bad.bad. breath!

soxes

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One of our cats has always had VERY bad breath. Since he was a kitty, so I don't think it is plaque on his teeth. Tried a water additive for a while; it was expensive and worked slightly. Anyone know of any remedies?
 

kathleen

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Hi,

Cats need their teeth brushed regularly to get rid of tartar and plaque buildup.If you can't brush your kitty's teeth, have his teeth professionally cleaned by your vet at least once a year.

A build up of plaque bacteria can infect the gums and structures which support the teeth. This can lead to gingivitis, a painful inflamtion of the gums and mouth, and if left untreated, periodontal. disease. Inflamed, infected gums are full of germs. Germs make the breath smell bad. If you notice redness just at the gumline chances are your kitty may have gingivitis. Chronic oral infection can also lead to disease in other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs and kidneys.
My kitty, Little Peepers, has had servere gingivitis since he was a kitten, due in part to a compromised immune system from irritible bowel disease. He eats a homemade diet that cleared up the irritible bowel but, despite home dental care, needs to have his teeth professional cleaned once sometimes twice a year. You want to talk about bad kitty breath?? Whew!! He's even had two molars extracted.

I guess I can't stress enough the importantce of home dental care. At the same time you don't want to get you or your kitty stressed out in the process. Ask your vet about a product called "Hexarinse" made by C.E.T.. It is an oral hygiene rinse for cats that you can use daily. It can aid in the prevention of tooth and gum disease. It is easy to use and if you can't brush your kitty's teeth I highly recommend it. Don't fall for the "dry food can clean your cat's teeth" claims. It doesn't. Ripping pieces of raw flesh (like the big cats) would go a long way in keeping down plaque and tartar but most people (myself included) don't want to feed their cats raw meat.

Sorry this has been so very long, but I hope this has been of some help. All my best in health and happiness to you and your kitty.

Sincerely,
 
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soxes

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We are going back to the vet soon. She (the vet) didn't comment about any gingivitis, but I will have her lookk more thoroughly, and we have decided to have Toulouse's teeth cleaned this time to see if professional work helps!!! Thanks so much for your advice. I will take it with us...patti
 

catarina77777

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Dear Soxes,
I can't thank you enough for bringing that up! I sure hope that your kitty does way better since Kathleen was so informed about this matter. I sure learned a lot! Thanks Kathleen!

God Bless You & Yours,
Always,
 

kittykratz

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Has your kitty been tested for feline leukemia? The only symptoms my FeLV+ kitties ever showed was gingivitis. Unfortunately, the condition didn't get much better until some teeth were extracted. I hope this is not the case, but just some extra information to think about.
 
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soxes

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Thanks for theh information. We will ask the vet at the next checkup. Hope that is not what it is. Vet not concerned the last time! patti
 
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