Dental product recommendations? Petzlife Oral Care Gel?

Hello,

Seeing how my Vet charges between $1500 and $2000 to do a dental and a couple of extractions, I am going to have to try and maintain my older cats' teeth as best I can, either by brushing or some type of oral gel.

The only toothpaste I ever had in the past we Petrodex. Is this one good? Is there something better? Hopefully something that remains in the mouth/on the teeth and has an enzymatic-type action to work on the bacteria and plaque because I can tell you right now, brushing does not go over well. Recommendations for toothpaste?

How often do you brush.....once a week or more often? (something makes me think my vet tech told me she brushes her cat's teeth once a week only?)

Also, what do you think of this stuff: Petzlife Oral Care Gel? It seems to get great reviews online....anybody use it? I've read the wild salmon flavor is gross and cats don't like it (thought they'd like it better than the peppermint but it seems not?)

http://www.amazon.com/PetzLife-Oral-...ref=pd_sbs_k_1

A toothbrush has never worked; I prefer the little thin rubber (?latex) finger-glover with the little nib-like teeth on it...much easier to work with.

GSE or grapefruit seed extract is VERY powerful stuff and very very bitter .... I cant stand the taste of it thus use pills... I would ask the vet about it prior to use...

Wysong has a good dental powder

Plaque off is also very good

I use PlaqueOff for Attitude and Nuts, you just add it to their food. http://www.amazon.com/ProDen-PlaqueO...2595385&sr=1-2

They do not really let me brush their teeth and when I put it on the teeth they immediately lick it off. This is about the only way to try and keep their teeth in good condition. I try to get the Petrodex on their teeth when I remember and they don't struggle too much. I have ended up with toothpaste all over me and I don't think the cats got much in their mouths. Luckily they both seem to like the taste they just don't want me applying it to their teeth. I don't brush, I just apply it, but Attitude and Nuts are around 10 months old so I'm starting early(FeLV cats are pre-disposed to teeth and gum disease.)

The plaqueOff should help, I have heard great things about it breaking down plaque already there(I don't know since I started then before their teeth got anything noticeable on them) and Attitude and Nuts' teeth always look great when the vet examines them(I ask every time they are at the vet how their teeth look, he prolly thinks I'm crazy, but oh well.) If any of the cats has Hyper-T then it can't be used but if no one is Hyper-T then that there is no reason not to try it.

I have heard everything from daily to once a week as how often they do their cat's teeth. I forget to get the paste on their teeth as often as I should, as I said the PlaqueOff is just something you add to their food(wet or dry) and they ingest it and it works. It works internally(not physically cleaning the teeth directly) so you can just mix it into wet food. Attitude and Nuts eat it added to the top of their dry food so I have no problem getting them to consume it.

I can't get mine to eat dental treats(they might eat Greenies once in a while.) The PlaqueOff was recommended to me here and I have been very happy with it. As I said I started with clean teeth so the only experience I have is their teeth are still clean, white and in great condition.

Taryn

I am using the ProDen PlaqueOff in the boys' food and I noticed an improvement in the plaque build up already there. Ghost still had to have a dental because his back teeth were entombed in plaque. When I started I could only see the the little end points where the teeth met. After about 3-4 months I could see about 40 percent tooth .. .and man.. the plaque still there was THICK - I would guess I good eighth of an inch or more.

I started with Petrodex, then moved to CET then to Biotene. First I used the antiseptic gel on Archie, Ghost and Jake -as their teeth/breath were the worst ... and the maintenance gel on the others. It says 2x/day--- I am lucky if I get it in their mouths several times a week. The above-mentioned cats get it every day. Archie and Jake will lick it off my finger... Ghost and the others have to be coerced.

There has been an improvement in everyone's plaque build up, including Archie - who was diagnosed with early periodontal disease. Some of the plaque was thick and brown on his back teeth - that is pretty much gone now. And there is less inflammation. When the time comes, I will get more Biotene.

Six of the cats are coming up on their one year medicals - so we shall see what the vet says. She was very interested in the PlaqueOff and said - going forward - let's see how it does on Ghost's newly cleaned teeth.

Keep in mind the PlaqueOff cannot be used if the cat has hyperthyroidism, as the main ingredient is a particular kind of seaweed, which has trace amounts of iodine.

ETA: BE CAREFUL of products that get added to water... many of them have alcohol in them. I wouldn't give that to cats. Some have xylitol - I don't know about its effect on cats but it is toxic to dogs. Biotene has a dental rinse and a water additive... it has zinc in it and I don't know about that. I would ask your vet.

Thanks a lot, everyone, for your input and experiences.

I ordered a crapload of stuff so that I can figure out which my 2 oldest (and most picky/skittish) will tolerate; CET Toothpaste (Poultry and Malt flavors), CET Oral Rinse, Biotene Oral Antiseptic Gel, PlaqueOff, Petzlife Oral Care Gel (original flavor). Whew!

I have never EVER had luck with mixing "anything" into my cats' food so not sure how the whole PlaqueOff granules will go. How tiny are the granules? I'd prefer to put it into their canned food (fed twice a day) as they eat more of that than dry but fearful they'll 'detect it' and then not want to eat their canned, which wouldn't be good.

The only 2 who have slightly funky breath (the oldest 2), it is soooooooooooooo hard to open their mouths and do anything. Fuzzy's not so bad, but with Spookie, once you try doing this once she then starts to avoid me because she automatically thinks I'm going to do something to her. She's very skittish and goofy. Fuzzy might object but she'll get over it very quickly. I generally try to do "mouth stuff" the same way as I pill them; me kneeled down on floor w/ cat between my legs.....but I have never been good at opening the mouth like the vet / vet tech is able to at the vet.......obviously I just don't have the knack. I should take the least freaky one in there and ask one of the techs to really show me what she does?

I also bought some little finger-cot thingies with the little rubber 'teeth' on them, think those will help and not as big as the other rubber finger toothbrush.

This is one dose of PlaqueOff it is a very tiny amount., it looks biog only because I'm zoomed in and it's spread out. Attitude and Nuts don't notice and they notice everything when it comes to their food and me adding stuff to it.

It would be very easy to mix into wet food undetected. The granules are tiny so I doubt they are even felt when they eat the food.



Sorry both their bowls are full at the moment so I couldn't show it in the bowl. BTW that is a dinner plate sized paper plate.

Taryn

I have always preferred the little fingerbrush when my cat allows me to do it. I got Chester when he was 9 months so getting him used to it brushing his teeth(and his hair for that matter), has always been difficult. I also give him the Greenies for cats. He wasn't much of a treat eater so I thought he wouldn't like them but he does. Surprised the heck out of me. His breath is fresher and his teeth look pretty good for an 11 year old guy. He luckily has never had to have his teeth cleaned.

I hope you find what works best for you.