Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Raw beef bones helped reduce dental tartar in Beagle dogs
By Marx, F R et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2016·Department of Animal Science, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Raw beef bones as chewing items to reduce dental calculus in Beagle dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of eight 3-year-old Beagle dogs was tested to see if chewing on raw beef bones could help reduce dental calculus (tartar buildup on teeth). The dogs chewed on two types of bones: one type was harder and lasted longer, while the other was softer and broke down more quickly. After chewing on the bones for a few weeks, the dogs showed significant reductions in dental calculus, with the softer bones proving to be more effective in the short term. No dental injuries or other complications were reported during the study, making this a safe option for dental care.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effect of raw bovine cortical bone (CB) (medullary bone cross-sectioned) and marrow or epiphyseal 'spongy' bone (SB) as chew items to reduce dental calculus in adult dogs. METHODS: Eight 3-year-old Beagle dogs were observed in two study periods. In the first study, the dogs each received a piece of bovine femur CB (122 ± 17 g) daily and in the second study, a piece of bovine femur SB (235 ± 27 g). The first study lasted 12 days and the second 20 days. Dental calculus was evaluated using image integration software. RESULTS: At the start of the studies, dental calculus covered 42.0% and 38.6% of the dental arcade areas, respectively. In study one, the chewing reduced the established dental calculus area to 27.1% (35.5% reduction) after 3 days and after 12 days the dental calculus covering was reduced to 12.3% (70.6% reduction). In study two, the dental calculus covered 16.8% (56.5% reduction) after 3 days, 7.1% (81.6% reduction) after 12 days and 4.7% (87.8% reduction) after 20 days. The CB remained largely intact after 24 h, but SB was reduced to smaller pieces and in some cases totally consumed after 24 h. No complications such as tooth fractures, pieces of bone stuck between teeth or intestinal obstructions were observed during the studies. CONCLUSIONS: Chewing raw bovine bones was an effective method of removing dental calculus in dogs. The SB bones removed dental calculus more efficiently in the short term.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26814157/