Tips for feline dental care
By Peter Lopatin for WebVet
Feline dental health is an integral part of cat health. Properly brushing your cat's teeth is the most effective means of removing plaque and thereby preventing gum disease and periodontitis in your cat. Brook Niemiec, DVM, a board-certified veterinary specialist, calls it the “gold standard” of feline home dental care, on his Web site. Niemiec offers these specific suggestions:
- Start young. If you introduce your cat to brushing at an early age - Niemiec suggests about 5 months - it will become part of its daily routine.
- Take things slow and easy. It may take several weeks to actually get your cat to the brushing stage.
- Begin by just gently handling your cat’s mouth for short periods.
- Make the process fun. The best way to do that is to link tooth brushing to food. If you do it just before dinner, your cat will actually be excited to see the toothbrush.
- Use a toothbrush especially designed for cats.
- Don’t use human toothpaste; it will make your cat sick. Cat toothpastes are widely available. Ask your vet.
- Brush your cat's teeth using a circular motion with the toothbrush held at a 45-degree angle to the gum line.
- Use tooth brushing as an opportunity to look for the early signs of periodontal disease in your cat: bleeding, redness and inflammation of the gums.
Also, check out the various tartar control chews and biscuits now available. Look for those that have the Veterinary Oral Health Council® Seal Of Acceptance.
Finally, remember: With cats as with people, home dental care is an addition to, not a substitute for, periodic professional dental examinations and cleanings.
Reviewed by Amy I. Attas, V.M.D.
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Article last reviewed - 10/14/2009
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