Dentistry Pearls from the AVDS Forum including breed specific dentistry Oct 2009

By Dr Ken Lambrecht

I have just been back for just less than a month from the American Veterinary Dental Society’s annual forum and wanted to share some pearls that can help your 4 legged friends have better breath, prevent pain, tooth loss and even prevent generalized disease.

This annual 3 day conference was held this year in Phoenix (the weather WAS AWESOME especially compared to Madison's cold rainy fall) but even so I went to 90% of the lectures proving I am a true dentistry geek! Seriously, the best & the brightest in dentistry convene and they let practitioners like me listen to their brilliance! I have attended this conference since its inception in 1986 and in the past 5 years have taken staff Drs & my CVT’s as well. It never disappoints. Here are some pearls I brought back!

1) Breed specific dentistry is becoming much more advanced and now that rescues, “designer” and mixed breeds are more prevalent it is important to know the genetic background so that we can be more proactive as to what dental conditions a pet might be “at risk” for.

WFPC has practiced breed specific dentistry for over 5 years (the following breeds need a different dental prevention and treatment focus)

Here is what we typically watch for in each of these breeds.

1) Retrievers = chipped teeth and discolored teeth
2) Pugs, Bostons, Boxers, Shitzus, Lhasas, Bull dogs = missing teeth, crowded, partially erupted canine teeth, deciduous canine teeth
3) Yorkshire terriers, Miniature poodles, Chihuahuas and many other toy breeds = retained deciduous (baby) teeth, missing teeth, un-erupted teeth
4) All small dogs less than 20 lbs = prone to periodontitis & teeth loss because of very thin amount of bone around each tooth
5) Greyhounds = genetically prone to periodontitis

This is a very partial list and one that is rapidly expanding. It makes me believe that if we knew from an accurate DNA genetic test (Wisdom Panel) that a dog had greyhound DNA whether an aggressive home care program could help counteract their tendency towards severe periodontitis and tooth loss?

2) Home care pearls for all dogs

A comprehensive personalized home care plan can provide you with many tools to help prevent too frequent dental cleanings. The question becomes which are going to be easily accomplished and the most effective?

See veterinary oral health council (VOHC) for complete list of validated products that have proven effective. My advice is choose which ones work best for you and your pet and can be done routinely.

My historical favorites are:

1) Periodontal vaccine (helps prevent bone loss)
2) VOHC approved foods (best compliance)
3) Oravet ® barrier sealant (effective & easy)
4) Evidence based tooth brushing pastes & rinses (most effective)
5) Treated rawhide chews like CET Chews ® (easy)

Now a new product that looks to have great promise in small dogs & cats is the evidence based water additive called Healthymouth ® the first water product to get the VOHC seal of approval.

Fish oils were discussed in two separate lectures (particularly EPA) as up & coming treatment in humans to treat severe periodontitis both in food and topically. Any of you who know our style of practice at Westside Family Pet know that we are huge proponents of high levels of EPA/DHA for many organs and have often discussed the possibility that they would benefit the mouth too. It seems that proof may be on the way! Stay tuned!

3) There are 10 Vital Steps to Good Pet Dental Care

(Complete explanation at westsidefamilypet.com)

Proper care of your pets teeth really boils down to making sure your pets dental program includes all of these 10 vital steps

1. Is comprehensive and follows established guidelines within the veterinary profession (AAHA & AVDC) Dentistry Guidelines have been established by the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) since 2005.

Link to AAHA Dental Care Guidelines
Link to American Veterinary Dental College AVDC

2. Includes dental x-rays in all pets.
3. Preemptively addresses concerns about pain
4. Takes into account breed specific conditions.
5. Completely addresses home care & a strong preventative approach.
6. Is cost effective in these tough economic times
7. Detects “surprises” to possibly avoid an additional anesthetic episode.
8. Includes special training & equipment to perform additional procedures identified after cleaning & dental x-rays performed
9. Addresses anesthetic risks & concerns completely
10. Includes referral to a dental specialist or telemedicine consult if needed/desired

Not all pet dental health care is equal. We need to keep evidence based information at the top of all our pet dental care recommendations. Make sure your veterinarian is doing all of these things especially in the high risk dogs listed in my breed specific section. Saving teeth, preventing infection pain and additional cost will all be likely outcomes!

Further reading at Link to Pet Dentistry Library

We hope you find this useful for your pet’s dental health!

Feel free to ask any questions you have. If I can't answer it I will gladly refer you to a dentistry oriented colleague who can!

Dr Ken Lambrecht