Do dental treats actually work?

[mxphs]

Wanting to ask about this to owners who've fed their cats these in the long term.

They seem a bit too good to be true, nothing would be as good as brushing. Unfortunately, not an option for my cat as he is so hung strung and wont' let you do anything to him. I really wanted to do brushing as i am a stickler for dental health for myself, but its justnot gonna happen. What are your experiences with your cats and dental treats?

 

[iPappy]

Wanting to ask about this to owners who've fed their cats these in the long term.

They seem a bit too good to be true, nothing would be as good as brushing. Unfortunately, not an option for my cat as he is so hung strung and wont' let you do anything to him. I really wanted to do brushing as i am a stickler for dental health for myself, but its justnot gonna happen. What are your experiences with your cats and dental treats?

IME, dental treats can help keep tartar to a minimum on already good teeth but do very little to actually remove plaque. But some cats really enjoy them anyway, and I figure they do no harm!

I have never used these on my pets, but some products that people have brought to work for their pets that they swear by are:
https://www.chewy.com/vetriscience-perio-support-powder/dp/42648
water additive for teeth - Free shipping | Chewy (Various water additives that people swear by)
There are various gels (I like petzlife brand), but if brushing is out of the question, they wont help much!

My cats eat a ground raw diet and people swear by raw gizzards or raw chicken necks as teeth cleaners, but 4 out of my 7 cats eat too fast for me to feel comfortable offering them. Lila, my tortie, has handled gizzards just fine. All my cats are older, and I am not comfortable offering whole bones.

 

[GranolaLouise]

It definitely gets rid of bad breath with my senior. But I don;t know about the plaque. I also use a water enzyme water additive.

 

[Mighty Orange]

I second the water enzyme.

 

[iPappy]

GranolaLouise Mighty Orange which brands do you guys use? Also do your cats seem to notice there's an additive?

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Can one use water enzymes for cats with maybe-IBD who are on anallergenic food?

 

[GranolaLouise]

It definitely gets rid of bad breath with my senior. But I don;t know about the plaque. I also use a water enzyme water additive.

My Vet suggested Oratene. I use chicken flavored Greenies as a treat too.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B8O23K/?tag=thecatsite

 

[Alldara]

Dental treats help if they chew them only.
TropiClean's dental gel worked amazingly on my senior cats in helping me reduce tartar and such before his dental cleaning.

I have been using their water additive now too and it seems to freshen breath.

However, I brush a few times a week still. I think this is good practice.

This person gives a good run down and provides his sources:

 

[penwright1029]

My cat, Max, is like the poster. He won't let me brush anything hardly. He is very skittery. I got some Denta Shield Tartar Powder. I haven't tried it yet. Has anyone used this for your fur friend?

 

[GranolaLouise]

My cat is addicted to Greenies and as Alldara said, they are no good for plaque unless chewed. She began swallowing them whole recently and I have to remind her y saying "Chew It" and chomping my teeth together. She then looks at the nugget and chews it. Every time I give them to her I say "Chew It"...and she does! (another phrase she understands now)
As for Greenies, I bought the smaller ones but did not read the package. They have nothing to do with breath or plaque! The size of each nugget is about the size of your baby fingernail and no way would a cat even bother to chew those. They have an itty bit of soft filling, but the cat never tastes those because of the size. A WASTE OF MONEY. Perhaps a little kitten would benefit more.

 

[Alldara]

My cat, Max, is like the poster. He won't let me brush anything hardly. He is very skittery. I got some Denta Shield Tartar Powder. I haven't tried it yet. Has anyone used this for your fur friend?

I've not tried any powders. Does it have any certifications on the bottle like from the VOHC?

 

[Mighty Orange]

I take my cat up for a dental cleaning every 6 months to a vet.

 

[GranolaLouise]

I take my cat up for a dental cleaning every 6 months to a vet.

With sedation? They must not be very old?

 

[Alldara]

With sedation? They must not be very old?

My cat had a dental at 14 years old. It's very common for older cats.

 

[GranolaLouise]

My cat had a dental at 14 years old. It's very common for older cats.

But with sedation? Just asking because mine needs another cleaning and has a sore tooth. she is around 10-11 yrs

 

[Alldara]

But with sedation? Just asking because mine needs another cleaning and has a sore tooth. she is around 10-11 yrs

Dental always has sedation for cats. It would be too uncomfortable for them otherwise.

Yes, he had a cleaning and two teeth removed. He had not been sedated since he was very young so it was a bit stressful. But my vet does heart monitoring during dental. This is important to me. I wouldn't proceed without it.

Our young cat with a congenital heart condition got a dental cleaning there too.


There's always a small risk, but just discussing your concerns with the vet will be best. For me, I'd rather do it sooner because it's faster and less time sedated. You can also talk about the type of care they give post.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Dental always has sedation for cats. It would be too uncomfortable for them otherwise.

Yes, he had a cleaning and two teeth removed. He had not been sedated since he was very young so it was a bit stressful. But my vet does heart monitoring during dental. This is important to me. I wouldn't proceed without it.

Our young cat with a congenital heart condition got a dental cleaning there too.

I see you are cautious as am I.
She had 2 extractions and a cleaning last year with monitored sedation. I hesitate having her being deeply sedated again this year, but she is starting to favor one side while chewing .

 

[Alldara]

I see you are cautious as am I.
She had 2 extractions and a cleaning last year with monitored sedation. I hesitate having her being deeply sedated again this year, but she is starting to favor one side while chewing .

I found other people's stories a comfort. But also just talking to the vet tech really helpful.

 

[GranolaLouise]

I found other people's stories a comfort. But also just talking to the vet tech really helpful.

I have an appointment for her Solensia and will address it then. Thanks. I read pro and con about sedation and the age of the cat and sedation. One can get dizzy reading articles on the internet.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Spotty just had his second dental done. His first one he lost 3 teeth. When I picked him up, I made his next appointment at 6 months later. He lost no more teeth, his teeth are nice and white. Spotty is only 7 but bad teeth run in his breed. He is a Thai Suphalak.
Suphalak

The place I take him to does a full sedation cleaning with any number of teeth removed and meds for $150.00 So if you live in the Cleveland area let me know, I get you the address and phone number. If the cat is older than 7 they will need a full blood workup to make sure kidneys and liver are ok.