Ask the vets

Friday,  February 10, 2006

Brushing your cat’s teeth is the best way to maintain their oral health

My neighbour brushes her cat’s teeth almost every day! I’ve never thought about doing this to my own cat “Sebastian”. He is 17 years old and may not take to brushing in his old age. Are there any other alternatives to brushing his teeth?

Wow! You’ve got a very committed cat owner as a neighbour!

Recent studies have shown that the most effective means of plaque control is daily brushing of the teeth with a soft-bristled brush. Now, this can seem a lot easier than done, and certainly I wouldn’t recommend it without first getting the cat’s teeth examined by a veterinarian.

Homecare can be harmful and painful to a cat that has cavities, fractures or periodontal disease. A complete oral exam by a veterinarian will ensure that the cat does not have any serious oral problems.

Once the cat has been assessed, and the go-ahead has been given for homecare, you can start brushing away! 

There are a few pastes on the market, which are flavoured for cats. Some are salmon flavoured or even chicken flavoured. They have special enzyme action to help prevent tartar and plaque. 

You can trick your cat into liking the toothbrush by putting a small amount of paste on the brush and letting him lick it off. Then you can graduate in time to actual brushing. Some people will even train their animals to use electric toothbrushes!

For those that are unable to brush (not all cats are keen having their mouths pried open and poked at), there are a number of alternative products on the market, which can help to keep the teeth clean and fresh smelling. 

Unfortunately nothing replaces daily brushing, so the others are only second best, but for some cats, this can be better than nothing! First there are some oral rinses on available such as Maxiguard, which you spray into the mouth daily. Most of these products contain antibacterial agents such as chlorihexidine and will help to prevent plaque and tartar build up. 

Some cats really resent having you spray anything into their mouth, so this route is not for everyone. There are some “teeth” diets on the market than can also prevent tartar build up.

Hill’s (the makers of Science Diet) have a diet on the market called T/D, which is available at your local veterinary office. The size of the kibbles is quite large, and thus they must be chewed and not swallowed whole. As the teeth sink into the kibble the fibers in the food gently abrade the tooth surface thereby removing plaque. 

For a lot of cat owners, this may be the best and less frustrating alternative to brushing. 

As far as chew toys and treats go, there are plenty on the market, but unfortunately there are only a few at this point in time that have been proven to significantly reduce plaque and tartar build up. 

Certainly we all must be aware of savvy marketing ads, which lead us to believe that a product is beneficial for our pet’s teeth. If a company has a product which they feel is of benefit to a dog and/or cat, they can apply to the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) for their seal of approval. 

This makes it much easier for the consumer to find out what products are actually advantageous to their pet’s oral health. If you would like to see a list of approved products, go to their website at www.vohc.org.

Just a reminder that February is International Dental Health month. Get your pet’s teeth checked out by your veterinarian and start brushing! 

If you would like to ask Dr Lana or Dr Tiffany a question please e-mail your enquiry to:

Askthevets@caymannetnews.com

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