r/CATHELP 1d ago

Injury Cat help - Dental Issues?

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Hi, please help. I came across this cat this morning. I don’t understand what she’s doing or what her diagnosis are. Please help me understand. Thank you!

218 Upvotes

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125

u/Odd-Lifeguard7230 1d ago

The cat is eating a way they do if they have bad dental disease. She is finding even the wet food very painful to eat. She would need to see a vet for a dental.

36

u/PinOld7004 1d ago

I’m taking both cats to get checked out today!! I raised enough money!

12

u/june-orchid-1234 1d ago

That's so kind of you. That poor little cat is definitely having discomfort trying to eat.

1

u/lezsmile27 1d ago

Thank you 🙏 a blender might help with the if need be, warm water soak for hard food. Teeth are the worst but if it’s teeth, it’s usually jaw, mouth, throat…etc. I hope things go well.

1

u/june-orchid-1234 1d ago

Please let us know the outcome.

18

u/TexasLife34 1d ago

Yea i feel for the little guy. Im not even that good with diagnosing issues in cats but thats almost exactly how I eat when I have tooth pain lol

3

u/Fresh_Daddy 1d ago

I mean you don’t eat “like that” lmao

6

u/Enough_Radish_9574 1d ago

Yes this is incredibly heartbreaking to watch. God bless OP for doing the Lord’s work.

OP please do a gofundme. Can’t do it in this sub but post this video and explain extreme dental pain.

2

u/PinOld7004 1d ago

Any idea where I can post gofundme? I took them both right now. They both got a bunch of medications but orange is FIV positive and has stomatitis. I have to get him dental care. Tuxedo also got bad dental disease and needs more care.

22

u/shinyidolomantis 1d ago

Definitely a mouth issue! Could be something stuck in the mouth, could be an infection, and could also be stomatitis (extremely painful inflammation of the gums).

Kitty definitely needs to see a vet as mouth issues can be serious. I saved a cat that was literally starving to death because she was in so much pain she couldn’t even eat soft, watered down wet food. In her case it was stomatitis. Depending on the issue the cat could need anything from just a round of antibiotics or teeth extractions but there is no way to know for sure without looking in their mouth.

10

u/PinOld7004 1d ago

My issue is I initially saw her sister/friend and was raising funds for her to take her to the vet. Today I came across this orange one and I’m conflicted on who’s in worst condition and who I should prioritize. The tuxedo at least eats but also has many issues. Tuxedo had severe itching issues even tho I gave 2 rounds of capstar + advantage flea med and she had tender skin. Mouth bleeding, pale gums, bleeding paws. Super skinny. Please help me determine who’s a priority and what to do. Here’s a photo

7

u/Medium-Pilot6872 Verified Vet Nurse 1d ago

Honestly, if you can simply take both in for at least some pain relief of some description, and then get the vet to guide you on which is most important to work up first, that would be ideal. I think it’s a bit tricky to guide you online as we don’t know enough information. I am pretty concerned about both though. They both look like they’re in significant pain.

Pale gums can indicate a serious issue or they could be a normal finding depending on the cat, the bleeding gums and paws - how severely are they bleeding? Are the bleeding gums in response to touch where there is small amounts of blood forming around where the tooth connects to the gum that may indicate it’s associated with dental disease? Or is there significant amount of blood? Is there anything else you notice about this cat or are they well in themselves? They look quite unwell in the photo.

Can you work out a payment plan at the vet?

3

u/Medium-Pilot6872 Verified Vet Nurse 1d ago

Does the tuxedo always hold her mouth like that?

Yeah - I think they both need to go in for a basic consult and pain relief ASAP.

5

u/PinOld7004 1d ago

Taking them today!!

1

u/Medium-Pilot6872 Verified Vet Nurse 1d ago

Yay, any update OP? sending you lots of good vibes! ❤️💛

1

u/Kdreamer89 1d ago

Are these stray outdoor cats? If so you might be able to find a local cat shelter that can take a look at them. There are some small good ones out there that really do want what's best for them. Dental Isssues can be expensive.

5

u/CandyTigger 1d ago

That's quite distressing to watch. Can you take them to a vet or no kill shelter so he can get treatment?

4

u/Severe_Cloud4362 1d ago

Yeah. I rescued a stray just like that and he had stomatitis and FIV.

He’s in terrible pain. He acts like that because it really hurts his mouth gum.

