Dental extraction is one of the most common surgical procedures in companion cats and the welfare of the recovery period requires specific pain management and monitoring.
Dental extraction welfare in cats depends heavily on appropriate pain management during and after the procedure. Inadequately anaesthetised or analgesia-supported extraction causes acute suffering during surgery and significant post-operative pain that prevents eating and normal behaviour. When properly managed with pre-emptive analgesia, local nerve blocks, and appropriate post-operative pain relief, cats typically recover rapidly with dramatically improved quality of life compared to their pre-treatment pain state. The welfare benefit of extracting chronically painful teeth - including full mouth extraction for stomatitis - often represents transformation from months of chronic oral pain to comfortable eating within days.