Dental problems in your feline pets are pretty similar to the ones your canine friends have. As long as you support your fur baby by helping her maintain good oral and dental hygiene, she will be much less likely to suffer from a range of dental conditions. Since your munchkin can’t brush her teeth on her own, as a cat parent you must assume that responsibility and ensure your pet kitty has healthy teeth until a ripe old age.
Otherwise, she may have to deal with gum infections, broken and loose teeth, or other associated dental issues. If that happens, she will likely go through a lot of pain and discomfort that need immediate vet attention. Dental insurance for pets may be your best bet to provide your kitty with top-notch dental help without financial hassles at your end. Purchase cat insurance in NZ, so you don’t have to feel the economic heat when your kitty cat needs medical help.
Gingivitis
In this dental condition, your kitty may experience bad breath and inflammation in the gums due to bacterial plaque deposition on/below the gum lines. However, the ligaments anchoring the teeth and supporting bones are not yet affected. You will observe a change in the colour of gums from pinkish to red or purple. The swollen gums are highly susceptible to bleeding when contact is made. However, this is a reversible dental condition. Your pet kitty’s teeth can come back to their normal state with regular brushing. When untreated, gingivitis becomes aggravated and may lead to periodontitis.
Periodontitis
This is a severe condition where much damage is done to the gums, ligaments, and bone tissues in your furball’s mouth. It begins as a simple plaque deposition that progresses to tartar formation, then to gingivitis, and irreversible periodontitis. If your kitty has been diagnosed with this medical condition, you must include daily toothbrushing in her schedule. In the meantime, she needs to adopt dietary modifications and use plaque prevention gels or oral rinses, as suggested by your vet, plus have repeated dental cleanups to avoid any lapses leading to further bone loss.
Feline stomatitis syndrome
Many viral and bacterial diseases cause this problem. Your kitty’s mouth may intensely react to this disease and have a severe inflammation reaction in the mouth and upper throat region. As a result, she may have symptoms like bad breath, mouth pain, appetite loss, and more. The only treatment is tooth extraction. Whether or not your kitty loses all teeth through the treatment, she will still be able to eat moist food.
Tooth resorption
This is a condition in which the tooth deteriorates gradually. It starts from the tooth exterior and proceeds to the tooth interior. Eventually, the nerve endings are exposed, causing significant pain to your munchkin. Unfortunately, the only way to resolve this dental problem is through tooth extraction.
Fractured teeth/jaws
Fractures usually occur because of trauma. For instance, if your fur baby gets into a duel with other creatures, falls from high places, suffers automobile accidents, etc. Or, your kitty may already have a medical issue like cancer or severe periodontitis. In that case, the jaw may be too weak and suffer a fracture in the course of any rough incidents. Your kitty may walk around with her mouth open or not be able to eat her food if she has a fracture in her jaw. Your vet will recommend an appropriate solution depending on the severity of the issue.
Dental issues may crop up at any age and are more prominent in older cats. Cat insurance NZ with wide coverage is essential, so your kitty has dental cover to address her oral and dental problems. Dental insurance for petsnot only allows you to provide the best medical care for your fluffy friend but also reduces your financial stress throughout the whole affair.
