangs on Friday

Derpy fangs.

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Fighting to Keep
the Fangs Today 

Maxwell: Early this morning I was incarcerated against my will, for something called The Dental.

Momma told them to do everything possible to keep my remaining lower fangs, but I'd appreciate any purrs on my behalf while I go under today.

I did manage to keep my Red Dot Maker and will be signaling "S-O-S" with it until help arrives.

Thursday Purrs: Dakota

"Who's black and white and pink all over?
Me!

I have a stunning, super-soft, black-and-white coat and the most adorable pink nose and paw pads. See?"

"Oh, and my name is Dakota. I came to Wayside from another shelter that was low on space, so I'm thrilled to be here, where I just know my forever person or people will walk in and fall in love with me.

I can be a little shy at first, but I enjoy being petted and have a cute little meow.
I have a soft, gentle purr, and I make great headbutts!"

"You may have noticed that I'm 10 years old, but that is just middle age for a cat. If you take good care of me, we can expect to enjoy many happy, healthy years together.

I will need my adopter to feed me canned food because I have no teeth. They were causing me problems, so they have all been extracted.

But that's okay. I'm doing fine.

In fact, the only thing that would make life better would be to find my forever person or people.

Could it be you?
Love,
Dakota"

Dakota is available today at Allie's Alma Mater, Wayside Waifs.

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A Little Kitten Bowl Practice

 

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'Toon Tuesdays: Salvador Doggie?

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Toon Tuesdays feature animal (and sometimes human) humor created by the peeps over at Shoebox Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) - where our mom works, too!

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Another BUG!

Maxwell: Well hullo there, little bug.

Faraday: A BUG?? Lemme see!

Maxwell: He's right here...

Bug: EEEEK! *faint*

Faraday: Think he'll wake up any time soon, Maxie? I'm getting a little bored.
Maxwell: Hm. I dunno.

:::nudge-nudge:::

Allie: (from off camera) ...not if he knows what's good for him....

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