Effect of long-term intermittent periodontal care on canine periodontal disease

The periodontal health status was assessed in two groups of dogs which had received different levels of periodontal care over a two-year period. The dental group received regular dental scaling and polishing, and intermittent daily tooth brushing, while the control group received no periodontal care. All dogs developed gingivitis, and two (one from each group) showed evidence of incipient periodontitis. The dental group had a reduced gingivitis index (GI) compared with the control group only when they had received daily tooth brushing before the GI assessment. When the dogs had not had their teeth brushed for four weeks before the assessment, the GI was not significantly different to that in the control dogs. This suggests that continual periodontal care throughout life is of great importance and questions the benefits of intermittent oral care. The GI of the palatal and lingual surfaces in all dogs was significantly higher than the GI of the buccal surfaces. Thus, all tooth surfaces may need to be cleaned to achieve optimal periodontal health.     

Clinical, radiological and bacteriological findings in canine periodontitis

The clinical and radiological features and bacterial flora were studied in 16 small dogs with periodontitis. Gingival retraction, bleeding and alveolar bone loss were the most typical findings, whereas deep periodontal pockets were infrequently found. Periodontitis was frequently localised to certain regions of the dentition, most often in premolars or incisors. However, the deepest periodontal pockets were found in canine teeth. The mean pocket depth was 2·0 ± 0·4 mm (mean ± SD). The mean percentage of the sites with a pocket depth of more than 3 mm was 10·5 per cent. The mean occurrence of gingival bleeding after probing was 22·7 ± 12·7 per cent and the mean percentage of furcation lesions in multirooted teeth per dog was 46·0 ± 23·5 per cent. Tooth mobility was seen in 26·7 ± 13·3 per cent of the teeth. In each case subgingival plaque samples were taken for microbiological examination from two teeth with periodontitis and one healthy tooth. There was a clear difference between the diseased and healthy pockets in the detection frequency of the following Gram-negative anaerobes: pigmented, non-pigmented slime producing and fusiform rods. The counts of Gram-negative pigmented, other non-pigmented and fusiform rods as well as Gram-positive cocci were clearly higher in the diseased pockets. Pigmented Gram-negative rods (mainly asaccharolytic, Porphyromonas-like species) were the most common finding in both diseased and healthy pockets.     

Diagnostic value of the use of lateral and occlusal radiographic views in comparison with periodontal probing for the assessment of periodontal attachment of the canine teeth in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of 2 intraoral bisecting angle radiographic views in comparison with periodontal probing for the assessment of periodontal attachment of the canine teeth in dogs. STUDY POPULATION: 466 canine teeth from 117 dogs. PROCEDURE: Periodontal probing measurements were recorded, and clinical attachment levels (CAL) were calculated at the mesial, buccal, distal, and lingual (or palatal) surfaces on each canine tooth. Occlusal and lateral radiographs of the canine teeth were obtained. Alveolar margin height (AMH) was measured at the same 4 surfaces. Values for AMH and CAL were compared on the basis of tooth surface, dental arch, and radiographic view. RESULTS: The AMH at the mesial and distal surfaces of the mandibular canine teeth was measurable on the lateral view and was significantly correlated with CAL. Similar results were found for the mesial and distal surfaces of the maxillary canine teeth. Buccal and lingual AMH were measured on the mandibular occlusal radiographic view, and values were significantly correlated with CAL, but only the buccal AMH could be assessed on the occlusal radiographic view of the maxilla with values that correlated significantly with CAL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The lateral radiographic view is suitable for evaluating periodontal attachment at the mesial and distal surfaces of the canine teeth in dogs. The occlusal radiographic view is suitable for assessing buccal surfaces as well as the lingual surface of mandibular canine teeth but not the palatal surface of maxillary canine teeth in dogs.     

Lingual arch bar application for treatment of rostral mandibular body fractures in cats

Objective: To describe a lingual arch bar technique for fixation of rostral mandibular body fractures and report outcome in 16 cats. Study Design: Original study. Animals: Cats (n=16) with rostral mandibular body fracture (10 bilateral, 6 unilateral) just caudal to the canine teeth. Methods: Orthodontic wire (Dentaurum^®; 0.9 mm) was used as a lingual arch bar by contouring it to the shape of the lingual side of the alveolar margin, and secured by circum‐mandibular wires passed interproximal to teeth. Stability of fixation, occlusion, tolerance to the lingual arch bar, degree of secondary gingivitis/periodontitis, and ability to eat were evaluated clinically, and fracture union was assessed radiographically. Results: The lingual arch bar was well tolerated. Eleven cats without a feeding tube were able to eat within 24 hours. Time to fracture union and appliance removal ranged from 28 to 64 days (mean, 42.5 days). Malocclusion of the rostral part of the fracture occurred in 5 cats; however only 1 required correction. Conclusions: Intraoral stabilization of rostral mandibular fractures using a lingual arch bar is a simple and effective method for the treatment of rostral mandibular fractures just caudal to the canine teeth.     

