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Dental Care
| Imagine what would happen if you did not
take care of your teeth. The same applies to your pets. Regular
dental care is as important to them as it is to you.
Prevention of dental disease should be included as part of
your cat's overall preventive medicine program, just like
vaccinations. Whatever method you use, chews, rinses, or brushing,
start out slowly and be consistent.
Periodontal disease is the most common infectious disease
in dogs and cats. If left untreated, this means pain, bad
breath, and tooth loss for your cat. Chronic infections in
the mouth can spread harmful bacteria to the bloodstream and
infect the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Fortunately, most
periodontal disease can be prevented by daily home care and
regular veterinary checkups.
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Look for these warning signs of periodontal disease in your
cat:
- Bad breath is one of the first signs of dental disease.
- A yellowish-brown crust of plaque on the teeth near the
gum line.
- Red and swollen gums.
- Pain or bleeding when your cat eats, or when the mouth
or gum are touched.
- Decreased appetite or difficulty eating.
- Loose or missing teeth.
Good
to Chew
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C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews for cats are
made from freeze-dried fish, provide an abrasive texture
for removal of plaque and contain the C.E.T. Dual Enzyme
antibacterial/antiplaque system. Available in fish or
poultry flavor.
They can be fed as a treat once a day (on non-brushing
days) or as directed. Chews are the easiest method of
care, but should be used with brushing for best results.
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Best
to Brush   |
Following a complete cleaning by City
Cats, using C.E.T.’s specially designed soft-bristle
toothbrushes and pet-pleasing toothpastes will fight
placque and prevent disease.
C.E.T. Toothpastes come in flavors pets love, are
meant to be swallowed, and come in two formulas—
Enzymatic Toothpaste in poultry, malt or vanilla-mint
flavors and Tartar-Control, a more abrasive formula
with strengthened enzyme system in seafood or beef flavor. |
If
your cat simply will not tolerate brushing, there is an alternative:
City Cats carries an oral cleansing gel, Maxi/Guard, that
offers the compound zinc ascorbate/taurine to promote healthy
gums and lessen tartar build-up. Maxi/Guard is natural,
safe for daily use, and is generally well-accepted by pets.
Works with or without brushing.
Good
oral health requires a food designed to clean the teeth, in
addition to regular veterinary care to identify signs of periodontal
disease early. For maximum benefit, City Cats recommends Prescription
Diet t/d as the sole food in your cat's diet. Because of the
larger kibble size, your cat may intially eat the food as
a treat.
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(courtesy of C.E.T. Dental Care)
Tooth brushing doesn't happen overnight.
It requires training, just like any other behavior.
First, select a convenient time when you
and your cat are both relaxed. For the first few days, simply hold
your cat as you normally do when petting him/her. Gently stroke
the outside of your pet’s cheeks with your finger for a minute
or two.
After a few days, place a small amount of
C.E.T. Toothpaste on your finger and let your pet sample the flavor.
Pets love the flavors of C.E.T. Toothpastes and soon will consider
it a treat.
Next, introduce your pet to a C.E.T. Toothbrush
or Fingerbrush. Place a small amount of C.E.T. Toothpaste on the
brush and gently brush one tooth with a slow circular motion.
Gradually increase the number of teeth brushed
until you’ve built up to 30 seconds of brushing per side.

It is important to reward your cat
with a healthy treat and plenty of praise after every step of this
process.
As with any other routine, it’s best
to begin a dental care program when pets are young.
visit
C.E.T.'s site for more information on their products.
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