You obviously want a vet who will discuss your options with you. The
modern anesthesia is called isofluorane. Make sure the vet is
knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge with you. After all,
you are the primary caregiver of your cats and you need to be a partner
in their health care.

We just had the teeth of our 14 year old Burmese cleaned, who is
suffering from chronic renal failure.  There is a connection between
bad teeth and many diseases, and the process seems to have helped his
health, thankfully.  Here is our experience:

First, I would find a vet who specializes in dental work, as ours
does.  Your cat shouldn't have to be knocked out for the initial exam,
unless he won't let the vet get near him.

Our vet requires a full physical before any cat gets their teeth
cleaned.  On the day of the cleaning, the cat was put on an IV for
four hours to flush out his system.  Then blood was taken and
analyzed.  If our cat's blood had still been too toxic for the
anesthesia, the vet would not have performed the procedure.  It is the
anesthetic, of course, that presents the most danger for a cat getting
its teeth cleaned.

Our vet offered two types of anesthesia.  One type would have meant
that kitty stay at the vet overnight.  The other, a bit more expensive
but less invasive to kitty's system, was the kind we went for.  We
were allowed to take him home a few hours after he woke up.

All went well, thankfully, in our case.  It was most definately worth
the worry and expense.  I hope, if you and your vet decide a teeth
cleaning is in order, that you have the great results we've gotten!

dragon