Dental Care in cats
Dental Care in cats
As a cat owner, you may have a keen eye to spot illness in your pet, but do you ever think of his dental care? Most cat owners don't bother about it, so it is not surprising to find that 85% of adult cats suffer from periodontal disease, and that dental problems form the largest cause of feline health problems.
Kinds of dental disease:
- Periodontal disease: When dental plaque calcifies and forms tartar, it pushes back the food debris in the mouth and bacteria under the gum and causes infection in these parts. As a result, your cat suffers from inflamed, bleeding and swollen gums and bad breath. This is the commonest of dental problems amongst cats and can be treated with antibiotics, dental cleaning, and extraction.
- Feline stomatitis: This is also called Lymphocytic Plasmacytic Stomatitis (LPS) and is considered to be an autoimmune disease with the body growing allergic to dental plaque. If your cat suffers from this, he will also have FIV, FeLV and gingivitis. LPS manifests itself as inflammation of the mouth and throat with red "cobblestone" lesions. Your cat will be in great pain and this will affect its eating habits. He will also paw his mouth a lot.
- Feline Odontoclastic Oral Resorption Lesions (FORL): Lesions that begin as shallow pits in the enamel and dentine of a cat's tooth ends up being very painful. This problem develops when dental plaque piles up and the dental tissue around the affected tooth becomes inflamed and painful. In an advanced case, the pit may also go penetrate the tooth pulp and finally destroy the tooth. The cat's tooth is best extracted in such a case.
- Malocclusion: This is a problem that is clearly visible and generally causes the cat a lot of pain while eating, resulting in a significant weight loss.
It is interesting to note that when the cat feels pain in the teeth, this is generally one of the last symptoms of dental decay. As a cat owner, you should not wait for the pain to develop but brush his teeth every day, have his dental check-ups regularly and give him a nutritious diet.
How clean your cat's teeth: To clean your cat's teeth, you will need sterile gauze and solution, cat toothpaste, a small toothbrush and scissors. Cover your index finger with a strip of the solution and then apply a bit of toothpaste on your fingertip and place the cat in your lap. Now, open his mouth and rub your index finger on his teeth in a circular motion, giving special attention to his gums. Massage the gums and if you do this over time, you will find a great improvement in his dental condition.
Tips for kitty's dental care:
- Experiment with flavored toothpaste for cats.
- If your cat's gums bleed, take him to a veterinarian immediately.