As part of VetSummit 2025: New Horizons in Veterinary Clinical Sciences, held within the scope of the Healthy Pet Food Ecosystem and sponsored by Kito, we have compiled the key takeaways from the session titled “Veterinarian Batuhan Elifoğlu / Introduction to Oral and Dental Health in Cats and Dogs: Anatomy, Dental Charting and COHAT” in this blog post for you. We would like to thank our lecturer for his presentation.
Two Things Happened at Once: Nutrition for Longevity and a Clinical Guide to Dental Medicine
For veterinary students and clinicians, the 8th session of the October 2025 VetSummit delivered two experiences at the same time. On one hand, we listened to Kito’s story—an effort to reshape the answer to the question “What are we feeding our pets?” On the other hand, we explored an introductory veterinary dentistry session that provided a clinical answer to the question “How do we interpret the oral cavity?”
In this article, we present both the big picture from the sponsor presentation and the practical clinical knowledge shared by Batuhan Elifoğlu on oral and dental health in cats and dogs—all in one smooth, blog-style flow.
More Than a Pet Food Brand: Kito’s “Healthy Pet Nutrition Ecosystem”
The session opened with Kito’s co-founder, Alper, being invited to the stage. From the very first minutes, the framework was clear: Kito positions itself not only as a pet food brand, but as a nutrition ecosystem designed to help pets live longer and healthier lives.
Key strengths:
Full control of meat sourcing
Lamb and beef are produced antibiotic-free and GMO-free at the founders’ own farm, Karkas Farm. Other ingredients such as chicken, turkey, and salmon are sourced according to standards set by Kito. In other words: “Kito knows exactly what goes into the product.”
Large-scale production through strong partners
Dardanel is both an investor and a production partner. The sterilization and shelf-life technology (autoclave processing) comes from Dardanel’s experience in ready-to-eat foods and seafood.
Kito’s growth story was explained chronologically. Initially, they wanted to launch fresh food products, but licensing processes took longer than expected. So they entered the market first with dry food and treats. Later, the fresh food line was launched—initially produced in their own kitchen, using frozen-shipping logistics with a capacity of 5 tons per month. As scaling became necessary, they moved into industrial production through the Dardanel partnership. This was followed by vitamins, international export operations (a distributor in Russia and a company in Dubai), and today’s point: a portfolio of 52 products.
Kito Fresh: How Can “Human-Standard Fresh Food” Last Two Years at Room Temperature?
The clear star of the presentation was the Kito Fresh series. Alper described it as “fresh, natural, human-grade ingredients.” The ingredient list resembles everyday grocery shopping: pumpkin, carrot, apple, peas, broccoli combined with protein options such as lamb, beef, chicken, and fish.
This naturally leads to an important question:
“How can fresh food remain stable for 24 months at room temperature?”
The answer is simple but critical: the products are sterilized using Dardanel’s autoclave technology, eliminating microorganisms that would cause spoilage. Since the product is not exposed to air until the package is opened, spoilage risk is prevented. This creates a model that is both practical and long shelf-life, while still being fresh-food based.
Another important point highlighted was the pricing segment. KitoFresh is a complete diet suitable for feeding alone, but it is a premium product. Under local economic conditions, Kito recommends a hybrid feeding model mixing it with dry food to adapt to different budgets. Their website includes a portion calculator algorithm where owners enter the pet’s age, weight, and breed to receive a daily feeding recommendation.
Global trends were also emphasized: major corporations such as Nestlé and Mars are investing heavily in fresh pet food brands in the United States and Europe. Behind this trend are studies suggesting that fresh diets may reduce cancer risk and support cellular regeneration in pets.
A Clinic-Exclusive Series: “Not Available Online Only Through Veterinarians”
At a summit heavily attended by veterinary students, the clinic-focused question naturally came up:
“If I have my own clinic tomorrow, why should I carry Kito?”
Alper answered clearly:
The Veterinary Series of Kito Fresh will be available only in clinics and will not be sold online. This provides two advantages for clinics:
- Commercial protection (no online price competition)
- A strong trust perception (transparent sourcing and a story that clients can connect with)
One of the most memorable statements of the day was:
“We are not Nestlé or Mars, but in a trust-based and emotionally driven space, we can deliver real value to clinics.”
