Are Your Cat's Teeth Putting Its Kidneys At Risk?
When you think about your cat having tooth problems, you probably think of decay, gum disease, and bad breath. Unfortunately, most pets develop dental problems by age three, and this condition could potentially hurt far more than your cat's mouth. If you think your cat might have oral health issues, or if you just want to do what's best for their overall health, here's what you need to know about the connection between their teeth and kidneys.
Kidney Damage
Cats can develop kidney disease due to genetic factors, but it's often due to damage done to the kidneys. This can happen in a variety of ways, like physically traumatic injuries, dehydration, or from an infection. Infections and tissue damage are where your cat's oral health comes into play, and, believe it or not, poor health in the mouth could potentially cause problems for your cat's kidneys.
Bacteria Theory
Scientists and veterinarians believe that the bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease could potentially be hurting cats' kidneys. The theory here is that bacteria can traverse through the bloodstream after entering your cat's gums. Once there, it can migrate to the kidneys, where the bacteria can cause tissue damage, inflammation, swelling, and ultimately tissue death. When inflammation occurs, scar tissue often develops. This is the first phase of kidney damage, as scar tissue limits how effectively your cat's kidneys can function. If the problem isn't rectified, the damage will become worse until the kidneys are ultimately at risk of failing.
What to Do
Kidney failure is a chronic and incurable condition in cats, and options that humans use like dialysis aren't possible. This means that you should do everything you can to help protect your cat from developing kidney disease and that includes taking good care of their oral health. If your cat doesn't have their teeth brushed regularly, now is the best time to start. Doing so will slow down the development of bacteria and plaque, which will boost your cat's oral health.
In addition, you need to take your cat in for regular deep cleanings with your veterinarian. Just like humans, cats need to have their gums taken care of, and their teeth deep cleaned regularly. Your vet will handle this by putting your cat under with general anesthesia and will then perform the cleaning. Your cat won't feel a thing, and if any issues are found, like cavities, your vet will take care of it while they're at it.
Cats need dental cleanings and regular dental maintenance at home. Protect your cat from pain in the mouth and potentially severe, permanent damage to the kidneys and start seeing a vet, such as one at Acequia Animal Hospital, regularly for dental cleanings.
