VETERINARSKI ARHIV 69 (2),
79-85, 1999

ISSN 1331-8055 Published in
Croatia

Study of the incidence of dental
diseases
in dogs in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Ivan Borissov*

Department of Surgery and
Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Thrace, Stara
Zagora, Bulgaria

* Contact address:
Prof. Dr. Ivan
Borissov,
Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Thrace, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria,
Fax: 359 42 451
01; E-mail: [email-masked]

BORISSOV, I.: Study of the incidence
of dental diseases in dogs in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Vet. arhiv 69, 79-85,
1999.

ABSTRACT

Statistical studies on the incidence of
dental diseases in dogs were performed during the period 1997-1998. The most
common nosological entities in that connection were established, as well as
their relationship between their prevalence and the physiological condition of
patients, their breed and age. It was observed that dental diseases represented
6% of all surgical diseases in dogs treated at the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Cremor dentis (21.5%); gingivitis (17.1%)
and paradontopathiae (13.3%) were most often encountered. The highest percentage
of dogs with dental problems was in the 4-6-year-old group. A similar prevalence
was also observed in small breeds of dog.

Key words: dental diseases,
dogs, incidence, Bulgaria

Introduction

The incidence of dental diseases in
dogs has become more prevalent during recent years due to the growing increase
in the number of pet animals in Bulgaria. This situation has led to substantial
changes in canine pathology.

Latest reports show that the prevalence
of canine dental diseases has also increased in many other countries (EMILY,
1991; HENNET, 1994). According to COLLES (1990), 52% of animals suffer from
dental diseases, especially those aged between 6-10 years (69%) as well as those
over 11 years (78%). Peridontal diseases are encountered in 85% of dogs after
the age of 5 years, when they need effective dental help (BOJRAB and THOLEN,
1990).

No statistical data are available on
the incidence of dental diseases in the canine population in Bulgaria.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of
dental diseases in dogs, the prevalence of the different nosological entities,
and the relationship between them and the age and breed of patients.

Materials and methods

A statistical study was performed on
the basis of information obtained on patients at the Dental Unit of the Surgical
Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, during the
period March 1997 to March 1998.

Results

Figure 1 shows that the prevalence of
dental pathology (136 patients) throughout the whole surgical pathology (2185
dogs) for the mentioned period was approximately 6%.

Fig. 1. Relationship between dental
diseases and surgical diseases in dogs for the period March 1997-March 1998 at
the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Table 1. shows the distribution of
Dental Unit patients, according to sex and age. The highest percentage (31.6%)
of patients involved those between the age of 4 and 6 years. The most frequent
diseases in that group were cremor dentis and paradontopathia. This was followed
age group 7-10 years - 23.5% of all dogs. Here, we encountered cases of
pathological dental abrasion, pulpitis, dental fractures, oronasal fistulae,
etc. More than half the patients (55.1%) were aged between 4 and 10 years.

Table 1. Number
and percentage of dogs treated for dental surgical diseases for the period March
1997-March 1998, according to sex and age, at the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Age, years

Sex

Total

%

Male

Female

0-1

10

7

17

12.5

1-3

14

10

24

17.7

4-6

22

18

43

31.6

7-10

14

18

32

23.5

>10

11

9

20

14.7

Total

71

65

136

100

Young dogs (1-3 years) represented
17.7% of all patients. There has recently been a tendency towards an increase in
the number of young dogs with dental hypoplasia. In puppies up to one year of
age the most frequent diseases were: polyodontia, polyodontia et heterotropia
dentium, retentio dentium.

Table 2. shows the distribution of dogs
with dental problems, according to breed. It was evident that the most affected
breed was the Teser, followed by Pinschers. An analysis of data also shows that
dogs of small breeds (Pinscher, Pekingese, Poodle, Teser) were most frequently
affected - in those breeds the percentage of dental problems was significantly
higher (53%) compared to the other 11 breeds (47%). Dental diseases were more
rarely found in dogs of large breeds. For example, the percentage for the
Rottweiler, Riesenschnautser, Boxer, and Bulldog breeds was about 3-4%.

Table 2. Number
and percentage of treated dogs with dental surgical diseases for the period
March 1997-March 1998, according to breed, at the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Breed

Number

%

Pintcher

22

16.2

Caniche

14

10.4

Pekingese

12

8.8

Teser

24

17.6

Basset Hound

5

3.7

Dobermann

8

5.9

Rottweiler

5

3.7

Riesenschnautser

6

4.4

German Shepherd

11

8.1

English Terrier

5

3.7

Boxer

4

2.9

Collie

6

4.4

Cocker Spaniel

4

2.9

Dackel

6

4.4

Bulldog

4

2.9

Total

136

100.0

Table 3. shows the distribution of the
nosological entities of dental pathology. Dental problems most commonly found in
dogs were as follows: cremor dentis, 21.5%; gingivitis, 17.1% and
paradonthopathia, 13.3%. These are characteristic of small-breed individuals
aged 4-6 years, fed with soft foods and not receiving oral hygiene care.
Oronasal fistula were observed in 19 dogs (6% of all dental diseases).
Polyodontia, as well as polyodontia et heterotropia dentium, were observed in
10.5% of patients, particularly in small breeds. Tooth fractures were found in
German Shepherds, Dobermanns, Rottweilers and Boxers (in the latter, they were
often complicated by pulpitis, parapical cysts and phlegmones).

