Why is my cat still lethargic and not eating a week after tooth extraction?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Merri. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I worry that the extraction sites are either not healing well or are painful to her. Her veterinarian will examine her mouth and see of an infection os present. Antibiotics or pain medication may be prescribed. In the meantime, continue offering soft foods to encourage her to eat. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to cats. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes it can take some time for cats to recover from anesthesia and administration of these medications together so that could be a reason why it has been taking him longer than expected to recover. If he is eating and otherwise doing well, it may be ok to monitor him for a bit longer. However, if he worsens or by tomorrow he has not improved, he should be evaluated by his veterinarian for reevaluation. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While sedation or anesthesia can result in gastrointestinal upset and inappetence, it usually does not last 5 days so I am worried that there may be something else going on. Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Button evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

This definitely sounds concerning. Sometimes the tooth extraction site can become infected, or in some rare situations nerves in the mouth can be affected by dental surgery. It's also possible that the dental is unrelated and that Danny has developed a kidney problem or other disease causing a decrease in appetite. I would definitely recommend a vet visit.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Blood work was not performed prior to the sedation and if there is a pre-existing condition, the anesthesia may have made the condition worse and more pronounced. I would also consider a fructosamine test to check and see if the level is consistent with diabetes. I would say that the ultrasound is the next appropriate diagnostic test to have performed with what is going on. I hope this helps better determine what the cause could be. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Good Afternoon...thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I empathize with your struggle and Munchkin's picky diet. I certainly do not want to cause alarm, but many times cats will become "picky eaters" for many other reasons other than their teeth. As a veterinarian, this symptom always give me pause. Cats with dental issues still usually have a normal appetite, even with a bad tooth - they will still eat. There are many other conditions which can cause an older kitty to change their eating habits and influenced "what tastes good to them" - conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (even with no other GI symptoms), kidney disease, liver disease, and many types of cancers (that can be within any organ of the body...) can cause an older kitty to change their appetite preferences. I would want to know if Munchkin is maintaining her weight, or has she lost weight? If she has lost weight, this is also more concerning. I would recommend you monitor her weight very closely - if she is maintaining (and has not lost weight within the past 6-12 months...). You may want to consider a visit to your veterinarian for additional diagnostics including a full senior bloodwork/urine profile, and possibly an abdominal ultrasound and chest radiographs to ensure nothing more sinister may be going on. I hope this helps, good luck!

Poor girl. Cats typically recover from sedation within 12-24 hrs. Also they generally will still want to eat, even if its just a little bit. Try offering her some canned cat food or canned tuna to try an entice her to eat. If she got fluids yesterday, then she likely isn't thirsty yet. If she isn't herself by tomorrow, then its best to have her re-examined by your vet or get a second opinion. Her thyroid condition alone should not cause her to be quite this ill, so there may be something else going on here. I do hope that Meg is able to return to normal soon! Best wishes and take care.