Veterinary Medicine - October 2007 - (Page G1)

Why should oral care be an integral part of your small animal practice? Moderator Moderator Participants Participants Advancing Oral Healthcare: A Roundtable Discussion Karyl Hurley DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition Jan Bellows DVM, DAVDC, DABVP Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic Weston, Fla. Debbie Boone Chief Operating Office Reidsville Veterinary Hospital Reidsville, N.C. Richard Goldstein DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University Ithaca, N.Y. Barron Hall DVM, FAVD, DAVDC Animal Dental Clinic Vienna,VA Margie Scherk DVM, DABVP (feline) Cats Only Veterinary Clinic Vancouver, B.C., Canada Periodontal disease is one of the most common—if not the most common—disease seen in small animal practices. Besides the obvious malodor issue, there are also systemic health concerns associated with periodontal disease. Recognizing the importance of optimum oral health and providing strong recommendations to all clients on how to maintain oral health in their pets should be an integral part of every small animal practice. have more tooth surface area in relation to their body size than large breeds, and brachycephalic breeds crowd the same number of teeth into a much smaller space. Bellows: About 85% of dogs more than 3 years old will have evidence of periodontal disease. When we perform spay or neuter surgery, we encourage clients to include an Oral Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention, or Oral ATP. The larger the breed, the less they tend to have periodontal disease, except for greyhounds. Dr. Karyl Hurley: Dr. Bellows, would you help us characterize periodontal disease in dogs and cats? Hurley: So risk factors seem to include age, breed, and Dr. Jan Bellows: Periodontal disease is a multifactorial problem that affects dogs and cats. By multifactorial, we mean that some animals with horrible home care don’t develop periodontal disease, while others receiving home care have raging periodontal disease. Periodontal disease starts with plaque, causing gingival inflammation, which progresses in some cases to end-stage periodontal disease, including bone, support, and tooth loss. In other cases the pet may only develop stage 1 or 2 periodontal disease. size. Is there a genetic bias? Bellows: Yes. Some cats, such as Egyptian breeds, are more prone to periodontal disease. Hall: I’ve also seen it in breed lines. I remember a miniature schnauzer breeder in Texas. One of her prize stud dogs had horrible periodontal disease—I extracted 18 teeth. Since then, anytime we would see a miniature schnauzer from her line, it usually needed some teeth extracted by the time it was 2 to 3 years old. Dr. Margie Scherk: Periodontal disease is a progressive disease; however, there are many points at which the veterinarian can interrupt the process, starting with the deposition of plaque. Plaque must be deposited before there is an inflammatory response. Once the inflammatory response begins, there are still many opportunities to stop progression before you reach irreversible periodontal disease. Bellows: Another factor is diet. Semi-moist diets tend to stay next to the gingiva longer. Periodontal disease starts with bacteria deposited in plaque, which irritates the gingiva. That initiates an inflammatory response, and in many cases it is a downhill spiral from there. Risk factors Dr. Barron Hall: Toy breeds and brachycephalic breeds are more prone to periodontal disease because toy breeds Relationship with systemic health Hurley: Are animals with periodontal disease more predisposed to certain diseases? Presented by The Greenies Company

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - October 2007

Veterinary Medicine - October 2007 Contents Leading Off The Veterinary Medicine Interview: Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald Toxicology Brief Idea Exchange Animal Sheltering in the United States: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow The Euthanasia Problem Offer Basic Behavior Counseling for Every Pet at Every Visit Promote and Perform Early Spaying and Neutering Assist Owners in Selecting the Best Pets for their Lifestyles Champion Animal Welfare in Your Community CE Form Product Review Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - October 2007

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