Why is my cat losing weight and not eating after tooth extractions?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Squeak hasn't been feeling well after a tooth extraction. With older cats, it sometimes can take a couple of days for them to recover from anesthesia, depending on the medications that were used. Did Squeak have any bloodwork run before his procedure? If he had an underlying kidney or liver issue, it could explain some of the signs that you are seeing now. If he is still on pain medications for his tooth extraction, it could also be that he is weak if the medication is affecting him strongly. If he hasn't had bloodwork done, I would recommend checking his liver and kidney function, as well as screening for diabetes, all of which could be adversely affecting him. Additionally, there are appetite stimulants for cats that can be given post-surgery to help kickstart them into eating normally again. I would recommend Squeak be re-evaluated by his veterinarian and have any testing done that may be necessary to start treatment to get him back on track. Good luck!

If you have soft food to feed her, like canned or moist food that would be easier on her sore gums right now. You can moisten dry kibble with water or low-sodium chicken broth to make it softer and entice her to eat. You can even soak the food and mash it with a fork with some extra liquid so it's easy for her lap instead of trying to chew. It is very important that your cat eats because just a few days without eating can result in liver damage in cats.

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Bella it's hard to say. Were the teeth extracted by a vet or did they just fall out? If they just fell out she may have more diseased teeth inside her mouth that need to come out. Either way, I recommend having a vet look at Bella and do an oral exam. I would also recommend blood work to gauge internal organ function. This is a good place to start to determine weight loss. They may also want to take radiographs or put her under anesthesia to see what's going on with her teeth under the gum surface. Good luck and kisses to Bella!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Yuki. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. She needs a good examination and possibly bloodwork and fecal testing to determine if there is an illness contributing to her inappetance. Based on these results, her veterinarian can prescribe treatment if necessary. She may also require a dental cleaning under anesthesia and extraction of any diseased teeth. I hope this information helps!

Without examining your cat or at least seeing some photos it is very difficult for me to comment. The best I can tell you is that he needs to see a vet so he can be examined in person. He may have a seriously infected tooth or even a tumor in his mouth cavity. Both things can cause the sign you describe. He cannot be left in this condition without eating and losing weight. It sounds like he is in pain so he needs to see a vet right away. I would not wait to get him examined. This is an emergency in my opinion.

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.