Chowder is having his first dental next week and they're estimating about five extractions. The vet said she wanted to be proactive and pull any that look like they could worsen in the next few months.
My question is, what's the deal with these dental foods? I have recently transitioned Chowder to an all canned food diet and really don't want to put him back on a kibble, but the vet insists that a dental kibble is the only way to go once he's healed after his extractions. I looked up the two she mentioned, Royal Canin and Hill's - they have horrible ingredients.
The ingredients are as follows for anyone interested:
Royal Canin:
Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, corn, brown rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, wheat gluten, powdered cellulose, rice hulls, dried beet pulp, calcium sulfate, natural flavors, sodium bisulfate, fish oil, potassium chloride, L-lysine, sodium silico aluminate, vegetable oil, ground psyllium seeds, DL-methionine, fructooligosaccharides, salt, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, hydrolyzed yeast, choline chloride, taurine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate), rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Hill's:
Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken Liver Flavor, Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, DL-Methionine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract
I really don't want Chowder eating that crap, not to mention concerns about him not getting proper hydration and developing urinary problems. I was thinking about the extractions I would buy some of those CET Chews and see if that helps, I also asked the vet about an enzyme water additive.
Anyone have input? Does that dental kibble really help? He swallows most food whole and only crunches once in a while, but the vet said these pieces are too big and they have to chew them.
My question is, what's the deal with these dental foods? I have recently transitioned Chowder to an all canned food diet and really don't want to put him back on a kibble, but the vet insists that a dental kibble is the only way to go once he's healed after his extractions. I looked up the two she mentioned, Royal Canin and Hill's - they have horrible ingredients.
The ingredients are as follows for anyone interested:
Royal Canin:
Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, corn, brown rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, wheat gluten, powdered cellulose, rice hulls, dried beet pulp, calcium sulfate, natural flavors, sodium bisulfate, fish oil, potassium chloride, L-lysine, sodium silico aluminate, vegetable oil, ground psyllium seeds, DL-methionine, fructooligosaccharides, salt, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, hydrolyzed yeast, choline chloride, taurine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate), rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Hill's:
Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken Liver Flavor, Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, DL-Methionine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract
I really don't want Chowder eating that crap, not to mention concerns about him not getting proper hydration and developing urinary problems. I was thinking about the extractions I would buy some of those CET Chews and see if that helps, I also asked the vet about an enzyme water additive.
Anyone have input? Does that dental kibble really help? He swallows most food whole and only crunches once in a while, but the vet said these pieces are too big and they have to chew them.