A longitudinal assessment of changes in bacterial community composition associated with the development of periodontal disease in dogs.

Periodontal disease is a frequent problem seen in veterinary practices. Primary-care veterinary practices, where diagnosis of periodontal disease is predominantly based on visual oral assessment of conscious dogs, report an average prevalence of 9.3 to 18.2% within the dog population. Detailed examinations of anaesthetised dogs report much higher prevalence of between 44 and 100%. The prevalence and severity of periodontitis varies between sizes of dogs, breeds and individuals. The lack of robust evaluation of these variances opens the opportunity for a review of the topic. A literature search was therefore undertaken to determine the frequency and extent (severity and oral location) of periodontal disease in the dog population. Both clinical and retrospective data based surveys of veterinary records, show there is an increased likelihood of developing periodontitis as age increases and with bodyweight decreases. The maxillary and mandibular incisors, fourth premolars and first molars are likely to develop the disease first although in some breeds the canines may also be involved. Poor oral care is a significant risk factor for the development of periodontal disease although diet, behaviour, environment and genetics are also likely to play a role. The information provided in this review can be used by veterinarians to improve the effectiveness of their diagnosis, treatments and interventions by focussing their efforts on the sizes, breeds and individuals most at risk. Given the potential link between periodontal disease and systemic health, veterinarians have the opportunity to positively impact the quality of life of a large number of dogs and therefore their owners.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jsap.13218

A review of the frequency and impact of periodontal disease in dogs.

Objective—To determine whether a deficiency in systemic or local (pars intermedia) antioxidant capacity is associated with pituitary pars intermedia oxidative stress and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses. Sample Population—Blood samples from 20 horses with PPID and 20 healthy client-owned horses, archived paraffin-embedded adrenal gland and substantia nigra tissues from 20 horses, and pituitary gland tissue from 16 horses. Procedures—Total glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were determined in RBCs. Accumulation of a systemic marker of oxidative stress (3-nitrotyrosine) was assessed in plasma and formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded adrenal gland and substantia nigra tissues. Local antioxidants (total and manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total glutathione) were measured in pars intermedia tissues. Results—No significant differences existed in systemic antioxidant enzyme activity or accumulation of 3-nitrotyrosine between hors...

Systemic and pituitary pars intermedia antioxidant capacity associated with pars intermedia oxidative stress and dysfunction in horses.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the major polyphenolic compound of green tea. Polyphenolic compounds were extracted from the leaf of Camellia sinensis (Japanese green tea), and the minimum inhibitory concentration against canine oral bacteria was measured. Subsequently, we investigated the inhibitory effects of polyphenolic compounds and EGCG on the growth of canine oral bacteria. EGCG showed antimicrobial activity against a model bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. Our results indicate that EGCG can inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans and that EGCG does not interact with streptococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA). Furthermore, our findings suggest that EGCG interacts with other component(s) of the bacterial membrane aside from streptococcal LTA to inhibit biofilm formation and damage biofilms.

Antimicrobial activity of tea catechin against canine oral bacteria and the functional mechanisms.

Microbiota from different niches within the canine oral cavity were profiled and compared. Supragingival plaque and stimulated saliva, were collected alongside samples from the buccal and tongue dorsum mucosa, from 14 Labrador retrievers at three timepoints within a 1 month timeframe. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced via Illumina MiSeq. Supragingival plaque microbiota had the highest bacterial diversity and the largest number of significant differences in individual taxa when compared to the other oral niches. Stimulated saliva exhibited the highest variability in microbial composition between dogs, yet the lowest bacterial diversity amongst all the niches. Overall, the bacteria of the buccal and tongue dorsum mucosa were most similar. The bacterial community profiles indicated three discrete oral niches: soft tissue surfaces (buccal and tongue dorsum mucosa), hard tissue surface (supragingival plaque) and saliva. The ability to distinguish the niches by their microbiota signature offers the potential for microbial biomarkers to be identified in each unique niche for diagnostic use.

