Vet Community Against Wet Food

[AbbysMom]

What happened to my "veterinarians and your cats" thread in the health section?

Still there.

Veterinarians And Your Cats

 

[Daisy6]

Thanks Abby.

 

[1 bruce 1]

One of the vets was a new one that I was trying out. They were really pushing me to purchase only royal canin dry (that they conveniently sell) for our new kitten. Feed him only that. I have not been back.
As for the other vet, I have used him for over 10 years. He is very good about most things, just not this issue. At least he isn't necessarily trying to sell me his food. He just thinks dry food is better.
There is a cat only vet that has opened up shop that I have been considering. It would be great to not have our cats stressed out by barking dogs in the waiting room. I may try her out when the next wellness exam rolls around.

I've been told by vets that dry food cleans their teeth.
If that's so, what's with all the yearly necessary dental cleanings?

 

[orange&white]

I've been told by vets that dry food cleans their teeth.
If that's so, what's with all the yearly necessary dental cleanings?

Well, you know, it's the same way that eating granola bars cleans our teeth.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I partly agree with what you’re saying, but I would still expect a vet to have some general knowledge of nutrition since it’s so important for cat health. I wouldn’t want to compartmentalize my cat’s nutrition and other health issues; these things are all related. If I had a vet that didn’t understand nutrition though I would probably never bring it up with them just like you don’t. But, what happens when your cat has a urinary problem and all of a sudden you’re being handed prescription dry food? I think it’s quite important for vets to understand nutrition.

Some vets do continuing education once graduated and that goes for diet, so those vets we really like =)
Human medicine (in most cases) still believes that all you need to do to be healthy is count calories, count fat grams, and you'll be good to go. No mention of anything else. I guess knowing that, I don't expect the vet world to be any different. =(

 

[1 bruce 1]

Well, you know, it's the same way that eating granola bars cleans our teeth.

The only ones who want to kiss me after I eat granola bars are the dogs

 

[Daisy6]

I've been told by vets that dry food cleans their teeth.
If that's so, what's with all the yearly necessary dental cleanings?

I think if that was true people who eat cereal would have cleaner teeth than others. The myth was probably started by pet food manufacturers who only care about the dollar signs.

 

[pao vargas]

I wonder the same! but I changed to raw food, however when it gets expensive I give them wet but no Purina.

 

[pao vargas]

~ I agree with foxxycat ...
Everything I read says "the worst quality wet food is better than the best quality dry food " . Wet food is mostly water ; poultry/meat byproduct ; flavoring and vitamin/ mineral supplements. Most dry food is partly dehydrated meat/poultry ; corn and soy . Cats need the water for their little kidneys .
P.S. I am not a fan of veterinarians. I have had more negative experience than positive . Be careful who you trust !

So what are you saying?

 

[Daisy6]

So what are you saying?

It is just a way to emphasize how important keeping kibbles out of a cat's diet is.

 

[Joan's Kitties]

What reasons do they give for dry over wet food?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I wonder the same! but I changed to raw food, however when it gets expensive I give them wet but no Purina.

Of our raw fed cats, the cat that has the absolute most white clean teeth is the one that has the most correct bite I've ever seen on any of my cats. It's like a steel trap, those teeth fit together 100% perfectly. The others (two in particular, litter mates) both have over shot jaws and their teeth aren't nearly as pretty despite being fed raw. They now eat more grinds due to their dental structure, so this probably accounts for a lot!

 

[Joan's Kitties]

Of our raw fed cats, the cat that has the absolute most white clean teeth is the one that has the most correct bite I've ever seen on any of my cats. It's like a steel trap, those teeth fit together 100% perfectly. The others (two in particular, litter mates) both have over shot jaws and their teeth aren't nearly as pretty despite being fed raw. They now eat more grinds due to their dental structure, so this probably accounts for a lot!

 

[Joan's Kitties]

I thought the Purina Beyond looked pretty good until they added K3 to the recipe of the turkey dinner they loved so much. I had just introduced it to them, and the second case I bought had the changed ingredients. Why do you particularly dislike Purina?

 

[2BSH]

What reasons do they give for dry over wet food?

I'd really like to hear the pro dry argument. An accurate, fact based argument. So if anyone has any ( other than " that's all my cat will eat " or " it's easy and cheap and convenient ") please enlighten me

 

[Daisy6]

I thought the Purina Beyond looked pretty good until they added K3 to the recipe of the turkey dinner they loved so much. I had just introduced it to them, and the second case I bought had the changed ingredients. Why do you particularly dislike Purina?

Are you asking me? I could not find a single Purina can that identifies everything in it and the book Truth About Pet Food explains companies do that to hide crap from all of their labels. No matter what the AAFCO rules are, if you don't know exactly what is in it, you can't guarantee it is a good quality product.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I thought the Purina Beyond looked pretty good until they added K3 to the recipe of the turkey dinner they loved so much. I had just introduced it to them, and the second case I bought had the changed ingredients. Why do you particularly dislike Purina?

I've never used Purina. But I know dogs on PP and they look fantastic.
One of our neighbors feeds their Border Collies Purina Beyond, and they've done very well.

I'd really like to hear the pro dry argument. An accurate, fact based argument. So if anyone has any ( other than " that's all my cat will eat " or " it's easy and cheap and convenient ") please enlighten me

I think there's this idea that somehow hard, dry food DOES keep teeth clean and it's a myth that's been going around in vet communities and pet communities for a long, long while, and unfortunately people still believe it. In theory, a crunchy food would keep teeth cleaner than a cooket, wet food would, but it doesn't seem to be the case as hundreds of dogs and cats go in for serious teeth cleanings/extractions/have terrible teeth when they eat a kibbled only diet....and some don't. I still think a correct bite and root structure can make or break a commercial diet, at least extend this need for routine dental cleanings from yearly to every few years/once or twice per life. But I'm no expert, just some person on the internet =)
These vet/pet communities usually blast raw food diets. It's not a case of getting a stubborn cat to eat them, it's a blatant hate for raw foods because of "salmonella" and stuff...which, salmonella and worse are everywhere...and the idea that somehow dry or wet foods are exempt is silly because the recall list is a mile long when it comes to dry and wet foods being recalled for things WORSE.
Some pets DO experience an improvement in dental health on a ground diet. IME it's the enzymes working to break down crap from the teeth. The teeth don't magically clean themselves on grinds only but the tartar and calculus loosens enough to come off easier.
IDK why these dogs on PPP look good, but they perform and train well and seem to live happy lives. I don't feed it, and probably wouldn't, unless something drastic happened because I'm happy with raw =) It's inexpensive (much more inexpensive than mid-grade commercial), it's easy, and our guys enjoy it! We're also blessed with freezer space to store large quantities so we save on bulk!

 

[Daisy6]

Now I want to do my own research and see if there actually have been any studies.

 

[weebeasties]

Now I want to do my own research and see if there actually have been any studies.

The Canadian Veterinary Journal has an article about health issues that can arise from an all dry diet and refers to studies but doesn't give links to the actual studies.

 

[Azazel]

The Canadian Veterinary Journal has an article about health issues that can arise from an all dry diet and refers to studies but doesn't give links to the actual studies.

If they refer to a study it should be listed in the references list at the end of the paper.