Anyone using Hills Prescription Diet Feline t/d? It's the Dental one.

lilibeth

As per title anyone feeding their cats this food? I'm currently using Hills Science Plan Feline Oral Care. But my vet* says while it is good, the prescription T/D one is better. My cat is having an elective scale and polish next week as her gums are quite red in places and her teeth are manky. And I'm desperate to keep her teeth from getting iffy again.

I read one study that said it was more effective than tooth brushing. I do that as well incidentally (as much as it is possible to brush an unimpressed cats teeth that is).

What are peoples opinions on it? Vets seem really stuck on Hills Science for everything.


*who is also a dental specialist and on the British Veterinary Dental Association board

P.S I won't be buying it from her so she has nothing to gain from recommending it.

SarahLou

I've never used it with any of my cats personally but it does come with high recommendations from many vets. It can really help reduce tartar which has already built up - but only to a degree - it will never clean them like a scale and polish will. I work for the RSPCA and it is often prescribed to cats that have just minor tartar build-up or first signs of gingivitis (red gums) - basically with the idea to be reduce the symptoms and help the cats teeth get into a little better shape before rehoming the animal.

Once its past a certain point though, only a scale and polish will do the job. Its worth feeding T/D for a bit after a dental though (after a few days on soft food to give the cat a chance to eat without too much pain after having any extractions). Otherwise, switch your cat onto just dry food after their dental if you've previously fed him/her on soft food.

I do feel that T/D is better than tooth brushing - simply because, like you've found out yourself, you'll never truly scrub them with a toothbrush as effectively as you'd like for fear of getting your hand ripped off!

lilibeth

SarahLou wrote: »

I've never used it with any of my cats personally but it does come with high recommendations from many vets. It can really help reduce tartar which has already built up - but only to a degree - it will never clean them like a scale and polish will. I work for the RSPCA and it is often prescribed to cats that have just minor tartar build-up or first signs of gingivitis (red gums) - basically with the idea to be reduce the symptoms and help the cats teeth get into a little better shape before rehoming the animal.

Once its past a certain point though, only a scale and polish will do the job. Its worth feeding T/D for a bit after a dental though (after a few days on soft food to give the cat a chance to eat without too much pain after having any extractions). Otherwise, switch your cat onto just dry food after their dental if you've previously fed him/her on soft food.

I do feel that T/D is better than tooth brushing - simply because, like you've found out yourself, you'll never truly scrub them with a toothbrush as effectively as you'd like for fear of getting your hand ripped off!

Thanks that is brilliant help. No as I said she is on Hills Science Dental at the moment and that is hard food too (she has always been on hard stuff). The vet thinks extraction very unlikely. It is just reddened gums in places at the moment. And the teeth look manky to me. She is 8 years old and this is the first time she will be having her teeth done, I don't know if she is bad for her age or good teeth wise. There is no suggestion of pain or anything. I was told it would be an idea to get it done in the next six months to prevent a problem occurring. So I just figured get it out of the way.

P.S. Toothpaste has been changed to a chlorhexidine based one.

Shoshannah

Raw chicken wings also do a good job of keeping teeth clean and are much cheaper than t/d.

friendsrgreat

Try Burns cat food instead; it should work as well as a prescription diet. (I can't give you any more information because I'm a new user and it won't let me put anything more helpful down, but there is an article on it on Burns.)

rita-rabbit

I feed mine Burns dry (did 100% but changed to 1/2 wet 1/2 dry recently due to urinary problem with the Tom - but feed raw, or v good quality wet: Feline Fayre or Bozita or Animondy Carny) but put Logic toothpaste on their gums - Vet says teeth massively improved since changing from cheap wet to mostly dry. Older cat hasn't been booked in for dental since they suggested using Logic as not deemed necessary anymore - younger cats teeth are ok. If you buy the logic online works out cheaper than Dental dried food & they enjoy their food more too.

mozzyc

HI

With regards to dental treatment for cats -
What do people use to brush their cats teath?
And how much roughly does a scale and polish at the vets cost? I've been told my female cat, Mindy, has slight red gums.

Thanks!

rita-rabbit

I put some Logic on a cotton wool bud & run it along either side of their mouth along the gum line - I don't brush. Sometimes if there's been a gap of a few days I rub the incisors with the cotton wool bud. I haven't had to take mine for their teeth to be cleaned since doing this - the older cats teeth & gums improved dramatically since starting to do this (I won't lie - I never do it twice daily - mostly once a day) & some of the tartar dissolved. After a year of doing this when I took cat to vet for a check up the vet said he didn't need dental treatment & just to continue putting the Logic on their gums regularly instead.

mozzyc

rita-rabbit wrote: »

I put some Logic on a cotton wool bud & run it along either side of their mouth along the gum line - I don't brush. Sometimes if there's been a gap of a few days I rub the incisors with the cotton wool bud. I haven't had to take mine for their teeth to be cleaned since doing this - the older cats teeth & gums improved dramatically since starting to do this (I won't lie - I never do it twice daily - mostly once a day) & some of the tartar dissolved. After a year of doing this when I took cat to vet for a check up the vet said he didn't need dental treatment & just to continue putting the Logic on their gums regularly instead.

Thanks! This is what i've been wanting to know. Will try purchase some of the Logic toothpaste then, cheers!