Why are my 5-year-old cat's teeth falling out and breath bad?

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.

You need to take her to the vet ASAP, she is probably suffering from a gum/teeth disease which is very common in cats, treatment varies according to the severity of the condition but this must be dealt with urgently.

I am sorry to hear about your concerns!!! It sounds like your kitten is of the age when it is getting its final adult teeth (usually 6-7 months) so it is possible your kitty is just losing her baby teeth. When kittens are teething sometimes they do have a bad breath/odor while they are teething. When the teeth fall out we can have some bleeding at the gums as well. If the bleeding was prolonged, your kitty is having trouble eating or is lethargic or pawing at her mouth, I would recommend an exam by the vet to look at the oral cavity to ensure there aren't any signs of infection, a foreign body stuck in the gums, or ulceration. Best of luck to you and Nala!

Poor Eli! Severe dental disease can certainly cause nosebleeds and nasal discharge, since the roots of some of the upper teeth are connected to the nasal cavity. It's also possible that he has a severe bacterial or fungal infection, a foreign body of some kind stuck in his nose, or even a nasal tumor. I would recommend taking him to the vet as soon as possible to have this checked - he/she can do a thorough oral exam under sedation if needed to help determine the problem and see what needs to be done to treat it.

It sounds like Sissy may have two issues going on. It's likely she is drooling and has bad breath related to dental infection and dental disease. She will need to see a veterinarian for a dental cleaning and to have infected teeth removed if dental disease is indeed causing the problem. Her skin issues could be related to flea issues so it's best to be sure she is on a quality flea preventative like Revolution or Advantage. If a flea Issue is not present Sissy will need to see a veterinarian to rule out issues like allergies or mites causing hair loss. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Snowy. If she has smelly breath, then she likely has an infection in her mouth causing dental disease. If so, she will need to go under anesthesia to have her teeth cleaned by her veterinarian. Afterwards brushing will be less painful to her. Start slowly and use a toothpaste formulated for animals. Start by offering the paste on your finger as a treat. Once she likes it, then slowly start brushing. You can use a small toothbrush or a finger brush. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Noushmc. Bad breath typically means that there is an infection in the mouth as a result of dental disease. If she will allow you to look in the mouth, you may also notice tartar on the teeth as well as gingivitis (red inflamed gums). This will need to be evaluated and treated by her veterinarian. However, if she is eating, drinking and acting normal, then it is not likely an emergency. When restrictions in your country let up, you can seek care for her. I hope this information helps!