Dental Extractions Dismissal

Your cat has had one or more teeth removed.

Here are a few things you will need to know about the next week: 

1. Your cat will need to be fed soft food only for the next week.

• This is because there are either open sockets, or sutures, or both in your cat's mouth, and trying to chew dry food could break sutures, or get stuck in sockets, neither of which would be pleasant for your cat. 
• If your cat will absolutely not eat wet cat food, you can try either moistening down dry food until it is slightly soggy, or you might also try human meat baby food such as Gerber's chicken or turkey baby food.  Many cats will eat meat baby food when they won't eat regular canned cat food.  For short term, it is okay to feed exclusively.

2. If sutures were placed in your cat's mouth, these are absorbable; they will dissolve over the next 2-4 weeks.  They do not need to be removed.

3. Please minimize your cat's activity for the next three days, as they will still be recovering from the dentistry.

4. Two different pain meds will have been sent home with your cat, unless you declined the Metacam.

• The Metacam works like ibuprofen for cats.  It reduces pain and inflammation, and each dose lasts up to 48 hours.  It is given once every other day.  If your cat is not cooperative for taking it orally, you can mix it in a small amount of moist food. 
• The Buprenex is a narcotic.  It doesn't block pain, but instead, makes your cat dissociate from pain.  It only lasts 8-10 hours, so it does need to be given twice daily.  It can be given either transmucosally, that is, squirted on the gums or under the tongue, or it can be given as a subcutaneous injection under the skin.  It is not effective if it is swallowed.  We will show you how to give this.  Most cats tolerate having it squirted on the gums under the lips very well. 
• By giving both pain medications together for the first few days, it is like having the equivalent of Vicoden or Percocet - very good pain control. 
• Please give both pain medications until fully gone.  Cats do not tend to show signs of pain, but that does not mean they don't feel it. 
• If you feel that you cannot give either pain medication, please let us know, for a bit more of an additional cost through a compounding pharmacy, we can have the Buprenex compounded into an ear paste.

5. Antibiotics may have been sent home with your cat.  If you have problems giving these, please let us know, as we do have alternatives for most antibiotics.  Please give these until gone.

6. Your cat will have had an IV placed for the surgery, so there may still be a bandage on your cat's leg.  You can remove this bandage after 12 hours.  If your cat will not let you remove the bandage, you can bring them into the clinic and we will remove it for you.  Please do not let this bandage stay on for more than a few days.

7. If you normally brush your cat's teeth or give them tartar treats or a tartar diet, please wait at least two weeks after the dental procedure before doing so again.

Please watch your cat for the next few weeks for any signs of pain, discomfort, lethargy, not eating, vomiting, or having problems opening and closing the mouth.  For any of these, please contact us at All Feline Hospital at 402-467-2711 or info@allfelinehospital.com.

Printable Dental Extractions Dismissal