Cat's fang is protruding

[Anonymous]

My 12-year-old cat's fang started sticking out (not at an angle, but vertically over his lower jaw) a week or so ago. It doesn't seem wiggly to me and he seems to be eating and happy. We usually use a a housecall vet. He's generally of the leave-well-enough-alone or do-it-yourself school. So he said it does mean it's loose, and I should just yank it out! That worried me because a) the cat will likely kill me and b) isn't infection a concern?

Has anyone experienced this before? I'm trying to decide if I should take him to a regular animal hospital for extraction and cleaning, which will probably cost $1,000 and isn't really in the budget due to recent large human health bills.

[Anonymous]

If it does not seem to be causing pain and the cat is eating, its probably OK to wait and see. Keep an eye on it and have the vet out if it appears infected or if the cat appears ill or in pain.

[Anonymous]

Time to start calling him Snaggletooth.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine that a vet would recommend pulling a cat's tooth yourself. It's probably time for an office visit with a different vet.

While a dental cleaning isn't cheap, it's not $1000. Ask for a quote ahead of time. You can expect to spend about $350.

[Anonymous]

OP - please - DON'T try to do it yourself. Feline teeth and the tissue surrounding them are nerve-laden and filled with blood vessels. They can easily, easily infect. Please go see a vet if you see signs of discomfort - excessive picking or attention to the site or the tooth, red irritation, rawness, an infection smell, discharge anywhere at all in or adjacent to the mouth, or progression of dental detachment. Please. What you've suggested is HIGHLY hazardous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Time to start calling him Snaggletooth.

Obviously.

[Anonymous]

oh you have a Vampurr cat... cool

[Anonymous]

The gum tissue associated with that tooth is going to desiccate eventually and will become necrotic.

Teeth aren't designed to be exposed to air for prolonged periods

[Anonymous]

My mom's cat had something similar. It ended up being an abscess and the tooth had to be pulled. I would absolutely be concerned about a vet telling me to just yank it myself.

It won't be $1000, but it is still expensive (couple hundred). Look for a low-cost clinic or vet school near you. I did grad school in an agriculture program with a vet school and they did community care one day a week and it was maybe 25-50% of the cost of a normal clinic depending on the issue.