Fear of Vet!

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chatnoir - 19 Apr 2007 23:35 GMT

Let me see, In Jan. Zapata came down with Hypertrophic
Cardiomyopathy! In Feb. Pancho Villa was set for Teeth Cleaning! The
pre-exam showed blood in the Urine! Seems Pancho has stones in the
Kidney and Urinary Bladder! Now Juliet is due for teeth cleaning! I
have some great trepidation in Bringing Juliet in! No telling what
the blood workup will show for Juliet!

Someone had dumped some turpentine and other gunk on my property a few
years ago; but the Vets insist that these conditions are common in
cats! I argued about two cats being sick at the same time; but they
say its genetics!

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Cheryl - 20 Apr 2007 02:23 GMT

> Let me see, In Jan. Zapata came down with Hypertrophic
> Cardiomyopathy! In Feb. Pancho Villa was set for Teeth
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> common in cats! I argued about two cats being sick at the same
> time; but they say its genetics!

When you say "due for teeth cleaning" does that mean by the
calendar, or does she have gingivitis or some other obvious mouth
issue? I'd get the bloodwork done and if it isn't healthy, I'd
skip the dental if she has no mouth issues. If she has mouth
issues, I'd ask the vet the risk of anesthesia and make sure they
use the safest one (ie, one that she hasn't reacted poorly to in
the past) if the dental must be done.

Genetics does account for many health issues. Most people just
don't know the family history of their cats unless they are
purebred.

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Cheryl

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chatnoir - 20 Apr 2007 02:43 GMT

> > Let me see, In Jan. Zapata came down with Hypertrophic
> > Cardiomyopathy! In Feb. Pancho Villa was set for Teeth
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> calendar, or does she have gingivitis or some other obvious mouth
> issue?

Vet said it was needed last exam - Tartar Buijd up!

I'd get the bloodwork done and if it isn't healthy, I'd

> skip the dental if she has no mouth issues. If she has mouth
> issues, I'd ask the vet the risk of anesthesia and make sure they
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> --
> Cheryl

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Cheryl - 20 Apr 2007 02:54 GMT

On Thu 19 Apr 2007 09:43:35p, chatnoir wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav <news:1177033415.772218.12130
@d57g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>:

> Vet said it was needed last exam - Tartar Buijd up!

This might sound gross, but tartar can be scraped off with your
fingernail. My old vet used to do that to Shamrock. As long as there
was no bleeding or inflamation of the gums, she had no problem just
scraping them. She did that during a normal regular visit.

I understand how stressful it is to even think that bloodwork is
going to turn something up, especially since you've been through so
much. It's better to know earlier than later.

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Cheryl

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chatnoir - 20 Apr 2007 12:11 GMT

> On Thu 19 Apr 2007 09:43:35p, chatnoir wrote in
> rec.pets.cats.health+behav <news:1177033415.772218.12130
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> fingernail. My old vet used to do that to Shamrock. As long as there
> was no bleeding or inflamation of the gums,

Yea, that is what they have! I tried the scrape method with Zapata
and he ended up loosing the right side of his upper teeth! Besides
Zapata, Pancho Villa abd Juliet were all rescue cats from pet shops!
All have been neglected and abused during some part of their lives!
So, like in Juliet's case, she likes to be petted a lot and sit in the
lap! A pickup and examination of the teeth is out of the question as
she goes balistic!

The two replacement kittens for Zapata, may he rest in peace, were
rescued from the wild and brought up by animal rescue people! The
best cats ever and they view themselves as cats not humans!

she had no problem just

> scraping them. She did that during a normal regular visit.
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> --
> Cheryl

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Lynne - 20 Apr 2007 15:43 GMT

on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 01:54:27 GMT, Cheryl <jlhshadow@NOSPAMhotmail.com>
wrote:

> This might sound gross, but tartar can be scraped off with your
> fingernail. My old vet used to do that to Shamrock. As long as there
> was no bleeding or inflamation of the gums, she had no problem just
> scraping them. She did that during a normal regular visit.

This doesn't take care of tarter build up under the gumline, though. If
there is significant tarter build up that you can see, chances are very
good there is more that you can't see.

Also, it is inadviseable to scrape the teeth of cats with any kind of
heart problem at home. Bacteria in the mouth can get into the
bloodstream with any gum injury (which will usually happen with dental
manipulation). That can lead to bacterial endocarditis in a cat with
existing heart problems, and is why prophylactic antibiotics are given to
those cats prior to dentals.

Signature

Lynne

"We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly
We are brave enough to bend to cry
And sad enough to know
We must laugh again"

~ Nikki Giovanni, 4/17/2007, Virginia Tech

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Cheryl - 21 Apr 2007 21:52 GMT

> This doesn't take care of tarter build up under the gumline,
> though. If there is significant tarter build up that you can
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> prophylactic antibiotics are given to those cats prior to
> dentals.

You are right, of course. Consider me corrected. :)

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Cheryl

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Lynne - 22 Apr 2007 00:44 GMT

on Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:52:39 GMT, Cheryl <jlhshadow@NOSPAMhotmail.com>
wrote:

> You are right, of course. Consider me corrected. :)

I don't think you were incorrect in anything you posted. I was just
elaborating in case anyone thought that might be okay for every cat.
Maybe your old vet didn't know any better? Or maybe Shamrock's teeth
just weren't that bad.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the dentist, and rarely go myself. I once
went 8 years between visits until I broke a tooth and went ahead and
scheduled a cleaning while I was going to be there. The hygenist said my
teeth looked great (except the broken one) and that she never would have
guessed I didn't have them professionally cleaned on a regular basis.
Some people and some cats just don't have problems with tarter. Maybe
Shamrock's teeth just weren't that bad.

Signature

Lynne

"We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly
We are brave enough to bend to cry
And sad enough to know
We must laugh again"

~ Nikki Giovanni, 4/17/2007, Virginia Tech

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chatnoir - 20 Apr 2007 12:50 GMT

> > Let me see, In Jan. Zapata came down with Hypertrophic
> > Cardiomyopathy! In Feb. Pancho Villa was set for Teeth
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> --
> Cheryl

Well the toxicologist I talked to said that turpentine does cause
abnormal cell growth! As to specific abnornal tissue growth to cause
the heart problem, he said it was not really studied! He said that
saying that genetics or toxics causes a problem is just saying, we
don't really know! He asked me if my cat watering dishes were in any
way flexable! If they were, he said the flexabiity is caused by
Plasticizers! They are know to leach out into water! Not really
studied that much, but they have been know to affect the heart! Even
though the plastic industry has a big canpaign on about how safe usch
as DEHA os on plastics, it has not been that tested!

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