Bob, concerning dental problems and food, which causes more problems
with plaque: kibble or Chicken Gravy (your recipe)?  And what about other
meat & egg items?
 
I am asking because just 6 months after Rocky's teeth cleaning at the
vet, those back upper teeth were beginning to get brown.  I generally
feed Rocky Chicken Gravy about 3 X week, he always has kibble available,
and he gets cooked chicken and raw egg yolk when I have it for myself,
freeze dried beef liver treats daily.  Most of his dry treats are high
quality cat food & Purina kitten chow, TF treats, Path Valley Ferret
Food, and ferret chews treats (claim to be "great for teeth and gums").
And very occasionally a chicken bone.  I don't give him raisins ever,
since dried fruit is SO high in sugar and almost never give him any fruit
(however he sometimes breaks into the garbage and drags out and hides all
the fruit scraps he can find and hide before I discover the cabinet door
open.)  Oh, and any palmetto bug that dares come out of the pipes in the
bathroom is his favorite delicacy.
 
I also give him Pounce Dental Treats and recently bought Petrodex Cat
dental treats, which claim to have a "patented Dual-Enzyme Formula."
 
Petrodex ingredients: Freeze-dried fish, dextrose, antioxidant, sodium
copper chlorophyllin, glucose oxidase, parsley seed oil, dried whey
protein concentrate, potassium sorbate.  When I noticed it had "dextrose"
I kind of freaked (package already open) but they claim it is "a
substrate necessary for the Enzyme System."
 
What do you think of these dental treats?  good?  useless?  harmful?
Pounce treats have corn as first ingredient.
 
I try to brush his teeth as often as we can both stand it, but I often
hurt him and his gum bleeds when trying to get at those back teeth.  As
soon as I scruff him, he becomes Mr Lockjaw and there's no way to pry
that mouth open and keep it open, brush and scruff with only 2 hands.
I've tried every kind of toothbrush, even a rough washcloth.
 
I know he will need a professional cleaning soon, but I'm trying my best
to give him a diet that is good for him and his teeth.
 
Thanks for any info/advice you can give me.
 
Shron & Rocky aka Mr. Lockjaw
[Posted in FML issue 4793]