21/01/2026
Plaque and tartar, what's the difference? 🤔
🦷Plaque is what eventually turns into tartar. It's the thin film that accumulates on your teeth every day and if left there, will harden and form tartar, which is why it's so important to stop or remove! 🦷
Fortunately there are many different ways to protect your cats' and dogs' teeth against plaque and tartar and some methods can even remove pretty built up tartar, as shown in these photos of our practice manager's dog Apollo.
Apollo has Ascophyllum Nodosum (Plaque Off) added to his food every day and has a Whimzee chew twice a week and these are the results! 😮
🌿Plaque Off works by entering the bloodstream after being ingested and then inhibits plaque's ability to stick to the teeth. It can also soften existing tartar, making dental chews or tooth brushing more effective.
🦔Whimzees are an edible (because not all chews are!), vegetarian (safe for meat allergies), grain-free, raw-hide free, low calorie, high fibre chew that have the VOHC seal of acceptance for both plaque and tartar control, and they come in all sorts of fun shapes and sizes so you can find the right one for your dog. Apollo's favourites are the hedgehogs and the calming antlers.
Apollo's feline siblings love the taste of Plaque Off but it's hard to dose them because they're fed from a communal feeder, so instead they get Oxyfresh added to their drinking water, so much easier for their mum!
💧Oxyfresh dental water additive uses its patented blend of Oxygene and zinc to help clean the teeth, reduce bad breath, and maintain healthy teeth and gums.
It's tasteless, odourless, and free from xylitol, chlorhexidine and alcohol!
🪥While the absolute best care you can give your cat or dog is daily tooth brushing, most of us don't have the time, patience or nerve to do that, and it HAS to be every single day, so it's a relief to know there are some really effective options out there that are more suited to the busy pet owner who might lose a finger if they tried to brush their cat's teeth 😄
