Dear Dr. Fox:
My question concerns your relatively recent advice on cleaning cats’ teeth, a process requiring anesthesia. If you recommend this for a healthy animal, how often should a cat be subjected to it?
In my childhood, we had many pets over the years, and they all lived long lives — 18 to 20 years old — and their teeth were never cleaned.
M.C., the District
DF: Some will argue that cats in years past did not receive adequate veterinary preventive care. But in years past, many cats were allowed to roam free, killing small prey that naturally helped keep their teeth clean.Nor were they fed high-fiber, processed ingredients, such as the microparticulate, glutinous materials in many canned and dry cat foods.
Regrettably, periodontal and other gum and tooth diseases are all too common in cats and dogs, especially toy and brachiocephalic (pushed-in face) breeds with crammed and misaligned teeth. Neglected, these oral diseases cause animals pain, misery and secondary infections spreading to the heart, liver and kidneys.
Daily brushing (with equal parts salt and baking soda), safe chew toys and periodic treatments with specific oral care products — such as those from PetzLife — will help reduce the need for annual dental cleaning under a general anesthetic. This is a high-risk procedure for many animals and could be avoided if owners took better care of their pets’ mouths.
AVOIDABLE ANESTHESIA
Dear Dr. Fox:
My 24-year-old grandson got his first adopted dog, a 1-year-old black Labrador mix. He takes really good care of her.
She had a hot spot, which she licked until it bled. He took her to the vet, who shaved the spot and put some kind of cream on it. The vet said he had to anesthetize the dog because he was afraid she would bite him.
Why would he do that? It’s a very small spot, and he charged more than $350. I am upset that he took advantage of my grandson and that the dog was anesthetized unnecessarily.
N.W., St. Louis
DF: I am receiving too many letters like yours that disturb me deeply.
Your grandson owes it to his dog and to all other animals who might be seen by this veterinarian to file a complaint with the Board of Veterinary Examiners. This veterinarian is putting animals at risk and overcharging clients for an unnecessary procedure: He used anesthetization rather than simply muzzling or giving a sedative injection and then restraining the dog as needed.
I also question the treatment. The dog would lick off any ointment put on the hot spot without some protective covering or neck restrainer. If no possible cause of the hot spot was considered (such as flea bite hypersensitivity) and no steps taken to stop the dog from reaching and licking the lesion, I think a full inquiry is called for.
Shoulder deformity
Dear Dr. Fox:
Our 6-year-old male seal point Himalayan cat, Jojo, started limping about six months ago. We took him to a vet after the limp seemed to get worse.
The physical exam was unable to provoke any pain response, and no swelling was noted. X-rays of the right and left shoulders showed a growth on both approximate to the humerus/shoulder. The growth is considerably larger on the right, and his limp appears to involve the right front side.
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