I was born with bad gums. During my first vet checkup, the doctor suggested pulling four of my teeth, but my humans thought this was extreme for a kitten that was only six months old. So they opted to wait a while.
Now that I am older and we have a new vet, my humans asked about the state of my teeth during my annual physical. The result was that I had some tartar, and a cleaning would be beneficial. It would also reveal if I had any cavities. For humans, having a cavity means getting a filling. For a cat, it means pulling the tooth. Not the best news, but not addressing this issue could lead to serious health problems.
Getting my teeth cleaned was not just a matter of the vet saying, “Open wide!” Before we scheduled the cleaning, I had to have a blood test to ensure I could tolerate being put under anesthesia. OMG – that’s a little scary!
My test results were fine, and a date was selected for the “procedure.” I used that word because the estimate for this work would be between $900 and $1400. Wow – it’s a good thing my humans love me! We were also informed that I could not eat anything after 10 PM the day prior to the “procedure.” WHAT? I’m used to a midnight snack and breakfast at 5:30 AM – this will not be a happy situation for me or my humans.
On the morning of the “procedure,” my human tried to distract me with toys, a bowl of water, and sitting out on the balcony. I tried to sneak a nibble of some ferns but got caught. Oh well, it was worth a try.
We arrived at the vet somewhat stressed, my humans a little than me, but soon I was in La La Land. I am happy to report that the cleaning showed I had no cavities. Just a little inflammation of my gums that will be taken care of with some medication. The vet, my humans, and I survived the “procedure” better than expected and ... my teeth look great, and I should be good to go for another couple of years.
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