Abstract

Introduction: Preventing dental plaque and calculus accumulation is as important in pets as it is in humans and can help prevent the occurrence of more serious diseases. On top of professional descaling, using dental products at home, like dental bites or chews, is an important part of the dental care program.

Objective: A new bite-shaped co-extrusion dental product containing pomegranate, sodium hexametaphosphate and fish oil was assessed for its effectiveness to prevent plaque and calculus accumulation in cats.

Methods: Fifty cats were selected, their teeth were scaled and polished (Day-7) and plaque buildup was evaluated after 7 days (pre-test). On day 0, the cats had their teeth scaled and polished again and were then allocated to two groups, randomly and evenly in terms of number and plaque score obtained during the pre-test: one group received the control diet only and the other one received the same diet plus 3 test dental bites every day for 1 month. The accumulation of dental plaque and calculus and the gingivitis were then scored on D28 in a blinded manner. Body weight, food and bites consumptions and general health of the cats were also assessed and recorded regularly. Student’s t-tests were used to compare the scores between groups on Day 28. Differences in scores were considered statistically significant for a p < 0.05.

Results: The 3 bites were completely consumed by cats 99,9% of the time. No clinical sign in relation to product administration was reported and the body weight and food consumption were not impacted by the product. A significant decrease of the calculus score was observed in the test group as compared to the control group (24%, p < 0.05), with a higher decrease observed on the left side of the mouth than on the right side (29% vs. 18%). The mean plaque score also decreased (10%) and the difference with the control group was significant only for the left side of the mouth (12%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Results indicated that when 3 dental bites were fed per day to cats over a 28-day period, a significant reduction in calculus accumulation and to a lower extent, plaque accumulation was observed. The study also confirmed the very good acceptability and tolerance of these bites by the cat. This home dental product for cats can therefore be recommended by veterinarians and used by cat owners with confidence.

Keywords: Dental Bites; Cats; Plaque; Calculus; Tartar; Dental Care

References

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