Cat Dentistry in Manchester
We are now accepting dental referrals from other practices.
If you are a veterinary surgeon and would like to refer a cat for dentistry, please email a copy of their medical records, including the client's contact details, to hello@manchestercatclinic.co.uk with the subject "Dental Referral". Your patient will be treated by Daniel Lee, who has a special interest in feline dentistry and experience dealing with complex cases such as severe gingivostomatitis. A full report including dental x-rays will be sent back to you.
Why does my cat need a dental procedure?
Dental disease is one of the most common health conditions we see in cats, and includes a variety of conditions. If we have advised that your cat needs a dental, it is because we have seen one of the following conditions on examination…
FORLs (Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions) are a common cause of tooth loss and pain in cats. They are caused by odontoclasts (the cells which normally dissolve the roots of deciduous (baby) teeth before they fall out), which in some cats can malfunction and start destroying parts of the adult teeth. Often they can only be seen using dental x-rays. Affected teeth need to be removed, as otherwise they can be very painful.
Broken teeth are often caused by FORLs but can also be caused by trauma. Fractured teeth should be removed as the exposed pulp can be painful and develop dental abscesses.
Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) is common in cats who have a buildup of tartar (plaque), or who have previously had calicivirus (one of the types of cat flu). Sometimes the inflammation in the mouth is so severe, it is called gingivostomatitis (this literally means inflammation of the mouth and gums). Various treatments are used for this condition but in some circumstances it is appropriate to remove some or all of the teeth.
Tartar should be removed using an ultrasonic scaler to prevent further disease, similar to a human visiting the dental hygienist.
Why come to Manchester Cat Clinic for feline dentistry?
The most important thing to consider when choosing a vet for your cat's dental care is the availability and quality of dental x-ray facilities. Many practices don't have dental x-ray at all, while some have low quality equipment which takes a long time to get poorer views.
At Manchester Cat Clinic, we have a special interest in dentistry and have invested in a cat-specific digital dental x-ray setup used by dental specialists. This equipment allows us to get high-quality full mouth x-rays in only a few minutes, reducing the time your cat needs to be anaesthetised and enabling us to accurately and efficiently detect causes of dental pain
What does cat dental work involve?
Admit appointment
On the morning of the dental procedure, your cat will have an admit appointment with the vet or veterinary nurse. You will have been instructed to starve your cat from midnight the night before so that they have an empty stomach before the anaesthetic. Please ensure they have constant access to fresh water. If your cat is on medication, check with the vet whether it should be given on the morning of the appointment or not. At the admit appointment, we will ensure you understand the procedure and any risks involved. You will be asked to sign a consent form. Please ensure that the person bringing your cat to the appointment is able to answer our questions and sign the paperwork.
Anaesthesia & monitoring
Your cat will get settled into our quiet ward with state-of-the-art cat kennels. If we haven’t recently checked your cat’s bloods, we will do this to screen for liver and kidney disease before administering an anaesthetic. They will be given pain relief and sedatives by our vets and nurses, and their anaesthetic will be closely monitored by our skilled RVNs (Registered Veterinary Nurses).
Dental procedure
The teeth are fully cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler, inspected visually and charted. We take full mouth x-rays to be able to fully assess for the presence of any FORLs. If extractions are required, they are often undertaken under the same anaesthetic. Occasionally cats needing multiple extractions have a staged procedure, where we do some of the dental work on the first visit and complete the rest under a second visit a couple of weeks later. This is best practice because two shorter anaesthetics carry less overall risk than one very long anaesthetic. We sometimes place thin dissolvable sutures in the gum after extractions.
Recovery
Your cat will be closely monitored during recovery by our nursing team, and go home in the afternoon. If they have had extractions, we will provide pain relief and explain how to administer this at the discharge appointment. We will then typically do two free follow up checks at 3-5 day intervals.
Example dental chart
How much does dental work cost?
At Manchester Cat Clinic, we aim to keep our pricing straightforward. Many of our procedures, including dental work, are fixed cost packages. All dental services include a general anaesthetic, IV fluids, ultrasonic scale cleaning and full mouth x-rays. Surgical procedures with extractions include take-home pain relief and two post-op nurse checks.
Dental band 1: Dental cleaning and x-rays £295
Dental band 2: Dental cleaning, x-rays, dental surgery with up to 4 extractions £595
Dental band 3: Dental cleaning, x-rays, dental surgery with up to 8 extractions £895
Dental band 4: Major dental surgery with total or near-total mouth extractions £1295
Band 4 can be staged in two halves on different days to avoid prolonged GA time. Includes both stages if required.
If your cat has not had blood tests to check their kidney function in the last 3 months, we will also run pre-anaesthetic bloods on the morning of the procedure, which costs £75.
Will my pet insurance cover the cost?
Some pet insurance companies (eg. Petplan) cover dental work, but many don't. It may be sensible to speak to your pet insurance company before booking in to check whether they will cover the cost so you can make arrangements for how you will cover your bill if your insurance won’t. We advise all clients who are taking out a new policy to look for an insurance provider who will cover for dental care, as it is very likely that your cat will need some dental work at some stage in their life.
How do I book in?
Speak to our reception team via telephone (0161 464 5545) or email (hello@manchestercatclinic.co.uk) and they will arrange an appointment on a day that is convenient for you.
