16 Sep What Can You Feed a Dog or Cat With No Teeth?
Fun Fact Trivia: Edentulous means being without teeth.
Periodontal disease is the inflammation and infection of the tissues around the tooth. When untreated, this can be cause for a dog or cat to lose one, multiple or even ALL their remaining teeth. At Animal Dental Care and Oral Surgery, a common question our pet owners ask is, “How does my dog or cat eat without any teeth?” We will explore some options for you if your pet has no teeth.
1. Canned Soft Food
Most dog food brands that make crunchy kibble also make canned, soft food that allows you to stick with the brand you trust. There are many nutritious flavors and forms on the market today. There is a pate’ form that has a smooth, uniform consistency and is easy to eat. A minced version has small bits of protein usually enhanced with the addition of gravy. The minced diets can still be digested well, even if swallowed without grinding the small bits by chewing. Large chunks in gravy can also be fed to your pet, but you may have to break the larger chunks with a fork if your pet has difficulty moving the food in their mouth or swallowing. Canned soft food may be the easiest and most convenient way to feed a toothless pet. Some owners like to change flavors in the same brand to keep it interesting for their pet.
2. “Just Food for Dogs” (Yes, they help cats too!)
Just Food for Dogs is a company that has multiple options for feeding your toothless pet. They have a team of veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists that work together with your veterinarian to formulate diets for many health conditions or if your pet is otherwise healthy and edentulous! They have some “ready to purchase” diets that are easy to swallow, chew and digest, or they can specially formulate what you need for your dog or cat. You can visit www.Justfoodfordogs.com for more information about the exciting work this company is doing for edentulous pets.
3. Regular Kibble
Some dogs and cats only want their kibble. Many of these pets did not chew the kibble previously, even when they did have teeth. If your “picky pooch” or “finicky feline” insists upon eating kibble, there are a couple of options to help with their new toothless lifestyle. Place their measured meal into a sandwich bag and crumble into smaller pieces using a rolling pin. This can help with easier digestion and make swallowing more comfortable. You can also moisten the full-size kibble or the crushed chunks with warm water. Keep in mind, many brands of kibble that are soaked with warm water will take 20 minutes or more to fully soften.
Vet Dentist in Colorado Springs
Although your pet may not have teeth, this doesn’t exclude them from needing routine oral health care. At Animal Dental Care and Oral Surgery, we care for pets who have teeth and those who don’t! And we know that canines and felines who are edentulous may need special care. If you have further questions about what to feed a dog or cat with no teeth or how to care for them, give us a call today.
Photo by Chris Benson on Unsplash (9/15/2020)