Table 3. Number
and percentage of treated dogs with dental surgical diseases for the period
March 1997-March 1998, according to their diagnosis at the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Disease

Number

%

Cremor dentis

68

21.5

Hypoplasia adamantina

12

3.8

Caries dentis

18

5.7

Pulpitis

21

6.6

Fractura dentis

27

8.5

Fistula oronasalis

19

6.0

Paradontopathia

42

13.3

Phlegmona paraapicalis dentium

6

1.9

Polydontia

28

8.9

Polydontia et heterotropia
dentium

5

1.6

Luxatio dentis

7

2.2

Expulsio dentis

9

2.8

Gingivitis

54

17.1

Total

316

100

(Note: the total
number of entities is higher than the number of patients since many of the dogs
presented were suffering from more than one disease)

Discussion

The results of our study are similar to
those arrived at by other authors (COLLES, 1990; BOJRAB and THOLEN, 1990; LYON,
1992). With regard to Bulgaria, the number of dogs suffering dental problems was
characterised by a four- to five-fold increase compared to the period 1994-1995
(BORISSOV and GORANOV, 1996).

Data presented in Table 1 for the
prevalence of dental diseases in dogs between 4-6 years differed compared to
other reports (COLLES, 1990; BOJRAB and THOLEN, 1990). Our results showed a
lower age of occurrence, probably due to feeding with soft foods and a lack of
oral hygiene.

The comparatively higher percentage of
dental problems found in young dogs (12.5% under the age of 1 year) is due to a
lack of genetic prophylaxis and the breeding of dogs with congenital dental
disorders, such as polyodontia and olygodontia.

The prevalence of oral diseases in dogs
of small breeds is due to two principal factors. First, small breeds are more
popular in our country, and, second, feeding with soft foods predominates in
those breeds. It is well known that a close relationship exists between the
feeding of pets and the incidence of dental problems (BORISSOV and GORANOV,
1996).

Data for the distribution of
nosological entities shows that the highest percentage of affected dogs suffered
from cremor dentium. This is logical since almost all dental diseases occur
subsequent to the accumulation of tartar. The high percentage of dogs with
tartar is evidence of a lack of oral hygiene, of irregular veterinary dental
care and also of a lack of commercially available preparations for canine oral
hygiene.

Second place was taken by
paradontopathies. These are related to infection of gingivae, the roots of teeth
and alveoles. This condition occurred secondarily to microtraumas caused by
subgingival tartar and the micro-organisms contained within it.

An interesting fact is the relatively
high percentage of the causes of tooth enamel hypoplasia. We consider that the
disease could be congenital, related to impaired calcium and phosphate balance,
intoxications, etc. There is a trend towards an increase in incidence of the
disease due to a lack of measures for its genetic prophylaxis.

Statistical data for the incidence of
dental disease in dogs are strongly indicative of the actuality of the problem.

Conclusions

1. Dental problems in dogs accounted
for about 6% of all surgical diseases during the period March 1997-March 1998.

2. Dental problems most commonly met in
dogs are: cremor dentium, 21.5%; gingivitis, 17.1%, and paradontopathia, 13.3%.

3. The highest incidence of dental
diseases occurred between the age of 4-6 years - 31.6%.

4. Dental problems are prevalent among
dogs of small breeds - Teser, Pinscher, Pekingese and Poodle.

References

BORISSOV, I., N. GORANOV (1996): Oral
hygiene-a principal prophylactic means against dental diseases in dogs. VII
National Conference of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria, Stara Zagora. pp.
112-116.

BOJRAB, M. J., M. THOLEN (1990): Small
Animal Oral Medicine and Surgery. Lea & Febiger. Philadelphia.

COLLES, S. (1990): The prevalence of
buccal cervical resorptions in Australian cats. Annual Meeting of the American
Veterinary Dental Society. J. Vet. Dentistry 7, 14-16.

EMILY, P. (1991): Small Animal
Dentistry. Pergamon press. Oxford.

GROSSLY, D., S. PENMAN (1995): Manual
of Small Animal Dentistry. BSAVA.

HENNET, P. (1994): Les principales
affections dentaires chez les animaux de compagnie. Pratique medicine et
chirurgicale de l'animal de compagnie 4, 5-12.

LYON, K. E. (1992): Subgingival
odontoclastic resorbtive lesions in cats. Vet. Clin. North Am. 22, 1417-1432.

Received: 20 October 1998
Accepted:
30 March 1999

BORISSOV, I.: Analiza ucestalosti
bolesti zubiju u pasa u Staroj Zagori u Bugarskoj. Vet. arhiv 69, 79-85, 1999.

SAZETAK

Za godinu 1997. i 1998. izvrsena je
statisticka analiza ucestalosti pojavljivanja bolesti zubiju u pasa. Utvrdene su
najcesce promjene te su analizirane s obzirom na fiziolosko stanje pacijenata,
njihovu pasminu i dob. Opazeno je da bolesti zubiju predstavljaju 6% od svih
kirurskih slucajeva u pasa na Veterinarskom fakultetu u Staroj Zagori u
Bugarskoj. Cremor dentis (21,5%), gingivitis (17,1%) i paradontopatije (13,3%)
su bile najcesce utvrdene bolesti. Najveci postotak pasa s bolestima zubiju bio
je u dobi od 4 do 6 godina. Takoder, bolesti zubiju su bile cesce u malih
pasmima pasa.

Kljucne rijeci: bolesti zubiju,
pas, ucestalost, Bugarska

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