My cat's jaw clicks, drools, and licks lips. Is it a dental issue?

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I cannot say for sure, but if Tommy's teeth are black/worn away, it is likely a dental issue. I would recommend a visit to your veterinarian to look into Tommy's mouth. If this is the case, Tommy would likely benefit from a dental cleaning which includes scaling, polishing and sometimes xrays of the teeth with extractions! Good luck and I hope he feels better!

Hello. Roxie probably has some significant dental disease, & this is often accompanied by a condition called stomatitis, which is a chronic irritation of the tissues within the mouth. The exact cause is unknown, but it is often multifactorial involving bacterial infections & an abnormal immune system. Your history definitely points to this, but your veterinarian needs to confirm things. Treatment can be relatively simple with antibiotics & periodic use of steroids. Most important will be an initial examination & cleaning of the teeth under general anesthesia. In the worse case, all the teeth may need to be removed because they present an ever presence of antigens in the mouth that promote the painful lesions. The next step is to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible to start to address Roxie's problems. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Drooling that lasts more than 2 hours is an indication to see the vet. Broken tooth, mouth ulcers, electrocution (does she chew cords?) toxin, GI upset, foreign body, and more can all cause this - and all need some degree of medical attention. Best wishes to you and Malsle!

Hi. It sounds like Oliver has some severe dental disease. He most likely has gingivitis and possibly a painful, loose, or resorptive lesions on some teeth. Dental disease in cats can cause pain and discomfort.  This could impact quality of life. In some cases, the dental disease can cause a cat to stop eating. For dental disease, besides brushing teeth with pet toothpaste daily,  your veterinarian will recommend removing plaque and mineral buildup by scaling and polishing the teeth. Teeth will try to be saved wherever possible. In extreme cases, extraction of teeth might be needed.  Unfortunately a veterinarian will need to be involved. Look in to carecredit.com credit at carecredit.com as a possibility for a payment plan.

Poor kitty! If you were noticing a sensitivity with his mouth, that could indicate a tooth infection, a foreign body stuck in the gums or jaw pain in general. I recommend to try to get him seen today if possible by his veterinarian. It is very important to address bad teeth as they can lead to bone loss and other forms of permanent damage. Offer him kibble that has been soaked in warm water or canned food as the softer food will be easier to eat until his issue is resolved. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I suggest taking your cat to your veterinarian or a 24-hour emergency clinic as soon as possible. Excessive drooling in a cat can be a sign of a number of problems including (but not limited to) nausea, dental disease. Ingestion of a toxin, foreign object caught in the mouth, salivary gland disease, ulcers in the mouth, cancer of the mouth, neurological disorders, or eating something that tastes very bad. Excessive drooling is also a symptom of rabies. Many cats will chatter their teeth while watching birds or other prey animals; however, chattering could alos be an indication of pain or neurological in nature.

Even with no teeth the drooling is abnormal. I would be concerned that he has an infection or stomatitis of the mouth or possibly kidney disease causing him to be uremic- a build up of toxins in the blood that can cause ulcers and other problems. I would recommend getting him to a vet for evaluation and possible medications to help keep his twilight years comfortable.