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Teeth cleaning in cats.

Species: Cat
Breed: Normal cat
Age: 11-15 years
How important is it to clean your cats teeth and how would I go about it?

My cat is 12 and has never had his teeth cleaned. I recently noticed, for the first time, that his back teeth look extremely unhygienic. They appear to be covered in a thick brown layer.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Almost every cat needs to have a thorough dental cleaning. While these cleanings need to be done with an anesthetic, the anesthetic is very healthy as long as your cat has no significant health problems.

Your vet will do blood work first to determine if there are any health issues.

They'll do a good thorough cleaning and if necessary remove any teeth that are severely diseased.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.