Vancouver Feline Hospital - Cat Veterinary Clinic

Homecare Products for Feline Dental Care
Your dentist recommends daily oral care. Your veterinarian recommends daily oral care for your cat. But a cat is not a human (nor a dog). We recognise that most cats do not brush! But we'll go through it here.

The best daily care you can do is brushing. BUT! You should not use human toothpaste

- The detergent foaming agent is not enjoyed by any cat, and should not be swallowed (we are trained to spit not to swallow as children).
- The high sodium and fluoride content can be toxic
What about pet store products? The veterinary dental specialists in general advise you avoid those because
- We see a lot of reactions to the products
- They may cause gingivitis
- They have not been extensively and independently studied to prove they work
- The contents are often considered "trade secret" so we don't know what is in it
- Many of these products are not enzymatic
The recommended toothpastes are CET or Dentivet toothpaste for cats
- It has been studied for 15 years, we know it works, it is approved by the veterinary dental specialists.
- It is enzymatic.
- Dentivet has an additional bactericidal product.
- Use a very soft brush that fits on your finger or your fingertips, very gently. If you brush too hard you can hurt the gums and your cat will not tolerate brushing. Dr. Nicky Joosting prefers fingertips - easier to be gentle and does not harm the gums.
- Start off slowly, approach from the side or behind, be gentle, be patient
- "Brushing" should be demonstrated at the recheck visit after the "dental" - we don't recommend you start the day after a dental cleaning as your cat may still have tender gums.
- We accept that daily brushing may be entirely impossible!

Maxiguard oral gel (Zinc Ascorbate Taurine in methylcellulose gel)
- No bactericidal effect
- Natural - not a synthetic chemical
- Dose well below Zinc required daily intake ie not toxic
- Ascorbic acid (Vit C) no direct contact with enamel
- Synergistic with toothpaste
- Strengthens the gum by stimulating collagen production - repair of tissues
- Zinc and Vit C (ascorbate) work together to repair tissue, stop permeability of tissue to bacterial toxins, less dead tissue for growth of proteolytic bacteria - lower level of harmful organisms - thus less plaque deposition
- Chelates malodorous sulfur compounds, oxidizes volatile fatty acids - less halitosis
- One drop finger application daily (more causes hypersalivation)
- Mixed by the veterinarian; lasts about 1year refrigerated
- Degraded if brown/yellow - must be blue/green
Indicated for halitosis, gingivitis, stomatitis, oral ulcers, post oral surgery, pre-and post -prophy, oral lacerations or injuries.