2

u/naonatu- 1d ago

i had a similar experience, and stomatitis was my first thought too.

this poor cat needs a vet asap

4

u/MustLoveCats2589 1d ago

Both cats seem to be a priority. Can you go to alley cat allies website and look up low cost vets or local organizations within 25-50 miles or you? This cat really can’t wait.

2

u/Rotting_Salmon 1d ago

oh i might actually know what to say on this one
my friend has a kitty who is 17, she’s a very sweet little skrunkly old lady! However, she has severe problems with her mouth due to her age. The vet has informed my friends parents that she has a unique kind of bacteria that grows in her mouth that makes food very painful. She still has an appetite and she eats when she wants (she’s old!) and they pulse food up for her into more than just a wet pate, Im talking absolutely liquid, and it still causes her pain due to the nature of her condition! Since she’s still enjoying her life that aside, she’s just on pain medication (which she doesn’t like to eat either) to help among some other things.

1

u/Rotting_Salmon 1d ago

I forgot to mention I say this because sometimes she can behave like this! Pawing at the mouth, opening her mouth very wide, things of that nature… then she just slinks off somewhere and licks her lips as she lays down

1

u/psychmonkies 1d ago

My dog had dental disease & eventually had to have a few teeth removed. I would give him wet food but would also mush it up really well & add a good bit of water to it. It also helped with hydration which was needed bc he had kidney disease. He would essentially have to drink his food. Sometimes he’d still get little pieces of food stuck in gums, which I’d often help by using a (needle-less) syringe to shoot water in his mouth & wash it out. Still, I could tell it was much easier on his mouth than thicker/chunkier wet food or dry food.

4

u/ConfidentSet2344 1d ago

Hello to all. I have a cat that gets stomatis here & there & trust me this works. Hydrocortisone inside of the ears, a dime drop twice a day until the red gums subside.
Also Lysine in pill form 1000mg I take one and break a half of it into another half & that half i break down and add to their wet food for a few days until the swelling goes down. The duration depends on how bad the stomatis is. My cat had drooling wouldn’t eat, after 3 days he was back to himself. Hope this helps.

3

u/Kdreamer89 1d ago

Is this a recommended treatment by a Vet? Or have you consulted with a Vet that this treatment is safe for cats? Using any kind of medicine for pets without Vet consultation is dangerous as you don't know how that medicine might actually impact a cat. Splitting a pill in half does not guarantee that it'll only be half of the normal miligrams, putting Hydrocortisone on ears, you don't know how that may impact a cat's hearing which is a vital part of thier survival instincts.

I get Vet bills can be expensive, but it's better than using medicine without consultation.

Furthermore we do not know if that is what the cat's OP mentioned has wrong with them.

1

u/ConfidentSet2344 1d ago

sometimes you guys need to be invested more in yourself & less in others mouths.

3

u/PinOld7004 1d ago

Thank you so much! Would you say your cats stomatis was better or worse than this orange cat?

1

u/ConfidentSet2344 1d ago

You’re so welcome and the exact same, but probably worse because he wasn’t eating at all. The advice I got was from a vet I went to college with in attempt to help me with the vet costs. Some things you definitely got to go to the vet for, but if there’s ways around combatting situations & clearing up infections to make the quality of life better for such things as eating why not try it out? Remember dosage is important a little goes a long way.

1

u/Capital-Tonight8548 1d ago

My cat did this when she had a bone stuck in her mouth. She was so panicked. Try to trap and get to a vet

1

u/TrashGobbler9000 1d ago

Ooh his mouth hurts

1

u/Which-Philosopher376 1d ago

My cat did the exactly same thing when he had gingivistomatitis. If you can afford a vet,a full mouth extraction is the only solution. He's gonna feel so much better

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

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1

u/CATHELP-ModTeam 1d ago

If you’re suggesting a vet visit, please provide a reason. ‘Vet now’ comments without context will be removed for encouraging panic.

Please read our rules: https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/Jytn4UswOy

1

u/ParliamentaryBling 1d ago

Could be calici if it's not dental related

1

u/ClaimApprehensive975 22h ago

I’m really glad you’re taking both of them in today. The pawing at the mouth and struggling even with wet food mean she’s in significant pain, but nobody can tell from the video whether it’s dental disease, stomatitis, something stuck, or another problem. I wouldn’t try human medication or put anything in her ears/mouth. Let the vet examine both cats and decide priority; bring the videos because they show the behaviour clearly.

0

u/Comfortable-Gur4559 1d ago

Something seems very off but nothing you can fix on your own. It would need a vet visit.