A question of teeth
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:51 am
Molly, age 14, rescued at age 6 8 years ago, traumatised minimum handling cat.
Had what appeared to be a lump in the gum behind a lower canine, in view of age and minimum handling she was taken straight in for a dental 6 months ago without examination prior. She was kept in overnight and pre-op tests done, then scale and polish next day. This revealed that the "lump" was tooth resorption so that and a cracked molar on the other side were extracted.
Recovery seemed slow, she avoided anything but smooth pate foods for a long time, and no longer wants to play what was her favourite game of catching the wand toy and flossing her teeth with the string. There were no other signs of soreness around the mouth at first.
About 2 months ago she was back to normal with food and occasionally playing with her toy again but much less enthusiastically. For a few weeks now I have noticed she rubs her chin hard on the corner of the bed again, something she had not done since the dental. In the last week I caught her pawing at her mouth, the side where I spotted the lump.
My question is, generally but specially interested in views from people who have experienced tooth resorption, is she going back to a soothing behaviour because it's becoming painful again but hasn't been since the dental, or going back to her normal behaviour that she hasn't done since the dental because her mouth has been sore after the dental? I'm getting mixed messages, eating seems to say she has been sore and is fine now, the rubbing could be either, but the one-off pawing along with not returning to her favourite game is bothering me.
Had what appeared to be a lump in the gum behind a lower canine, in view of age and minimum handling she was taken straight in for a dental 6 months ago without examination prior. She was kept in overnight and pre-op tests done, then scale and polish next day. This revealed that the "lump" was tooth resorption so that and a cracked molar on the other side were extracted.
Recovery seemed slow, she avoided anything but smooth pate foods for a long time, and no longer wants to play what was her favourite game of catching the wand toy and flossing her teeth with the string. There were no other signs of soreness around the mouth at first.
About 2 months ago she was back to normal with food and occasionally playing with her toy again but much less enthusiastically. For a few weeks now I have noticed she rubs her chin hard on the corner of the bed again, something she had not done since the dental. In the last week I caught her pawing at her mouth, the side where I spotted the lump.
My question is, generally but specially interested in views from people who have experienced tooth resorption, is she going back to a soothing behaviour because it's becoming painful again but hasn't been since the dental, or going back to her normal behaviour that she hasn't done since the dental because her mouth has been sore after the dental? I'm getting mixed messages, eating seems to say she has been sore and is fine now, the rubbing could be either, but the one-off pawing along with not returning to her favourite game is bothering me.