Companion Animals

Companion Cat Feline Tooth Resorption

Management of feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions and welfare of affected cats.

Key Facts

Tooth resorption affects over 50% of cats over 5 years old
Lesions cause severe pain as the sensitive dentine becomes exposed
Affected teeth cannot be restored and must be extracted for welfare relief
Cats often continue eating despite significant pain from resorptive lesions
Annual dental radiography enables detection of resorptive lesions not visible clinically

Welfare Considerations

Tooth resorption causes significant chronic oral pain in cats that is frequently undetected without dental radiography, making annual dental radiography a welfare priority in adult cats.

What You Can Do

Request dental radiography at your cat's annual dental check-up
Do not delay tooth extraction for teeth with resorptive lesions
Schedule dental assessments annually for cats over 5 years old