My senior cat is losing weight with severe tooth pain. What can I do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Merri. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I worry that the extraction sites are either not healing well or are painful to her. Her veterinarian will examine her mouth and see of an infection os present. Antibiotics or pain medication may be prescribed. In the meantime, continue offering soft foods to encourage her to eat. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to cats. I hope this information helps!

Please do NOT give Willy any more children's tylenol! It is extremely toxic to cats, and can be fatal if given. You will need to watch him for signs of tylenol toxicity, which includes brown colored gums, labored breathing, swollen face and neck, vomiting, low body temperature, jaundice, and coma. If you see any of those signs, Willy has to see a vet immediately, as it is a medical emergency and it fatal without treatment. There are no safe OTC pain relievers you can give him, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He has to see a vet as soon as possible for his tooth pain, and I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/

Wet food actually helps cats lose weight. It has a higher moisture content, so it takes more of it to give a cat their daily caloric requirements I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow. In a senior cat, this weight loss can not only be caused by dental problems, but also diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or cancer. I recommend having a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to diagnose what is causing his weight loss. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options.

You need to take your cat into a vet now for treatment. You cannot give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Not eating is extremely serious, as it will lead to a fatty liver if he goes long enough without food. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. Please bring him into a vet immediately.

Hi. Toothless is a cutie. If he is having halitosis (bad breath) and you can see a broken doscolored tooth he should see a vet. There is a good chance he may need a dental COHAT (comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment) which will include extraction of broken or diseases teeth. The odor you are noticing is likely due to infection. If you've ever had a tooth ache, you know Toothless is hurting! He will feel so much better once his teeth are treated. If you I'd another question please repost. It didn't come through on this one.

In an older cat, my first thought would be dental disease. This would be painful for Krinkle, cause him to eat less, and subsequent weight loss. It could also be that he has diabetes, kidney failure, or hyperthyroidism. Having him seen by a vet this week is a good idea. I hope this helps!

Hi there, Weight loss, hair pulling, and teeth grinding are all signs of serious disease and/or pain. I would be suspicious of something metabolic (like hyperthyroid disease) or cancerous with the weight loss and continued eating. I would expect this to continue to worsen without treatment and it already sounds like his quality of life is already in decline. Euthanasia would be a very kind option to prevent suffering. This website is helpful to many people making this decision: https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/ I'm so sorry you're making this decision right now. My thoughts will be with you and Hodges.