Should I give my pet a dental treat as a reward after brushing?

Personally I haven’t had luck brushing cats teeth. Yes giving hard food and dental treats can help prevent plaque and tartar buildup. Most cats will still need a dental cleaning at some point in their life. Just like people some cats don’t build tartar and others are more prone to dental disease. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bananas,

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! One of the best ways to maintain dental health is with regular teeth brushing, at least several times a week. Because Korbyn is fairly young, it will be possible to train him to accept having his teeth brushed by providing plenty of praise and treats during the process. Treats can also be given to supplement brushing, you should look for treats that have enzymatic properties as well as ones that take a while to chew, as this action strengthens the jaw and removes tartar. I also recommend keeping Korbyn on dry food to promote good dental condition. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! You are my hero for trying to brush Nala's teeth. If you haven't tried to start with the left side first, do that. Yes, at least getting the enzyme tooth paste on the teeth will do something. The brushing does help the most. Try to brush at least 3 times per week. They also make a tooth brush that fits on your finger tip, that may work better for her. Also check out the link for the Veterinary Oral Health Council's recommended products. Otherwise just keep trying! Practice makes perfect and also hopefully Nala will acclimate. She may still be sensitive on the one side from the cleaning. I hope this helps and I wish you and Nala the best! http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3497 http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_cats.html

It is a common misconception that dry food is better for teeth than wet foods. Once a cat takes a bite of the kibble and crunches it, there is no advantage in mechanically or abrasively cleaning the teeth. Exceptions come into play with certain prescription diets, such as Hill’s t/d, which have been proven to mechanically clean the teeth. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (www.vohc.org) rates the variety of dental diets and treats on the market with respect to their efficacy in controlling plaque and/or tartar. At the end of the day, daily tooth brushing is the best preventative measure for keeping a cat’s teeth healthy.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. t/d diet, dentisticks and other dental care treats have minimal beneficial effect if any. Cleaning teeth daily and regular dental checks work much better. Please, stick to that, as dental care diets are in my opinion, not worth the money.

Ark Naturals makes a poultry free dental chew. VetriScience Perio Plus also has a poultry free line. It may be difficult since chicken is an inexpensive, therefore common, ingredient in foods and treats. Another option would be to bake your own dental treats at home. You can find numerous recipes online using your preferred search engine. Search "homemade poultry free dental treat, cat".

Hello. I do not know what might be available in Canada, but I highly recommend looking at this website for the Veterinary Oral Health Council. Click on the Accepted Products link at the top, then on accepted products for cats. It will list everything that is truly tested to provide results. Thanks for using PetCoach. https://www.vohc.org