Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44 20 year old cat gets antibiotics for dental problems. | Ask A Vet
Species: Cat Breed: non specific Age: More than 15 ye
My cat Jack, who is 20 yrs old and has a predominant heart murmur and obviously a poor candidate for any surgery, has been diagnosed with a tooth abscess. It has been over a month since they have given him one injectable two week cycle antibiotic. He has reacted to the antibiotic and pain meds extremely well. His entire being seems to have changed back to a state that I have not seen in years. This is a good thing. At this time he shows no signs of pain or swelling and has not required any pain meds for several consecutive weeks. Is it possible to keep the infection at bay indefinitely with antibiotics on a regular basis? If so, should he be given a schedule for the injection, or wait until symptoms begin to resurface? We do not have the money to take the chance of his survival during surgery. We do not want to put him down unless he is in a constant state of pain and unable to continue a life of quality suitable for him.
Your advice would be most helpful and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Anne and Lance Schmidt
Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75
Dr. Marie replied:
Congratulations on having a 20 year old cat!
These situations are tough. Ideally it is best to do an anesthetic and clean the teeth and pull the infected ones but this is not always possible.
What I usually do in cases like this is do a week of antibiotics once a month. It sounds like your vet is using Convenia which is good for 2 weeks. This is ok as well.
It really is up to you and your vet how often you give these injections.
What I would likely do is give the injection and then see how things look in a month. Then, the next time, see if we can spread it out to 5 weeks and so on.
Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?
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:
Popular questions...
Reduced appetite in kitten. Hello Dr. Marie,
My 6 month old kitten has suddenly started eating less. She... (22149 views)
Tumor grew back. Hello, Our cat Chester had a tumor removed, sarcoma, about the size of a large golf... (8865 views)
Lump on hamster near leg. Hi,
My hamster has a pink lump on her right side (Near the front right leg) She... (21119 views)
Biting her paws. my dog is biting her paws why is she? she had fleas but we gave her a pill so when... (9633 views)
Poodle with leg problems. My dog is a small size poodle. she is now 2 years old when she turned 1 she started... (12244 views)
Why did my cat die? Hello,
The other day, our cat Misty (she would have been 16-years-old next month)... (17619 views)
Leaking urine after swimming. I have a 5 year old female (spayed) Golden Doodle. We take her swimming several... (38337 views)
Puppy is very hyper. Gracey was born on July 6th..so she will be six months soon. We have had dogs all... (11259 views)
Dog licking his penis. My dog was groomed today and is licking his penis excessively (even stopping during... (73176 views)
Cooked garlic safety? I have 2 dogs. An 8 pound shipoo and a 20 pound mini shnauzer. The shipoo has... (10334 views)
Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. 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.