Disappearing cat face

Re: Disappearing cat face

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:30:23 GMT

Not criticising the original poster or anyone else, but developing the discussion with the benefit of hindsight:

Radiography at the time of the original surgery would have been very valuable. It would have shown bone abnormalities and of course have confirmed that no root fragments were retained.

Intra-oral radiographs are immensely useful and give so much more information than the "DV and Lateral". One can just about gain the same information, if dental size films or sensors are not available, with full-size plates placed cornerwise in the mouth and ingenious open-mouth oblique extra-oral views.

Re: Disappearing cat face

Rachel Perry — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:01:36 GMT

This definitely looks like neoplasia, and if I had to put money on it I'd bet SCC. I've seen numerous cases , like this and as Evelyn says, it's always suspicious when teeth come out easily. Palliation is a good idea, and an interesting paper in JSAP a few years ago found a slightly increased survival time for those given NSAIDs after diagnosis. Either way it's looking grim, but pain relief in the meantime is a good idea, I always think it's better to play safe and give them the benefit of the doubt.

I have seen MANY root remnants cause HUGE problems in cats, and without radiographic follow up I don't think they can be dismissed as insignificant, but that's another thread.

Interesting case though, no so good for the cat.

Re: Disappearing cat face

james herriot lied — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:23:42 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

This is bang on neoplasia, and any bone lysis is exceedingly painful, whether or not the cat is apparently showing pain - why would it be gulping its food down as described?

[/quote]

Completely onside with your view, David - although the gulping was prior to dental, and ended with it. Since then, even with the ongoing issues, cat has been completely normal, eating normally and well and displaying completely normal behaviours. Pain relief has effected no change at all. I'm more of the opinion that we should use pain relief even in the absence of signs, but it doesn't change the fact that this really doesn't seem to be a painful condition.

Re: Disappearing cat face

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:39:20 GMT

Cancer, betcha.

Always be very suspicious when a number of teeth come out very easily.

Re: Disappearing cat face

Utlendigur — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:25:34 GMT

Would it be worth a change of antibiotic if an osteomyelitis secondary to dental disease is a possibility. Just wondering because of some CPD I did a few months back of feline stomatitis that said that quite often cultures from those cases were resistant to clindamycin, so they tended to recommend synulox (although they were finding some resistant to that also). Must admit it looks like neoplasia though

Re: Disappearing cat face

David Mills — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:19:22 GMT

This is bang on neoplasia, and any bone lysis is exceedingly painful, whether or not the cat is apparently showing pain - why would it be gulping its food down as described?

Think this needs a PM diagnosis.

Re: Disappearing cat face

james herriot lied — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:03:21 GMT

Thanks for the replies. Just to be clear, it's been about two months since dental - but the bone edges, which may not have come out particularly clearly on a reduced-definition photo of an xray, seem a little rounded for such an amount of lysis and resorption, even within that time. My thoughts are that the canines came out easily because the alveolar bone was already receding. Interestinglt, the mandible's not completely normal - the oblique views (which don't add much to what the above rad shows) reveal the right mandible to be affected.

Buty why no pain?

Re: Disappearing cat face

James Laidlaw — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:43:50 GMT

I have seen tooth root remnants cause quite serious inflammatory problems in cats - wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them. Sure the dentists would have more experience and likely agree... In this case I'd be thinking neoplasia though, I wouldn't expect a root remnant to cause this degree of change and lysis in 1 week. I certainly wouldn't think this would be "operator error".

Re: Disappearing cat face

Charlotte Marshall — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:04:18 GMT

I agree neoplasia most likely. I have seen a tooth root remnant cause a problem in a dog but not in cats.

Re: Disappearing cat face

Mark Holmes — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:01:47 GMT

Never seen a tooth root cause a problem (11 years) seen plenty of early neoplasia present as dental dz. My money on neoplasia.

Re: Disappearing cat face

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:38:37 GMT

I await my red star but a root left behind is usually of no consequence.

My money is on neoplasia. If it was me (and since my stars are going red for ^) I'd give some Depo and see.

Re: Disappearing cat face

james herriot lied — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:20:39 GMT

Should have mentioned also, no evidence of renal hyperparathyroidism either.....