>From:    Jennifer B <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Seeking dental care advice
>
>I have a question about ferret dental care and dental products ....
>anyone out there provide home dental maintenance on their fuzzies?...
>[SNIP] Are 'cat' dental products compatible with fuzzies if the basic
>ingredients are hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (or any suggestions
>for home made ferret teeth cleaner)?
>
>I've found the following brands (Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste, Marshall
>Ferret Dental Gel, Petrodex Teeth Cleaning Pads, and Totally Ferret
>Liquid Filled Oral Swabs - filled with Neem Oil, Parsley Seed Oil,
>Ascorbic Acid/Vitamin C, and Chlorophyll)...[SNIP]
 
Hi.  Again.  I'm REALLY behind with FMLs, but I'd like to offer the
following info to you.  I do use the CET toothbrushing products for cats
for my ferrets (vet-recommended).  Toothbrushes are better than wipes,
etc.  because wipes, cotton balls, gauze pads, etc, can't get under the
gums the way bristles can.  The feline brushes can still be kind of large
for a ferret's mouth, but far better than human toothbrushes, even baby
ones.  I pretty much stick with the smaller bristle brush versus the one
they have that is like a rubber thimble with rubber bristles; the
white-bristled, longer-handled brush is a better fit and easier to get
into the back and under gums.
 
The CET toothpaste is an enzymatic toothpaste, which means that even if
you're having trouble with the actual brushing, you are at least getting
the enzymes into their mouths to help break down the bacteria/plaque, and
the toothpaste, unlike human paste, is perfectly safe for them to ingest
(swallow).  Mine prefer the seafood flavor, but it comes in chicken, too
(sounds yucky, but most animals aren't keen on mint...) ;)
 
You can try using Science Diet's T/D (tartar diet) food (it's a
prescription food only purchased through a vet) as a snack here and there
(it's very fattening, and shouldn't be a part of their regular diet per
say-this is true even for most cats; cats generally shouldn't have it as
more then 20% of their diet, and even then, that's usually for cats with
dental problems).  But if you just give them a few kibbles as a treat, it
helps scrape the tartar off their teeth; it took some of mine awhile to
try it, but now most of them really like it.  Your vet may be willing to
give you small sample bags of it instead of making you buy the 4-pound
bag (the smallest it comes).  I don't know how good most over-the-counter
tartar treats are-since I have access to T/D at work and that's what we
use, I wouldn't know.
 
You can also try CET Chews, which are enzymatic chew treats, but my
ferrets really just like to steal them or make a mess with them rather
than chew on them enough to really work the enzymes into their mouths.
 
Ferrets' teeth can be cleaned, scaled, polished, extracted if necessary,
just like a cat's, but this is something your vet would generally
determine if they needed.  Most of mine have had routine dentals just to
clean everything up, and they were 2 and 3 years old at the time, with no
problems.
 
Dental care is important in all animals, and while it can be a pain to
brush teeth, if you can get into it, it will really be to your pet's
benefit.  Dental problems such as plaque and tartar buildup can cause not
just immediate mouth problems and periodontal disease, but can lead to
other systemic problems, such as kidney disease, as bacteria in the mouth
(i.e. plaque) is absorbed into their gums and leaches into their
bloodstream to travel throughout the body.
 
Hope that helps!
 
-April AC (I'm NOT a vet; I'm a vet tech who has learned through my vets
and others about this stuff!)
[Posted in FML issue 4290]