/pdf/the-canine-oral-microbiome-variation-in-bacterial-17dl0gu6q5.pdf

The canine oral microbiome: variation in bacterial populations across different niches

Periodontal disease (PD) is the most widespread oral disease in dogs and has been associated with serious systemic diseases. The disease is more prevalent in small breeds compared to large breeds and incidence increases with advancing age. In prevalence studies 84% of beagles over the age of 3 and 100% of poodles over the age of 4 were diagnosed with PD. Current knowledge of the rate of progression of PD is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of PD progression in miniature schnauzers, an at risk small breed of dog. Dogs (n = 52, age 1.3-6.9 years) who had received a regular oral care regime prior to this study were assessed for levels of gingivitis and periodontitis around the whole gingival margin in every tooth under general anaesthetic. Assessments were conducted approximately every six weeks for up to 60 weeks following the cessation of the oral care regime. All of the 2155 teeth assessed entered the study with some level of gingivitis. 23 teeth entered the study with periodontitis, observed across 12 dogs aged between 1.3 and 6.9 years. 35 dogs had at least 12 teeth progress to periodontitis within 60 weeks. Of the teeth that progressed to periodontitis, 54% were incisors. The lingual aspect of the incisors was significantly more likely to be affected (p < 0.001). The severity of gingivitis in periodontitis-affected teeth was variable with 24% of the aspects affected having very mild gingivitis, 36% mild gingivitis and 40% moderate gingivitis. Periodontitis progression rate was significantly faster in older dogs. Only one dog (age 3.5) did not have any teeth progress to periodontitis after 60 weeks. This is the first study to have assessed the progression rate of periodontitis in miniature schnauzers and highlights that with no oral care regime, the early stages of periodontitis develop rapidly in this breed. An oral care regime and twice yearly veterinary dental health checks should be provided from an early age for this breed and other breeds with similar periodontitis incidence rates.

/pdf/a-longitudinal-assessment-of-periodontal-disease-in-52-41343f1ytp.pdf

A longitudinal assessment of periodontal disease in 52 miniature schnauzers

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.

A longitudinal assessment of periodontal health status in 53 Labrador retrievers.

/pdf/feline-antioxidant-enzyme-activity-the-effect-of-sample-2mhfahbhpo.pdf

Feline antioxidant enzyme activity: the effect of sample storage on stability.

Over the last 50 y there have been numerous reports of vitamin E deficiency in cats with the main cause of these deficiencies being attributed to ingestion of diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Steatitis (“yellow fat disease”) is attributed to vitamin E deficiency and has been experimentally induced in kittens after feeding a commercial cat food with a high fish content (1) and after feeding vitamin E–deficient purified diet containing tuna oil and stripped safflower seed oil (2,3). Fish oil is a rich source of PUFAs, which are highly susceptible to oxidation, and an increased intake of fish oil has been associated with increased vitamin E requirements. Currently the minimum dietary vitamin E requirement of cats has been set at 30 IU/kg dry matter with dietary levels expected to increase 3–4 times with a diet high in PUFAs (4). To prevent vitamin E deficiency in cats fed commercially sold diets, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends that fish oil–containing diets for cats should be supplemented with 10 IU of vitamin E for every g of fish oil per kg diet (5). However, there is no direct evidence to substantiate the latter value or the increases recommended (4,5) in adult cats. The main objective of this study was to determine the vitamin E requirements of adult cats fed high dietary levels of PUFAs from fish oil. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mark D. Marshall

Papers

A longitudinal assessment of changes in bacterial community composition associated with the development of periodontal disease in dogs.

A longitudinal assessment of periodontal disease in 52 miniature schnauzers

A longitudinal assessment of periodontal health status in 53 Labrador retrievers.

Feline antioxidant enzyme activity: the effect of sample storage on stability.

Waltham International Symposium: Pet Nutrition Coming of Age