Structure of peripheral cementum of normal equine cheek teeth

The structure of peripheral cementum of mandibular and maxillary cheek teeth was studied by gross observation, light microscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Teeth from four horses aged 4, 8, 17, and 30-years-old were examined. The cementum of the occlusal surface was thicker on the buccal aspect when compared with the lingual aspect of mandibular teeth. The cementum of the occlusal surface was thicker on the palatal aspect when compared with the buccal aspect of maxillary teeth. There was no peripheral cementum on the interdental aspects of either mandibular or maxillary cheek teeth. In the adult tooth, cementum covered the crown and root surfaces. The peripheral cementum of the gingival region showed a dramatic increase in thickness compared with cementum covering the alveolar portion of the embedded tooth. At a microscopic level, three layers (primary, secondary, and tertiary) were identified within cementum. The increase in cementum in the gingival region was of tertiary cementum. All three layers contained vital cementocytes. There was a well-developed vascular system within the cementum. Nerve bundles were also present. Three cementoblast profiles were identified at the junction of the cementum with the periodontal ligament. The results reported in this paper show that cementum is a dynamic vital tissue. These findings should contribute to a greater understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of cemental caries and periodontal disease in the horse.     

Prevalence of proteinuria in a canine oncology population

Objective

To evaluate the point prevalence of proteinuria in dogs presenting to the University of Georgia Oncology Service for the first time.

Materials and Methods

In this prospective study, 60 client‐owned dogs with a confirmed cancer diagnosis were included but those with lower urinary tract neoplasia were excluded. Each dog's signalment, cancer diagnosis, previous cancer treatments, current medications and travel history were recorded. Renal values, electrolytes, packed cell volume, total solids, systolic blood pressure, urinalysis, urine protein:urine creatinine and retinal examinations were recorded. Non‐proteinuric, borderline proteinuria and overt proteinuria were defined as urine protein:urine creatinine <0·2, ≥0·2 but <0·5, and ≥0·5, respectively. Urine culture was performed in dogs with active urine sediments or overt proteinuria.

Results

Twenty‐nine dogs were non‐proteinuric (48·3%), 22 (36·7%) borderline proteinuric and nine (15%) overtly proteinuric. None were azotaemic. Hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg) was detected in 18 (30%) dogs. Of these, six were non‐proteinuric, nine borderline proteinuric, and three overtly proteinuric. Proteinuria was detected in 51% of dogs presented to our oncology service, the majority of which were classified as borderline.

Clinical Significance

The high proportion of proteinuria in dogs in this study suggests that screening for proteinuria in dogs with cancer may be prudent. Larger studies are required to correlate specific cancer types and the impact of treatment with the development, magnitude and persistence of proteinuria.     

Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandibular bone of companion animals

Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandible were determined in 17 dogs and 13 cats with severe plaque, gingivitis/periodontitis, and calculus that were treated orally with clindamycin (11 mg/kg) once daily for 5 days prior to professional teeth cleaning and extractions. The animals were patients at the Dental Department of the Clinic for Surgery and Ophthalmology of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria. Clindamycin levels were determined during postextractional alveoloplasty. Approximately 1 to 3 mm3 of mandible was removed from the intraradicular septum in multirooted teeth and from the protruding labial/buccal alveolar rim with a small rongeur. The mean concentration of clindamycin was 8.18 microg/g in dogs (range=3.16 to 24.08 microg/g) and 17.43 microg/g in cats (range=2.45 to 51.60 microg/g). The concentration of clindamycin in the mandibles of dogs and cats may be useful to combat infections after periodontal procedures, tooth extractions, or injuries to the mandible.     

Clinical and patho-morphological investigation of spontaneously occurring Seriodontal isease in dogs

Diagnostic evaluation of, and treatment planning for, different periodontal diseases of dogs are a common problem in veterinary dentistry. Therefore the aim of the present study was to propose a classification for inflammatory periodontal disease. One hundred and twenty-three male and female poodles (from two to over 12 years) were used for the clinical investigations; 120 periodontitis teeth were analysed for pathomorphological signs of inflammation. The recorded data made it possible to differentiate five forms of gingivitis (gingivitis simplex, hyperplastica, ulcerosa, granulomatosa and desquamativa) and three forms of periodontitis (juvenile, rapidly progressive adult and chronic adult periodontitis). The pathomorphological investigations allowed a differentiation between acute progressive inflammation, chronic nonprogressive inflammation, chronic proliferative inflammation and chronic resorptive inflammation. It is concluded that standardised diagnoses as well as the pathomorphological background may be helpful tools for providing effective treatment strategies.     

