Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Periodontal disease progression in Labrador retrievers up to 5 years
By Wallis, C et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2018·The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A longitudinal assessment of periodontal health status in 53 Labrador retrievers.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 53 Labrador retrievers, aged between 1 and 5 years, were regularly checked for gum disease over two years. Initially, all the dogs showed signs of gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), with many having very mild cases. However, over time, more than half of the dogs developed periodontitis (a more serious gum disease), even in younger dogs as young as 1 year and 9 months. The study found that the back parts of the teeth, especially the incisors, were most affected. Regular dental check-ups under sedation are important to catch these issues early since they can be hard to see otherwise.
People also search for: Labrador retriever gum disease · dog gingivitis treatment · signs of periodontitis in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and rates of progression of gingivitis and periodontitis in Labrador retrievers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three dogs, aged 1·1 to 5·9 years, had their periodontal health assessed every 6 months for up to 2 years. The extent of gingivitis and periodontitis was measured around the whole gingival margin of every tooth under general anaesthesia. RESULTS: All dogs had gingivitis at the initial assessment. The majority (64·2%) of tooth aspects had very mild gingivitis. The palatal/lingual aspect of all tooth types was most likely to show bleeding when probed: 63·0% of these aspects had mild or moderate gingivitis. Over 2 years, 56·6% of dogs developed periodontitis and dogs as young as 1·9 years were affected. There was a significant positive correlation between the proportion of teeth with periodontitis and age. In total, 124 teeth (5·7%) developed periodontitis; 88 (71·0%) of these were incisors. The palatal/lingual aspect of the incisors developed the disease first (2·8% of incisor aspects). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Periodontitis developed in regions that are difficult to see in conscious dogs implying that detection and treatment of disease requires periodic sedation or anaesthesia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30006940/