Poor Squijum

That's an IV site on his arm.

Don't worry, it wasn't anything too major. He just had his teeth cleaned. But for a cat, this is a much bigger deal than for us, because they have to have general anesthesia. Because of Squijum's past dental problems, this is something he will have to do every year. Luckily, he never has a bad reaction to anesthesia, and his generally sweet and friendly disposition makes it easy for the vet to do what she needs to do before he goes under.

I never did manage to get him to accept having his teeth brushed, as you can see in the "before" picture below. Look how yellow the back tooth is, and the gum below it is pretty inflamed. The vet did warn me this was likely; the corresponding upper tooth is the one that was pulled last year, so now this tooth has nothing to grind against.

I think the underlying problem is I couldn't find a toothpaste he could tolerate the taste of. You'd think they could make feline toothpastes in flavors that felines enjoy. I really would like to be able to brush his teeth. I've seen so many human patients with brain abscesses that started out as dental abscesses (and yes, I do realize that working where I work does lead me to always imagine the worst case scenario), and studies in humans also correlate good dental health with good heart health. I'm sure it can't be that different in cats; we are all mammals, after all. Gian, do you think you could have a word with him about getting his teeth brushed?

On the upside, his x-rays looked great, so hopefully we can avoid any more extractions. And the rest of his health is perfect.