Results from a new study show that certain breeds of dogs are more likely to develop periodontal disease than others, a finding that may improve the ability of veterinarians to optimally treat canine gum and tooth problems. This largest-of-its-kind data exploration study, published in The Veterinary Journal and conducted by researchers at Mars Petcare, found that smaller breeds of dogs such as Dachshunds and Toy Poodles are generally more predisposed to periodontal disease than larger breeds such as German Shepherds and Boxers.
Periodontal disease includes both gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (damage to the structures that support the tooth). Despite periodontal disease being among the most common diagnoses in primary-care practice, the disease is generally under-diagnosed.
During the study, authors employed advanced statistical methods and reviewed more than three million medical records from Banfield Pet Hospital across 60 breeds of dogs in the United States, finding that periodontal disease occurred in 18.2 percent of dogs overall. While the true prevalence of periodontal disease (44 to 100 percent of cases) is only realized through in-depth clinical investigation, the figure reported in this study was consistent with other research based on conscious oral examinations.
When the authors reviewed the data by dog size, they found that extra-small breeds (less than 6.5 kg/14.3 lbs) were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with periodontal disease than giant breeds (greater than 25 kg/55 lbs). Additional risk factors for periodontal disease seen in the study included a dog’s age, being overweight and time since last scale and polish.
“This is not the first study suggesting that smaller dogs are more likely to have dental problems than larger dogs but many of the earlier studies looked at a relatively small number of dogs,” said Corrin Wallis, microbiome workstream leader, Waltham Petcare Science Institute.
The five breeds with the highest prevalence of periodontal disease found in the study were the large Greyhound (38.7 percent), the medium-small Shetland Sheepdog (30.6 percent), the extra-small Papillon (29.7 percent), Toy Poodle (28.9 percent), and Miniature Poodle (28.2 percent). Giant breed dogs (such as the Great Dane and Saint Bernard) were among the lowest breed prevalence estimates.
Study investigators noted that there are several potential reasons why smaller dogs are more likely to develop dental issues than larger dogs. For example, smaller dogs may have proportionally larger teeth which can lead to tooth overcrowding and increased build-up of plaque leading to inflammation of gums. Smaller dogs also have less alveolar bone (the bone that contains tooth sockets) compared to their relatively large teeth.
“Regardless of the reasons that smaller dogs have increased risk for periodontal disease, knowing the true magnitude of the risk across breeds is an important step in providing quality care for all dogs, both in the veterinarian’s office and at home,” said Corrin. “We are excited that the results of this new study provide valuable insights to help veterinarians and pet owners better work together to help pets live happier, healthier live and is another way we at Mars Petcare are harnessing the power of science and data to deliver on our purpose: a better world for pets.”
About the Study
More than three million medical records across 60 breeds of dogs visiting a Banfield Pet Hospital location in the United States collected over a five-year period were analyzed. The overall period prevalence of periodontal disease was 18.2 percent (517,113 cases).
Statistical modelling of the data showed that extra-small breeds of dog were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with periodontal disease than giant breeds (P <0.0001). The majority of breeds most frequently diagnosed with periodontal disease were in the extra-small, small and medium-small breed size categories. Additional risk factors for periodontal disease diagnosis included age, being overweight and time since last scale and polish.
The 10 most common breeds of dog were identified for each of six size categories:
- Extra-small ( less than 6.5 kg; eg, Chihuahua)
- Small (6.5 kg to less than 9 kg; eg, Bichon Frise)
- Medium-small (9 kg to less than 15 kg; eg, Welsh Corgi)
- Medium-large (15 kg to less than 30 kg; eg, American Staffordshire Terrier)
- Large (30 kg to less than 40 kg; eg, Golden Retriever)
- Giant greater than 40 kg; Rottweiler)