Concentrations of cardiac Troponin I before and after ovariohysterectomy in 46 female dogs with pyometra

Background

Canine pyometra is a common disease in countries where routine spaying of young dogs is not common practice. This disease is known to lead to systemic inflammation potentially affecting multiple organs in the body, including the heart. Cardiac-specific Troponin I (cTnI) is a sensitive marker of myocardial cell damage, which can result from ischemia, trauma, toxins or inflammation. Dogs with pyometra are also exposed to anaesthesia which can potentially result in myocardial cell damage. The aims of the study were 1) to evaluate the occurrence of myocardial cell damage as indicated by increased serum concentrations of cTnI in dogs with pyometra and relate these to presence of systemic inflammation and 2) to evaluate the change in cTnI-concentrations after anaesthesia and surgery.

Methods

Serum cTnI concentration was measured preoperatively and one day after surgery in 46 female dogs with pyometra and 15 female dogs that underwent surgery for other reasons (ovariohysterectomy and mammary tumours).

Results

Forty-six female dogs of different breeds diagnosed with pyometra were included. The dogs had a median age of 8.5 years (IQR 7.5–10) and a median weight of 29 kg (IQR 9–32). Of the 46 dogs, 37 (80%) fulfilled the chosen criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) at inclusion. Thirteen (28%) of the dogs had increased cTnI concentrations (> 0.2 μg/l) before surgery and 18 (39%) had increased cTnI-concentrations the day after surgery. The cTnI concentrations in the 13 dogs with increased preoperative cTnI concentrations decreased in 8 dogs, increased in 4 dogs, and was unchanged in one dog. Seven dogs with nondetectable preoperative cTnI concentrations had increased postoperative concentrations. The only significant association between the studied laboratory or clinical variables (including SIRS) and cTnI concentration was preoperative percentage band neutrophils (PBN) and postoperative cTnI concentration (P = 0.016). In total, 20 dogs (43%) had increased pre- or postoperative cTnI concentrations. Seven dogs (15%) had pre-or postoperative concentrations of cTnI of 1.0 μg/l or higher.

Conclusion

Mild to moderate increases in cTnI appears to be common in dogs with pyometra before and after surgery, but the clinical importance of this finding is uncertain. None of the studied clinical variables were found to reliably predict increased preoperative cTnI concentrations. Because of the pre- and postoperative variation in cTnI concentrations, it was not possible to identify a negative effect of anaesthesia and surgery on myocardial cell integrity.     

Screening for periodontal disease in research dogs - a methodology study

Background

It has been shown that the prevalence of both clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥1 mm and pocket probing depth (PPD) ≥4 mm is relatively high even in younger dogs, but also that only a minority of the dogs have such clinical signs of periodontal disease (PD) in more than a few teeth. Hence, a minority of dogs carry the major PD burden. These epidemiological features suggest that screening for PD in larger groups of dogs, allowing for rapid assessment of treatment planning, or for the selection of dogs with or without PD prior to be included in experimental trials, should be possible. CAL is the central variable in assessing PD extent and severity while PPD is the central variable used in treatment planning which make these two variables obvious in a screening protocol with the dual aim of disease identification and treatment planning. The main purpose of the present study in 98 laboratory Beagle dogs was to construct a fast, simple and accurate screening tool, which is highly sensitive for the identification of dogs with PD.

Results

Examination of the maxillary P4, P3, P2, I1 and C would, in this population, result in the identification of 85.5% of all dogs and 96% of all teeth positive for CAL ≥1 mm, and 58.9% of all dogs and 82.1% of all teeth positive for PD ≥4 mm.Examination of tooth pairs, all C’s, maxillary I2, M2 and the mandibular P4 would, in this population result in identification of 92.9% of all dogs and 97.3% of all teeth positive for PD ≥4 mm, and 65.5% of all dogs and 83.2% of all teeth positive for CAL ≥1 mm. The results presented here only pertain to the present study population.

Conclusions

This screening protocol is suitable for examination of larger groups of laboratory Beagle dogs for PD and our findings indicate that diseased dogs are identified with a high degree of sensitivity. Before this screening can be used in clinical practice, it has to be validated in breeds other than Beagle dogs and in populations with larger age variation.     

