A Retrospective Study on Periodontal Diseases in Companion Animals

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 320 pet animals including 100 dogs, and 220 cats admitted to the clinic of the Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University. A thorough oral and dental examination was performed for all animals. Radiographic imaging was conducted on animals that showed clinically progressive periodontitis and bony changes. Animals were classified into five scores according to their clinical dental examination and pocket depth. Animals with a score of 0, had healthy gingival tissue with normal pocket depth, a score (1) of those managed by dental scaling, and scores (2 and 3) of those treated by dental scaling and then non-surgical debridement. Open flap surgery was performed for more advanced cases; scores (4 and 5). Data were statistically analyzed using Chi-square and cramers v tests to investigate the relationship between age, diet, and sex to periodontal affection. Among the total number of admitted animals (N=320), 40.6 % (130 cases) showed periodontal diseases, 8.8% (28 cases) dogs and 31.9% (102 cases) cats. Affected males (24.4%) were higher than females (16.3%). Among the 130 animals with periodontal diseases, 142 affections were recorded. Age and diet showed high statistical significance (P<0.001). Sex showed to be statistically insignificant, (P>0.05). The cramers v test results for age and periodontal disease association showed a value of (0.490) and strong association between age and periodontal diseases.