Vets with alternate information

[moggiegirl]

So I like my new vet because he doesn’t say the same things that most vets say. I will tell you what I said. Feel free to to agree or disagree.

He says to brush a dog’s teeth but not a cat’s teeth because cats get sores and lesions in their gums we may not see and we can hurt the cat by putting a toothbrush in the mouth to brush that area. He recommends doing regular dental cleanings instead.

He said that www.catinfo.org is the holy bible of cat nutrition but he doesn’t feed raw, he feeds 100% canned because our raw food isn’t freshly killed like in the wild. That said he doesn’t tell his clients not to feed it, only that it comes with risks.

 

[LTS3]

Home dental care is important for cats, too. Yes, cats can get resorptive lesions which can be painful but those are most often a result of poor / no dental care. There are cat sized toothbrushes and finger brushes one can use. You can agree to disagree with the vet about this Many regular vets don't understand the importance of dental health. Some are vets are very dog-centric and anything cat is just to them.

Feeding raw does have its risks and it's not for everyone. Many people think you can just feed ground hamburger meat and that's it. If one sources raw meat from a reputable source such as Hare-Today.com or maybe a farm that slaughters their own meat, that minimizes the risk of bacteria. Safe raw meat handling and storage is a must. A commercial raw diet for pets is another option if one doesn't want to make raw from a recipe.

 

[moggiegirl]

I personally agree with the vet on the toothbrush thing because my cats won’t let me brush their teeth anyway and I wouldn’t want to ruin my bond with my cats by forcing a toothbrush in their mouths or hurt their gums (you can agree to disagree with me and my vet, I understand) but I absolutely will get professional dental cleanings as needed which he highly recommends.

I feed my cats a mix of canned and freeze dried raw cat food and some commercial fresh cooked food as well.

 

[LTS3]

Most cats need to take very small baby steps to tolerate tooth brushing. Some pet toothpastes taste better to cats than other. CET's poultry flavored one is popular and most cats will happily lick it up as a treat. You could start with a little dab as a treat in a bowl, then work up to the toothpaste on a finger, then a small cat toothbrush. Then try a quick swipe at one of the canine teeth since those are easiest to access. Repeat until you can swab all the teeth quickly without a cranky cat. You just need to quickly swab at the teeth, not actually scrub the teeth like you would with your own teeth. Total tooth brushing time shouldn't take more than a few seconds. Some tooth brushing when you can is better than no tooth brushing at all and relying on a year professional dental cleaning IMO

Some people find that giving their cats a raw chicken wing or neck bone or a raw gizzard to gnaw on helps with dental health.

 

[moggiegirl]

I am not going to brush my cats teeth. I agree with my vet and it’s not easy to do that with my cats. You can brush your cats teeth but please let me make my own decisions.