Expert: Ali - 11/28/2009

Question
My cat lost his top eye tooth during the summer.  Now he has an abcess like sore on his top lip caused I assume from the bottom eye tooth.  Do I need to have the bottom eye tooth pulled or is there something else that can be done?

Answer
Tina,

Unfortunately I'm not a veterinarian so I'm unable to offer a diagnosis or make treatment recommendations, but after reading your brief history and explanation of the problem your kitty is having it sounds to me that your kitty should really see a vet ASAP to ensure that there's nothing more serious going on than some minor irritation around his mouth. The fact that your kitty's canine tooth has been gone so long makes me wonder if he might have some other issue happening such as an Eosinophilic granuloma (aka Rodent Ulcer, don't worry they've got nothing to do with rodents, these ulcers happen when the cat's immune system attacks the tissues around his/her mouth) which can look pretty angry and generally occurs around the lips and/or mouth of cats. This is a painful condition so seeking prompt veterinary care is in your kitty's best interests just in case this is what's happening.

If your kitty does need treatment I would encourage you to consider holistic care, preferably with a veterinary practitioner who uses homeopathy in his/her practice. I realize that science is skeptical when it comes to how effective homeopathy is, but I have to say that I have no doubts about its effectiveness, homeopathy saved the life of my eldest cat. The beauty of using homeopathic remedies either instead of or in conjunction with conventional treatments is that rather than suppressing symptoms the right remedy cures them. If you give the wrong remedy the absolute worst that will happen is absolutely NOTHING! The same can't be said of conventional drugs. I can send you more information about homeopathy and its use in veterinary medicine if you're interested.

My eldest cat had the majority of her teeth pulled years ago and she initially developed a slight amount of irritation that eventually developed into a callous on her lip where the remaining canine tooth was coming into contact with her lip. Your choice of words suggests that your kitty's lip is pretty angry looking and there are other potential explanations for what might be going on beyond irritation related to a remaining canine tooth rubbing on his lips. Your vet may decide that antibiotics would be a good plan if the area looks as angry as you describe. I wish you luck and I'd really be interested to hear what your vet diagnoses and recommends if you're able to find the time to send me an update. If you have any further kitty related questions or concerns I'd be more than happy to help you out to the best of my ability.