My cat has rotting teeth and is drooling, lethargic, not eating. Why?

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.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures and description, I am concerned about an infection. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at her for further testing to help determine what the problem is. She will likely need an antibiotic which your vet can prescribe and get her started on right away. I would also recommend testing her for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (felv/fiv testing). I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

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.

If Bella has lost teeth on the right side of her mouth, that would be very painful for her and cause her not eat. It would also make her lethargic and unable to clean herself properly. I would take her into a vet now. She sounds very sick from losing her teeth, which could have been caused by severe gingivitis and rotting teeth. She will likely need pain medications and antibiotics, and the vet can treat her mouth. Do not give her any human pain medications, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Please take her into a vet now.

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!

I would be concerned she may have kidney disease - reduced appetite, tooth loosening and vision loss due to high blood pressure and retinal detachment are common side effects. I recommend a vet check as soon as possible, taking a urine sample using special collection litter would be helpful for full assessment

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Fluffernutter. Most likely he is having some periodontal problems in the mouth. Gum inflammation (gingivitis), tooth abscesses involving soft tissue and bone infection. This is most likely the cause of what you are seeing. It's also possible that there is an oral mass (tumor) in the mouth. I would advise trying to find a local cat rescue group in the area to help you with this guy. Many communities have a support system for these Community Cats. They will also help to get him neutered and vaccinated if there is such a program in your area. Reach out to the local groups and see if they can help with his care. There may be a low-cost clinic in your area willing to help with him. Good luck