Owners of cats can face many difficulties associated with the health of their pets. For example, one day you may find that a cat lost a tooth. Consider what causes tooth loss. How to protect your pet from this? What measures to take in case of tooth loss in a cat?
The structure of the oral cavity
The jaw of an adult cat consists of 30 teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 4 molars and 10 premolars. 14 teeth are located on the lower jaw, on the upper - 16. This arrangement can be observed in all cats, except for the cheetah.
Whether cats have milk teeth, consider a little lower.
Cat's fangs are used to protect and capture prey. The remaining teeth are needed for grinding food. The right bite for cats is tick-borne, and it is common to all predators.
Gums are mucous folds that cover the jaw and strengthen teeth in the bone cells. In normal condition, they should have a light pink color, but sometimes they can be partially pigmented.
When cats lose their baby teeth
Cats are born without teeth. Only in the second week of life do their milk teeth begin to grow. They are smaller and weaker than indigenous. There are 26 of them.
At what age do cats lose teeth? Their baby teeth begin to change at 5 months. At 7-9 months, the cat completely acquires indigenous.
It often happens that a new molar begins to grow before the milk has fallen out. It’s as if they are stacking each other. There is nothing wrong with this, although it can cause discomfort in the cat. In the end, the milk tooth will still fall out. Also, normal salivation is considered normal during this period. During the change of incisors, the kitten may constantly stick out the tip of the tongue from its mouth.
Typically, kittens do a good job of changing their teeth themselves. However, problems may arise. It is worthwhile to carefully monitor the pet's behavior during this period. If a kitten has inflammation in its mouth, severe bleeding and the baby refuses to eat, it must be urgently shown to a veterinarian.
If you notice that the cat has lost a milk tooth, you should examine the oral cavity for inflammation. During this period, the animal must be provided with a diet with a high content of phosphorus and calcium.
Do cats lose their teeth in old age
One of the main criteria by which you can find out the approximate age of the animal is the condition of its teeth. Over time, the cat's teeth grind. Initially, this happens with incisors, while fangs are erased last. In older cats, the incisors are oval.
Cats should not lose their teeth in old age. If this happens, then something is wrong with the darling. It is worth taking the cat to the veterinarian to determine the cause.
Reasons cats lose teeth
The only natural cause of tooth loss is the change of dairy to molars. So if a cat has a milk tooth, do not worry. All other reasons indicate abnormalities.
First, we highlight the symptoms that may indicate problems with the cat's oral cavity:
- gum disease;
- bleeding gums;
- unpleasant smell from the mouth;
- increased salivation;
- refusal of food;
- tartar.
The following diseases can be distinguished that can cause tooth loss in cats:
- Stomatitis. There is inflammation of the mucous membranes: gums or palate. Without proper treatment, stomatitis passes to the entire oral cavity. Inflammation can also cover the bones of the jaw, resulting in a risk of tooth loss.
- Gingivitis. Gum disease due to bacterial exposure. As a result of it, swelling of the gums occurs, it bleeds and hurts. Running gingivitis can cause periodontitis.
- Periodontitis. As a result of it, inflammation of periodontal tissues occurs. As a result, the alveolar bone is destroyed, and the tooth loosens and falls out.
- Pulpitis. This is an inflammation of the internal soft tissue of the tooth. Because of it, the tooth can fall out, and inflammation can go to the jaw.
- Caries. This is the destruction of hard tooth tissue.
- Periodontitis Appears as a result of periodontal inflammation. As a result, the ligaments holding the tooth become inflamed.
The cause of tooth loss in cats can be diseases of the internal organs. Oral inflammation can be the result of digestive problems. If you suspect a cat is feeling unwell, you must immediately take it to the veterinarian.
Injuries
Frequent, especially in street cats, are injuries, as a result of which they lose their teeth. There are many cases when a jaw fracture occurs in cats. It can happen from a strong blow, such as a blow from a car, with a stone, stick, hand or foot.
If the cat lost a tooth as a result of any injury, it is urgent to show it to the veterinarian. Tooth loss is not so bad. However, the animal can be injured much more than it seems at first glance.
Cat prosthetics
Prosthetics is also used in veterinary medicine. Often dentures are given to cats participating in exhibitions so that they do not lose their grades. But it is worth considering the disadvantages that arise due to prosthetics:
- tooth enamel is often grinded to cats, which increases the chances of tooth decay;
- prostheses can injure the gums and palate of cats, which can result in inflammation;
- implants and pins can take root poorly;
- prosthetics in cats is a rather expensive undertaking.
Thus, if the missing tooth does not cause the pet any particular discomfort, prostheses can do even more harm than good. Use them only makes sense from an aesthetic point of view.
Prevention
It is important to monitor the condition of the cat's mouth. In the presence of inflammation, bleeding, dental caries or stone, it is worth taking the pet to the veterinarian.
Cats need to brush their teeth. It is advisable to carry out the procedure once a month. There are special toothpastes and brushes for cats. Use of funds intended for people is prohibited. It’s better to train a cat to this procedure since childhood.
Although many people find dry food harmful to cats, good food is not only beneficial in composition. Another advantage is that solid foods remove plaque and stone well from the teeth of cats. There are special feeds that are created to clean them from plaque. These include tooth enamel strengthening ingredients.
When tartar is formed, it must be removed. The veterinarian should do this once or twice a year.
Proper nutrition
Proper nutrition is one of the most important criteria for good cat health.
A good, balanced dry food is extremely beneficial for a cat's mouth. He removes plaque, strengthens teeth. However, it is worth considering that it is useful only for cats with a healthy oral cavity. If there are sores or inflammation in the mouth, solid dental food will only hurt.
It was noted that in cats that ate only soft food, more plaque forms. Therefore, it is important that animals consume not only soft foods. It is advisable to feed cats with a dry to wet ratio of three to one. Premium and super premium feeds contain all the vitamins and minerals necessary for good pet health.
Separately, it is worth noting that kittens should not be fed with adult foods. Typically, special kitten foods contain more calcium and phosphorus. This allows the bone system to be better formed, including the teeth.
There are medicinal feeds, including those intended for cats with oral problems.
If, by coincidence, the cat has lost his teeth, do not despair. Moustached-striped need them not for chewing. Cats choke and tear their prey with them. Thus, cats do not chew food as much as humans do. In the esophagus, they get quite large pieces. However, a cat with lost teeth needs only soft food. It is advisable to feed such an animal with canned food or pre-soak in dry water.
Thus, if a cat has a tooth loss, do not panic. You should know that kittens between the ages of five and nine months lose their milk teeth. If the animal is older, only the veterinarian will be able to answer the question why the cat had a tooth loss.