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Expert: - 2/8/2010


Question
After a visit to the local vet office, Doc informed us that our cat, George, has plaque buildup on his teeth. What is the best way to remove this plaque from his teeth? Thanks so much!

Joe

PS- George is 3 years in April 2010. He has updated rabies, wormer, and distemperment. He was neutered in October, 2007.

Answer
Your vet told you this and didn't discuss dental care with you? Bummer.
Well let me tell you this. You cannot remove the plaque from his teeth at home because you need to get under the gumline to get it all. That is why we give the pet an anesthetic to do the dental cleaning.

All pets that do not get home care from babyhood have dental disease and plaque build-up by the time they are two years old.

So George needs to have a dental cleaning then follow up long-term care at home to help keep his teeth clean. It's not easy to brush a cat's teeth, but it is doable. There are a lot of products available at your vets that will help with this.

Certain foods, such as Hill's T/D, is a good way to keep their teeth and the rest of him healthy for life.

Make an appointment for George to get his teeth cleaned. Since he is young, he can go a long time without having it done again IF you can keep them cleaned at home in between cleanings at the vets.

One thing to really watch with cats is a condition they get called Resorption lesions or cervical neck lesions on their teeth. Cats with a lot of dental disease get these and they are very, very painful.Gingivitis is the start of it- then what happens is that the neck of a tooth starts to re-absorb into the bone. It is not super common but not rare.

Most 3 yr old cats have pretty good teeth still even with the plaque build-up. Get them cleaned and start a good home care plan and George can be a much healthier cat for life.

Thank you for being such a great pet owner too!!  

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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