HELP WITH DENTAL ISSUEs

[CatLover42]

Hello all!
I just posted a question to all as a reply on another post, but I figured out how to start a new question so here I am.
About 6wks ago I took my eight year old male cat to the vet. He wasn't drinking, was eating very little, had a dry cough. I thought maybe he had a real good hairball that he couldn't pass. The vet didn't think it was that and wasn't sure what it was. He thought possibly that it was a dental problem. He saw some decay and suggested an extraction and cleaning. Well, they gave him fluid by injection, an antibiotic and sent us on our way. He almost immediately felt better and I thought that was the end of it.
Now he has started to not drink again, not eat well and has the occasional cough. He isn't as listless as before but I am worried. I hate to spend major $$ on dental work if that is not the problem. Has anyone seen symptoms like this in a cat with dental problems? I'm especially worried about dehydration and won't wait to get him to the vet but would like some input.
Thanks so much
Pauline

[Squawksx3]

I'm sorry to hear about your baby :( . It could be due to the teeth if they're bad enough... although I dont know what the cough would be.. if that would be an issue.. but I do know that if teeth are bad enough, they get infected and it leads to other health issues. I've heard it can become fatal to the animal. Maybe get a second opinion. Best of luck to you.

[Angelwing]

Yes, perhaps call another vet, or maybe even a cat breeder.

Your cat may have upper respiratory infection. If it is not treated, it will remain for the duration of your cat's life, although you may not be able to notice it all of the time. If your cat ceases to drink and eat altogether, get him to the vet, pronto.

[For_the_dogs]

Sorry your kitty is sick. My cat went through a similar thing years ago. She wasn't eating and had really bad breath. The vet put her on antibiotic for 3 days before the surgery, and then had to extract 3 teeth! They gave me the teeth afterwards, and showed me how bad it was:eek: One tooth was rotten, the other two were damaged by the abcess. She bounced back quickly and after I gave her all the antibiotics, never had a problem again.

If its an upper tooth the infection could have spread into his sinuses/nose above them, causing drainage. That's how the abcess can cause the cough. This is serious, and can kill him.

Since the vet saw some decay and suggested an extraction, I think your cat needs to get back to the vet quickly. If your kitty has an abcess, the vet may want to put him on an antibiotic to get the infection under control before doing surgery. If so, even if he feels better you should get the tooth or teeth fixed or it will happen again.

If money is an issue, talk to the vet about a payment plan. They'll often help out like that.

Let us know what the vet says! Good luck!

[CatLover42]

thanks to everyone who replied. I think maybe I should listen about the teeth and take care of that. I was just questioning it because he is still eating, just not drinking.
Thanks again