Thread: Temporarily Feeding Raw for Juvenile Gingivitis

Sorry, if this is a repeat.

I have started to brush Tequila and Maya's teeth. They both love the taste of the paste. Maya will gnaw on the brush. Tequila on the other hand doesn't like foreign objects in or near his mouth. He will lick the paste and I will rub his teeth as best as I could.

Anyways, a couple of days ago I was able to get a good look at his gums. Well, his gum line was a little red. I contacted my vet and she said it was Juvenile Gingivitis. There was no treatment except for daily brushing. It was in the early stages.

Now, the kicker is that Tequila and Maya are both in a cat show next month. Being newbies at cat shows, I've read that there is a vet onsite that will look at the cat to make sure it is healthy. i am assuming that gingivitis is a dealbreaker. So, I would like to get his gums under control and was hoping that the raw feeding in combination of the brushing will expedite getting rid of the gingivitis.

This is where I was thinking about the raw feeding. I have read that a chicken wing or neck can help with cleaning the teeth. I am not interested in switching to raw feeding full time.

My questions to anyone that can help is....

1) If they like raw, is a wing/neck once a week okay or do I need to give it to them more often?
2) When I feed them a wing, does it replace a meal? They get about 3 to 4 small meals daily.
3) Do I need to break the bones in the beginning?
4) is my idea to raw feed with combination of brushing just to expedite getting rid of the gingivitis feasible?
5) what other precautions do I need to take prior to feeding raw once i a while?
6) do I need to add supplements to their diet if I am only feeding them once a week?

I appreciate your input.