Finding A Great Veterinarian

Finding out that your cat has dental problems can be disturbing. Unfortunately, some pet parents don't know that their cat has dental problems, while others ignore the problem instead of getting the veterinary help that the cat needs. However, doing this will not only put your cat at risk of losing teeth and causing pain, but it can also trigger other health conditions down the road. Here are three major health issues that have been tied to poor dental health in cats.

Heart Disease

Protecting the heart of any living being is important, but luckily, cats usually spend a lot of time playing and moving around, which can help to prevent heart disease. However, if your cat has dental health problems, they may end up with heart disease anyway.

Heart disease seems to be more common in cats with poor oral health. It's believed that this is due to the bacteria involved in causing gum disease and cavities. The gums are connected to the rest of the body's blood supply, which means bacteria has a way into the circulatory system. If that bacteria travels to the heart, it can attack the sensitive tissues there, creating inflammation and damage. In turn, this can cause scarring and heart problems.

Breathing Problems

Most cats breathe through their noses the majority of the time, but like people, they also breathe through their mouths. You may have seen your cat doing this while panting, or even while sniffing something interesting to them, as they have scent receptors they can only access by breathing through their mouth. 

Unfortunately, this gives bacteria a way of getting into the lungs directly. While a healthy, young cat may not develop breathing problems like a respiratory infection from gum disease, older cats or those with weakened immune systems could end up getting sick. Not being able to breathe well due to conditions like bronchitis and pneumonia can quickly become life-threatening in cats.

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is a fatal condition, as there are no known cures for it in cats at this time. Unfortunately, it's suggested that up to 30% of cats over the age of 10 will end up developing kidney disease in their lifetime, and the exact causes aren't entirely understood.

One possible factor leading to kidney disease, however, is poor oral health. Just like with the heart, bacteria can travel to the kidneys and cause scarring and tissue damage. This makes the kidneys less effective at their job of filtering dangerous substances out of the blood. While it's not a guarantee that your cat will be saved from kidney disease by caring for their teeth adequately, it can potentially reduce the risk.

More than ever, associations between infections, chronic inflammation, and disease are being discovered in animals and people. If you know that your cat has bad teeth, gums, or bad breath, or you just want to ensure that they don't, visit a vet for a dental exam and cleaning. Your cat may live a longer, healthier life for it.