Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How gum disease in dogs affects other organs and health
By Harvey, Colin·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice·2022·School of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The Relationship Between Periodontal Infection and Systemic and Distant Organ Disease in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with a mouth infection can experience changes in other organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and heart. This happens because the body responds to the infection, leading to increased proteins in the blood that signal inflammation. Treating the mouth infection can help reduce these proteins and improve the dog's overall health. Regular dental care is important to prevent these kinds of systemic issues.
People also search for: dog mouth infection symptoms · dog dental disease treatment · how does gum disease affect dogs
Abstract
Infection in the mouth causes systemic and distant organ changes in dogs. This article summarizes the information available. Reported changes include an increase in liver-generated acute-phase proteins in response to the infectious insult to the body and evidence of microscopic changes in renal, hepatic, and cardiac tissues. Treatment of periodontal infection results in a decrease in the acute-phase protein concentration, which supports the hypothesis that a cause-and-effect relationship exists between periodontal infection and distant organ changes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34838247/