Without Teeth
by Scott Hardie on December 12, 2007
Turns out I'm not the only one in this household in need of medical attention. I took my cat to the vet for an eye infection, wound up getting her a $500 physical since she's overdue, and the doctor wants to pull her teeth in a few weeks for another $400. He says her teeth and gums are impossibly infected and there's nothing else that can be done now. They don't make little kitty dentures (yet) so this is a pretty big step, and the doc almost seemed offended when I said I'd like to seek a second opinion before signing up.
This same thing happened five years ago in Tampa: A vet had trouble treating her gum infection with antibiotics, so he finally insisted the only step left was to pull her teeth out. I took the cat to second vet who gave her different antibiotics, and a week later she was fine, and she stayed fine until now. Maybe I should drive her back to Tampa to see that vet again? At least her eye is recovering.
Four Replies to Without Teeth
Amy Austin | December 13, 2007
My goodness, they are quick on the surgical procedures in your neck of the woods, huh?
My thoughts, too... poor kitty.
Jackie Mason | December 13, 2007
[hidden by author request]
Steve West | December 15, 2007
Perhaps you can cheer up kitty with a Christmas song. Might I suggest one of the following:
1. Claw the Halls
2. Away in a Litter Box
3. Joy, To the Catnip
4. Feline Navidad
5. I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus
6. Frosty, the Furball
7. Oh, Come All Ye Fishful
8. Oh! Scratching Post
Merry Christmas Kitty!
Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
No R'lyeh, I'm Not a Fan
I never thought of myself as a fan of H.P. Lovecraft. I don't think I've read more than a couple of his short stories. Go »R.I.P. Pat
Kelly's mother passed away last week. The event had been anticipated for decades: Pat was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, suffered kidney failure in 1995 and survived on her brother's donated kidney, and had five strokes and five heart attacks and countless operations, including emergency brain surgery in 2007 that changed her personality. She obviously possessed quite an inner resiliency even if she seemed petite and frail on the outside, but it was inevitable that she would someday lose the fight with her own body. Go »Dodgy
"Is that a Dodge Dakota pickup truck? I heard that Native American tribe is really upset at the commercialization of their name." "Yeah. Go »R.I.P. Mom
You were so still in your bed when I could finally sit down beside you, a few hours after the facility notified me that you had died. I hadn't seen you be that peaceful in years, your eyes not scanning the room for clues, your hands not turning over each object in front of you for endlessly repeated examination. I whispered to you the most urgent and most precious things I had to say, the secrets and atonements and wishes foremost on my mind. Go »Not-So-Confidential to My Gaming Group
I started writing this out in an email reply to John Gunter, but I guess it should be shared. I miss gaming with you guys, but I'm on the fence about continuing. I like each of you guys a great deal, but when we're together I just don't feel the click of a connection like I used to. Go »
Anna Gregoline | December 12, 2007
Poor baby! Why does your poor cat have so many problems?!?! That doesn't seem fair.
I would hesitate to change a cat's quality of life that fast - all the teeth GONE? My goodness, they are quick on the surgical procedures in your neck of the woods, huh?
And a proper doctor, methinks, wouldn't be offended by someone getting a second opinion.