Tartar in cats: causes, treatment, prevention

The Idea of keeping animals at home have many causes mixed feelings. On the one hand, this is due to the enormous amount of positive emotions that can bring their owners Pets. Usually, the person experiences pleasure from the fact that someone cares. Especially when you feel the gratitude of the animal. This unity with the natural world can bring a lot of joy to metropolis residents. However, it is associated with certain difficulties. For example, keeping animals invariably entails considerable financial expenses: food, medical treatment (if necessary), regular mandatory medical procedures (cleaning the body from parasites, both internal and external), purchasing the necessary accessories and toys. Among other things, will have to make many important decisions. For example, what to choose: natural cat food or dry? How much time to spend on caring for a pet? It will not bring any harm to his decisions? Because the health and well-being of this animal will now be in your hands. So ignoring the necessary hygiene procedures just can't. Due to the fact that some allow such negligence, Pets have a number of unpleasant health problems. One of them may become Tartar. What is it? If he's dangerous for cats? How to get rid of it? Details will be discussed further in this article.

Clean a cat's teeth in nature?

Many people believe that cats that live in the wild, up to old age have great strong teeth. So, animals do not need special care. After all, in nature they are not offered dry food or special food for older cats. However, such a view is mistaken. In cats that do not live with a man, rots teeth no less, and perhaps even more. Another important factor that is often not taken into account is the life expectancy of stray animals. And she is known to be extremely small. This means that a substantial part of them just doesn't live up to the moment when the disease reaches a serious stage of development.

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So you need to remember that the gums and teeth of cats are subject to the same diseases that people have. Namely, often they are diagnosed with gingivitis, stomatitis, caries and other similar diseases. Moreover, some breeds of cats, depending on heredity and other, only their inherent factors, have a strong tendency to certain diseases than other breeds. This is true for Siamese, British, Persian and Scottish fold cats, who are more likely to suffer from gum problems. And the reason, as a rule, it becomes Tartar - a very common problem among animals that are kept in the home.

What is calculus?

What is soboY this disease? It all starts with plaque - small crystalline particles that are incredibly snug to smooth the enamel surface of the tooth. What is included in their composition? Complex constituents, among which are the mineral salts, bacteria, decayed food residues, which previously were partially dissolved by the saliva.

If the pet owner regularly ignores the need to take care of the teeth as your pet, then the mixture described substances eats into the tooth surface, thus forming a plaque. It's easy to distinguish between the (visible dark growths). Tartar is not only considerably spoils the appearance of the mouth, but also leads to fetid breath of the pet.

Causes

Why the teeth of cats are formed such education? If you know the cause of the problem, they are much easier to avoid. So, what causes dental calculus in the oral cavity of cats. There are the following reasons:

• Dental Disease.
• Substantial disorders of mineral metabolism, which causes a change in blood concentration of calcium and phosphorus. Thus, in the saliva increases the amount of dissolved salts in the saliva, and are subsequently deposited on the teeth as plaque.
• The Absence of any tooth-antagonist.
• Inflamed gums near base of teeth.

What is the key reason that causes all the others? As shown by research and practice, the main predisposing factor in this context is improper diet. In the diet of a pet must enter solid foods, which cleans the teeth. If not, then the plaque builds up and causes certain health problems.

Risk Group

What animals are at particular risk in this regard? Usually, we are talking about adult cats (always older than three to five years). However, due to certain factors (in particular, dietary habits), the problem began to affect increasingly young individuals. Today one can observe young kittens (sometimes up to a year) with the threat of a green tinge on the teeth.

Exactly Where a rock is formed?

It is Important to know where to look for emerging Tartar in cats. Logically, the most intense plaque accumulates on those areas that maximise washedsaliva, namely on the inner side of the lower incisors and the outer side of the indigenous. Be aware that these processes always affect an entire group of teeth.

Types of rocks

For the selection of the correct treatment it is important to know what kind of dental calculus from cats formed. Their are two types, which differ according to its location. So, stones are supragingival and subgingival. The first are formed near the base of the tooth. They are easily seen even without special tools. Subgingival stones are arranged at the tooth root. Discover it independently is extremely difficult. In this case, you will need experience and skills that only professionals.

Symptoms

How to understand what your pet is formed Tartar? Cats due to mechanical irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth are bleeding gums, which causes them chronic inflammation. The most noticeable symptom of kidney stones is an unpleasant odor coming from cat's mouth. The animal can be disturbed by the obsessive itch.

In cases where the necessary treatment is not carried out, the symptoms may worsen and new ones to appear. Among them are the following: the cat appear visible injury of the cheeks and tongue; it becomes difficult or nearly impossible to chew, so that the animal completely refuses food; in the mouth it develops a tremendous amount of pathogenic microorganisms that cause the loosening and subsequent loss of teeth; cats have significantly enhanced salivation.

How is it diagnosed?

To find Out if your pet Tartar is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. And you don't even have to be a specialist. Need only to carefully examine the teeth of cats. If they show the patina (usually dark greenish-brown shade), this suggests that the development of certain pathological processes in the oral cavity of the animal. May soon be formed Tartar. The cat in this case, there is direct testimony to medical treatment.

Treatment

So the cats have Tartar. What to do? Most professional veterinarians who work in large cities, own innovative methods to resolve the problem and have the necessary adaptations for this. These professionals can carry out the removal of Tartar in cats using ultrasound. The main drawback of this procedure is its high cost. Moreover, it should be done exclusively under General anesthesia or when the animal is in a state of "sleep medication".

In veterinary clinics that do not have such equipment, offer to carry out this procedure with more archaic methods. Its essence consists in the mechanical removal of Tartar with the help of surgical instruments. The animal is tied to a table, and sometimes even recommended to use anesthesia, since the procedure is extremely unpleasant. Moreover, due to the peculiarities of the method the teeth of cats are cleaned pretty painful. However, the ability to choose the most appropriate technique of the procedure is not always available.

Prevention of Tartar in cats

In order to avoid serious problems, it is recommended to practice a number of preventive measures designed to prevent formation of dangerous plaque.

The First thing you will need is a toothbrush for cats. Yes, the RAID will have to regularly remove yourself. How to brush cat teeth? It is important to understand that this should be done at least once a week (better yet every day). It would be correct to apply the solutions, specially designed for this purpose. They can cook on their own. Simple recipe: dissolve in one liter of water a couple of tablespoons of baking soda. In the resulting solution should be added five per cent alcohol tincture of iodine. This effectively will help destroy mineral formations.

How to brush your teeth cat if she doesn't allow? It is important to teach this pet since early childhood. Then this procedure will become for him a regular.

In that case, if the moment is missed, and plaque has already formed, teeth in cats should be treated with a three percent hydrogen peroxide. It is important to avoid mucous membranes, not to burn them. How does the peroxide? It removes the oxidation film, which is attached to the stone. After the procedure, thoroughly rinse the cat's mouth. It can be made not more often than once in four weeks.

An Important method of prevention is proper nutrition. For older animals it would be appropriate to use food for older cats. Dry feed is often effectively solve the problem, so they should pay attention. It is also possible to use solid natural dry food for cats. All this will help natural way to get rid of plaque.

Summary

It is Necessary to remember that the health of your pet is entirely in your hands. So if you will be able to pay enough attention to care for him, pet can entertain you for a long time, andneed to spend time and money for treatment simply does not arise. It is important from early childhood kitten to accustom it to the necessary hygiene procedures and to get used to provide power and time. It will bring much good fruit in the future. Your care and perseverance will help the cat to live a happy and serene life in your family circle. And her love and appreciation can become the best reward for the effort.