Dental cleaning - how often?

(-L. wrote:

(---MIKE---) wrote in message ...
Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?

Not usually. It's a pocket liner for most vets. Some breeds that are
prone to bad teeth (Persians, Abbys) sometimes need yearly cleaning,
but for most cats, it is unnecessary.

-L.

A simple checkup would determine that rather than a sweeping
generalization.

-mhd

Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

"Jason" wrote in message
m...
Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after
losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is
due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

No it is NOT just a food issue. There are genetics involved, as well as
immunity and allergy issues sometimes. There is no "miracle" dry food keeps
your cats teeth healthy. I just wanted to clear up that generalization.

"Jason" wrote in message
m...
Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after
losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is
due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

No it is NOT just a food issue. There are genetics involved, as well as
immunity and allergy issues sometimes. There is no "miracle" dry food keeps
your cats teeth healthy. I just wanted to clear up that generalization.

Jason, that is just plain bad advice. I would rather provide dental
cleanings once a year than have the cat get urinary blockage from
insufficient water. Feeding canned food provides more water than dry
food plus drinking would provide.


---MIKE---

Jason, that is just plain bad advice. I would rather provide dental
cleanings once a year than have the cat get urinary blockage from
insufficient water. Feeding canned food provides more water than dry
food plus drinking would provide.


---MIKE---

Jason wrote:
Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

Gideon needed his first cleaning at 4 years old, on a diet of Science
Diet dry. Lemieux never did until recently. I believe it's because
Gideon chewed his dry food, and LeMieux swallowed it whole (he clearly
threw it up whole when he ate too fast or brought up a hairball),
but for some reason started chewing it after he was 10 years old.

And any low-carbing human can tell you that not eating starchy food
leaves virtually no coating on your teeth to become plaque and tartar.
A quality canned food should leave far less crud on their teeth than
"quality" dry, if they chew their dry.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

Jason wrote:
Amber had her first dental cleaning last October at age 9 (after losing
one of her fangs). I just got a "reminder" from the vet that she is due
again next month. Are yearly dentals really necessary?


I'd really recommend checking her food - get advice perhaps from the
vet.... a cat should not get any build up of plaque (did I dpel
thatrite?) at least not if given the right food, and please- no milk
(what animal do you know of that drinks the stuff after being weaned
off the mother??) - Dry quality food should be sufficient, and water.
Our 5 year olds have never had to have any teeth cleaned on their
annual check-ups.
Not trying to be clever or anything.. but I DO believe it's down to
the right food, and staying clear of canned slop, and milk.

Gideon needed his first cleaning at 4 years old, on a diet of Science
Diet dry. Lemieux never did until recently. I believe it's because
Gideon chewed his dry food, and LeMieux swallowed it whole (he clearly
threw it up whole when he ate too fast or brought up a hairball),
but for some reason started chewing it after he was 10 years old.

And any low-carbing human can tell you that not eating starchy food
leaves virtually no coating on your teeth to become plaque and tartar.
A quality canned food should leave far less crud on their teeth than
"quality" dry, if they chew their dry.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

(---MIKE---) wrote in message ...
Jason, that is just plain bad advice. I would rather provide dental
cleanings once a year than have the cat get urinary blockage from
insufficient water. Feeding canned food provides more water than dry
food plus drinking would provide.


Well.. I'm just basing it on experience.... we feed our 3 cats on
Science diet, and be assured we provide them plenty of water - it
comes alongside their meals, and theres a container out front and
another out back - theres clean water available always, don't know
where you got the idea they were short on water?
Any extras are rare - like once or twice a month they might get a
piece of fish, or a piece of raw meat, as and when we get it in for
ourselves, but these are only very occasional extras - science diet
and water is the main, two of the cats are 5 the other is 2 years old
- and none have had any plaque buildup on their teeth - in fact I'v
heard the Vet comment favorably on their (teeth) condition ( almost
with a sound of surprise in his voice), they'v never needed their
teeth cleaned - theres NO plaque at all.