Mandible and mandibular first molar tooth measurements in dogs: relationship of radiographic height to body weight

Height measurements of the mandible and the mandibular first molar tooth were obtained from 234 dogs. Statistical analysis was performed to determine possible associations between these measurements and body weight, sex, age, and body condition. There was a statistically significant association between the mandible: mandibular first molar tooth height measurement ratio and body weight (p < 0.0001) in all body weight groups. Small dogs had proportionally larger mandibular first molar teeth relative to mandibular height compared with larger dogs. This relationship may contribute to an increased susceptibility in small dogs for periodontitis and subsequent tooth loss. There was no statistically significant association between the mandible: mandibular first molar tooth height measurement ratio and other parameters evaluated in this study.     

Dental diastemata and periodontal disease secondary to axially rotated maxillary cheek teeth in three horses

Malerupted axially rotated maxillary cheek teeth (CT) were identified as the primary cause of diastemata and severe periodontitis in 3 horses. Diastema widening and periodontal debridement was performed initially in one case but did not resolve clinical signs. Subsequently, all 3 cases underwent extraction of the axially rotated teeth per os without complication. Follow‐up indicated remission of periodontitis and signs of oral pain. In these cases, maxillary CT had erupted in a manner that resulted in axial rotation of CT with undulating buccal and palatal surfaces aligned with the interproximal surfaces of adjacent normally orientated teeth. This resulted in poor interproximal compression and diastemata causing severe periodontitis. Axially rotated maxillary CT and the severe periodontitis that they precipitate, have not been previously described as a discrete dental disease entity.     

Comparison of periodontitis and root replacement in cat teeth with resorptive lesions

Cat teeth with resorptive lesions and periodontitis may have a distinctly different clinical and radiographic appearance compared with teeth that have focal, lesion-associated gingivitis. A retrospective, case-controlled study was performed to determine the occurrence of root replacement in cats with resorptive lesions and associated periodontitis. Of 543 teeth evaluated with resorptive lesions, radiographic and/or clinical signs of periodontitis were identified in 236 (43.5%) teeth. Periodontitis was present in 43 of 275 (15.6%) teeth with root replacement and 193 of 268 (72.0%) teeth that had normal radiodensity and maintenance of the periodontal ligament. There was a significantly lower occurrence of root replacement in cat teeth with resorptive lesions and periodontitis.     

Cardiac troponin I in dogs anaesthetized with propofol and sevoflurane: the influence of medetomidine premedication and inspired oxygen fraction

Objective

To investigate changes in serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in dogs in which medetomidine was used for sedation or for premedication prior to anaesthesia with propofol and sevoflurane.

Concentrations of tinidazole in gingival crevicular fluid and plasma in dogs after multiple dose administration

Tinidazole 15 mg/kg was administered to eight Beagle dogs with gingivitis or periodontitis twice daily for 3 days. Tinidazole concentrations in blood and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were measured 1,3,6 and 9 h after the morning dose each day. The concentration of tinidazole was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mean concentration of tinidazole in GCF for each dog ranged from 6.05 to 9.32 αg/mL at different time points after the first dose, and on the first day the highest concentration was observed 6 h after the drug administration. Tinidazole concentrations were 34 ± 4%-72 ± 9% (mean ± SEM) of simultaneous plasma concentration. At steady-state, on the third treatment day, the mean tinidazole concentrations in GCF ranged from 6.68 to 13.1 μg/mL, i.e. 44 ± 6%-75 ± 25% of the corresponding concentrations in plasma. Tinidazole concentration in GCF exceeded the MIC values for putative path-ogenic periodontal bacteria and it is concluded that, when indicated, tinidazole could be used for chemotherapy of periodontitis in dogs.     

Intratesticular and incisional line infiltration with ropivacaine for castration in medetomidine–butorphanol–midazolam sedated dogs

Objective

To evaluate whether intratesticular and incisional ropivacaine infiltration produces sufficient intra- and postoperative analgesia for castrating dogs under sedation.

Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 compared with 0.9% NaCl administered to greyhounds with haemorrhagic shock

Objective

To determine the cardiovascular and acid-base effects of 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 and 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) administered to anaesthetized greyhounds with haemorrhagic shock.

A clinical study of periodontal disease in sheep

Detailed examinations were made of the central permanent incisors and periodontia of 30 or 40 ewes on each of one control farm and three periodontal disease (P.D.) farms. The study confirmed that incisor crown lengthening, protrusion and loosening were significant features of P.D. Periodontitis (assessed by increased sulcus depth and bleeding after probing) about the lingual sulcus was a significant feature of P.D. Labial gingivitis and labial periodontitis were not significant features. A relatively long lower jaw did not appear to be a feature of P.D. 87.     

Effects of hyaluronidase on ropivacaine or bupivacaine regional anaesthesia of the canine pelvic limb

Objective

To determine the effect of hyaluronidase on time to onset and offset of anaesthesia in ropivacaine or bupivacaine femoral–ischiatic nerve blocks.