How Do You Know You Can Trust Your Vet?

[kittens mom]

Kibble doesn’t clean teeth, it is a myth that it does. You would be better off brushing your cat’s teeth every day or giving him some uncooked bone to chew on a couple times a week.

Cats don't really chew kibble and some of the ingredients would probably be harmful if they did and stayed on the teeth and gums. Our pets need oral care but the whole dental thing has gotten way out of control.

 

[Neo_23]

Cats don't really chew kibble and some of the ingredients would probably be harmful if they did and stayed on the teeth and gums. Our pets need oral care but the whole dental thing has gotten way out of control.

There is just as much logic to the argument of kibble cleaning cats’ teeth as there is to the argument that chips clean human teeth.

 

[_spadekitty]

There is just as much logic to the argument of kibble cleaning cats’ teeth as there is to the argument that chips clean human teeth.

Well, there is SOME logic to it. Some brands do make big kibbles that the cat has to chew, and those pieces scrape against the teeth and help to remove tarter. I hate that “chips” argument because chips are thin and easily broken up. They dont really scrape against your teeth at all I feel. The only similarty is both are crunchy. lol Its not comparable to brushing or getting a dental at all, but its better than nothing. The only brands I know off that make dental diets with these huge pieces though are royal canin and hills so take that as you will. I doubt they scrape of a ton of tarter, but thats the reasoning we were given in tech school.

 

[Neo_23]

Well, there is SOME logic to it. Some brands do make big kibbles that the cat has to chew, and those pieces scrape against the teeth and help to remove tarter. I hate that “chips” argument because chips are thin and don’t require much chewing. The only similarty is both are crunchy. lol Its not comparable to brushing or getting a dental at all, but its better than nothing. The only brands I know off that make dental diets with these huge pieces though are royal canin and hills so take that as you will. I doubt they scrape of a ton of tarter, but thats the reasoning we were given in tech school.

I don't think there is any evidence that these foods work. In my opinion it is entirely a marketing scheme. Cats in the wild use bone to scrape tartar off their teeth. These kibbles would need to be as hard as bone. I haven't ever used this food so not sure exactly what the kibble looks like, but it's a far stretch to think it would provide any sort of dental hygiene.

 

[_spadekitty]

I don't think there is any evidence that these foods work. In my opinion it is entirely a marketing scheme. Cats in the wild use bone to scrape tartar off their teeth. These kibbles would need to be as hard as bone. I haven't ever used this food so not sure exactly what the kibble looks like, but it's a far stretch to think it would provide any sort of dental hygiene.

We give it as “treats” at the clinic I work at. They’re big square kibbles and pretty thick and hard. Most dogs do have to work a bit to eat them, but some of the bigger dogs just swallow them whole anyway so in that case they wouldnt do much good of course. lol I’m not sure how big the cat ones are.
The only studies I imagine were put on by RC themselves, so I’m not sure if theres any other evidence. I can understand the reasoning behind it though. Like I said, I doubt they scrape off much of anything, but I think it would be benficial for a cat with some mild tartar that won’t stand for their teeth to be brushed. I agree with you though thats its mostly a marketing ploy, but combined with good brushing habits they make for good treats at least

 

[cheesycats]

Dental kibbles have been studied a lot more recently. Most if not all, even the bigger harder pieces only scrape tarter off at the tip of the pointed tooth of dogs and cats. Which is kind of dumb because tarter builds up at the gum line not the tip of the tooth. Making the food kinda pointless. To effectively clean a dog or cats tooth they need to be brushed. And to prevent gingivitis the gums need to be brushed as well. I also think genetics is a huge part and how they are raised from kittens. Currently i have two 6-7 year old cats. One i found as a stray she was fixed declawed etc. the other is a former feral. He was born outside. Grew up on kit and kaboodle and he has the early stages of gingivitis already. I brush his teeth when i can and if i go too long his gums will bleed when I brush his teeth. Greenies do nothing i know that for a fact. And the fact that there are vets that so strictly believe that theses treats and kibbles work is truly disturbing to me.

 

[Neo_23]

Dental kibbles have been studied a lot more recently. Most if not all, even the bigger harder pieces only scrape tarter off at the tip of the pointed tooth of dogs and cats. Which is kind of dumb because tarter builds up at the gum line not the tip of the tooth. Making the food kinda pointless. To effectively clean a dog or cats tooth they need to be brushed. And to prevent gingivitis the gums need to be brushed as well. I also think genetics is a huge part and how they are raised from kittens. Currently i have two 6-7 year old cats. One i found as a stray she was fixed declawed etc. the other is a former feral. He was born outside. Grew up on kit and kaboodle and he has the early stages of gingivitis already. I brush his teeth when i can and if i go too long his gums will bleed when I brush his teeth. Greenies do nothing i know that for a fact. And the fact that there are vets that so strictly believe that theses treats and kibbles work is truly disturbing to me.

I agree, instead of wasting money on dental treats or feeding a high carb/low moisture diet of dry food that *supposedly* cleans teeth, I feed all wet (with some raw) and inspect and brush my kitten's teeth every day.

He doesn't mind so much because he gets a treat after.

 

[terestrife]

i went to my vet recently and even the people that assist the vet love giving advice. they started telling me to feed my cat vegetables to give her variety.

I thought I could do that too, save money in case of emergency, but that was before I realized that I could end up with a 1-K dollar bill one day. And vets cost hundreds of $ just for a surgery, I hadn't realized that before...

How did your cat develop crystals?

instead of a pet insurance, i have care credit. ive heard mixed things about the company. but i pay my bill on time, and havent had any issues. been using the card for a year. im not working right now, so its been a god send. ive been able to take my cats to the vet, and will be able to get my cats teeth cleaned. =) which is going to be insanely expensive. but because of the card, i can pay it slowly. i even used the card to get a cavity filled. lol since i couldnt afford going to the dentist myself. so long as you pay it off and leave it for your cats, you'll be fine in an emergency.

just make sure your vet accepts it!

 

[lisahe]

Brushing a cat's teeth really can work if you do it regularly. And if you find a toothpaste your cats like, they'll think of brushing as a treat... ours do. Brushing has helped keep our cats from needing a dental cleaning in at least two years (that after they had to have them at age two!) and brushing is what our vet recommends for preventing mouth problems.

 

[prairiepanda]

Gizzards work pretty well as dental treats, for cats that can have poultry. They're really chewy and have a gritty texture, so they'll do a lot more to remove tartar than any kibble could. Still can't replace brushing, though.

 

[Yanaka]

i went to my vet recently and even the people that assist the vet love giving advice. they started telling me to feed my cat vegetables to give her variety.




instead of a pet insurance, i have care credit. ive heard mixed things about the company. but i pay my bill on time, and havent had any issues. been using the card for a year. im not working right now, so its been a god send. ive been able to take my cats to the vet, and will be able to get my cats teeth cleaned. =) which is going to be insanely expensive. but because of the card, i can pay it slowly. i even used the card to get a cavity filled. lol since i couldnt afford going to the dentist myself. so long as you pay it off and leave it for your cats, you'll be fine in an emergency.

just make sure your vet accepts it!

My vet does accept it. But in the end it's the same thing: I don't want to spend that much money. So pet insurance is the best bet. It's the same with saving money: even if I do have a thousand dollars saved for the cat, it's still a thousand dollars that I need to use. I want to save half and use the other half on a pet insurance instead. For my two cats!