The Second Half of the Day: Facing Veterinary Dentistry
After the sponsor segment, the stage shifted to Batuhan Elifoğlu. Although the title included the word “introduction,” the content was essentially a complete clinical guide:
Oral and dental health in cats and dogs, anatomy, dental charting, and the QUAT/COHAT protocol.
Elifoğlu’s approach was clear from the start:
“You cannot interpret abnormal tissue unless you understand normal tissue.”
That is why he began with skull types.
Why Are Skull Types So Important?
Clinically, we encounter three basic skull types:
- Mesocephalic: Labrador, Golden Retriever, domestic shorthair cats—standard reference type
- Brachycephalic: Pug, French Bulldog, Boxer highest risk group for oral disease
- Dolichocephalic: Collie-type long-nosed breeds
In brachycephalic breeds, the number of teeth is the same, but the jaw is shorter. This causes crowding, rotation, and increased plaque/tartar accumulation in tight spaces.
The result: even an oral cavity that looks “normal” externally may hide severe periodontal destruction deeper inside.
A Critical Warning About Spring-Loaded Mouth Gags
One of the strongest warnings from Elifoğlu was this:
Spring-loaded mouth gags in cats can cause serious temporomandibular joint damage and even blindness.
When the jaw is held open for long periods, the maxillary artery can become compressed, disrupting blood supply to the retina and brain. Therefore, passive devices that do not apply external force are recommended.
The Triadan System: A Shared Language for Talking About Teeth
Before moving into dental charting, Elifoğlu explained positional terminology and the Triadan numbering system.
In summary:
- The mouth has four quadrants: 100–200–300–400
- Deciduous teeth: 500–600–700–800
- Dogs: 42 permanent teeth, 28 deciduous teeth
- Cats: 30 permanent teeth, 26 deciduous teeth
This system allows clinicians to describe any tooth precisely, without relying on relative terms such as “upper right canine.”
Dental Charting Cannot Be Done on an Awake Patient
Charting is the documentation of a full-mouth examination. But one condition is essential:
Dental charting must be performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation.
Accurate probing, measurement, and recording are not possible in an awake animal. Elifoğlu reminded attendees of the “four-handed rule”: one clinician calls out the measurements while an assistant records them. This reduces both time and error risk.
The standard charting process includes:
- malocclusion check before intubation
- missing teeth or mass evaluation
- periodontal probing (at least 4 sites per tooth)
- treatment plan and procedure notes
- postoperative recording and photography
Periodontal Indices: “Extraction or Treatment?”
This section was one of the most clinically relevant.
Periodontal disease is staged as follows:
- Stage 0: normal
- Stage 1: gingivitis, no attachment loss
- Stage 2: < 25% attachment loss
- Stage 3: 25–50% loss, root exposure possible
- Stage 4: > 50% loss, advanced mobility → extraction is often indicated
Additional indices included in charting forms:
- calculus index (CL1–3)
- furcation stages (1–3)
- mobility grading (0–3)
- feline tooth resorption index (TR1–5)
- fracture classifications
QUAT / COHAT: The Gold Standard Protocol
Elifoğlu emphasized that this is how dental procedures should be performed. In summary, the QUAT/COHAT protocol includes:
- preoperative evaluation (ASA classification, testing, consent)
- endotracheal intubation
- pharyngeal packing (to reduce aspiration risk)
- antiseptic preparation
- local nerve blocks
- supragingival and subgingival scaling
- dental charting + treatment execution
- polishing (≤3000 RPM with appropriate paste)
- postoperative radiography
- safe extubation
- at-home care education and 6-month follow-ups
The simplest takeaway was:
“If you skip the standard, you skip the chance of successful treatment.”
Closing: Same Day, Same Goal
The most valuable part of this session was the dual perspective:
On one side, a brand investing in the question “How can nutrition extend health and longevity?”
On the other side, the gold standards for managing oral and dental health correctly in clinical practice.
Both aim at the same goal:
extending quality of life in companion animals.
We will continue sharing key highlights from the sessions of VetSummit 2025: New Horizons in Veterinary Clinical Sciences, sponsored by the Kito Healthy Pet Nutrition Ecosystem. See you in our upcoming content that will support your clinical practice.
For more information about Kito, you can visit www.kito.pet, follow our social media accounts, or contact us at info@kito.pet.