Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Cat with only 4 teeth.

Species: Cat
Breed: part Siamese
Age: 8-11 years


We just discovered our cat, Chole, who is 11 years old, seem to have only 4 teeth, missing her molars and premolars. We've recently, (5 weeks ago), moved to a new home, and she seems to be getting over her initial lethargy/sleeping (about 20 hrs. a day), and she has begun to eat more normally. She is a bit overweight. Her breath seems fine, and she doesn't seem to have any facial swelling or pain.

We lost a healthy cat , Figaro, 11 years ago after having had her teeth cleaned by a vet. She was apparently so traumatized by the general anesthesia, that she stopped eating, developed liver problems, and died within weeks...so we a reluctant to have THAT happen again.

What should we do about Chole's missing teeth? We feed her strictly Science Diet light and mature cat food.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. I personally have a cat who has 3 teeth and he does extremely well and is still able to eat hard food quite well.

The question here is how healthy the remaining teeth are. I do think it is a good idea to have your vet take a look at Chole's teeth the next time that she is in for a visit.

If there is significant dental disease then it would be best to have a dental procedure done. What happened to your other cat is very unfortunate, but extremely uncommon. General anesthetic these days is very safe in a cat who is healthy. In 12 years of practice I cannot remember having an animal die because of a dental procedure.

I hope Chole continues to do well.

Dr. Marie.

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


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

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.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Puppy with crystals. our registered golden retriever,Ginger, had a litter of puppies a few months ago(no... (13167 views)

Vomiting and runny eyes. Hello Doc! My cat Princess started throwing up this morning. First two times was... (51540 views)

vet question Hi Dr. Marie. My name is Kim. I'm from Sydney, Australia. My dog, Lassie is going on... (11072 views)

Severe arthritis and leaking urine. Hi we have a 13 year old dog with long term hip dysplasia. he has cartrophen once a... (15065 views)

Bleeding from penis. My Siberian Husky has been bleeding from his penis for the last 2 days, It comes and... (17357 views)

Vomiting and diarrhea in puppy. Lady is almost 5 months now, she's a typical Aussie puppy. She lives with me, my... (9237 views)

Female dog leaking urine. Dr. Marie My 8yr old shepard mix is leaking urine more days than not she is a... (16651 views)

Vaccine squirted onto skin. OK... I have a Maltese and yorkie that I was giving their second vaccine 5 in 1, and... (27792 views)

Dog ate a needle. My dog had not been eating his usual amount and I was watching him, he then began to... (13246 views)

Green penile discharge. Hi, I have a 7 month old alaskan malamute. I have noticed that he has green... (20270 views)

See all questions...

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.