Wallis C, Saito E K, Salt C, Holcombe L J, Desforges N G. Association of periodontal disease with breed size, breed, weight, and age in pure-bred client-owned dogs in the United States. Vet J 2021; DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2021.105717. Online ahead of print.

Extra-small breeds of dog were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with periodontal disease than giant breeds.

The objective of this study was to undertake a retrospective analysis of medical records to ascertain which sizes and breeds of dog are most frequently diagnosed with periodontal disease (PD). Over three million medical records, across 60 breeds of dogs visiting a chain of veterinary hospitals in the United States collected over a five-year period, were analysed. Statistical analysis of a subset of these records found that extra-small (<6.5 kg) breeds of dog were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with PD than giant breeds (>25 kg). The majority of breeds most frequently diagnosed with PD were in the extra-small, small (6.5-9 kg) and medium-small (9-15 kg) breed size categories. Additional risk factors for PD diagnosis included age, being overweight, and time since last scale and polish.

Veterinarians should consider targeting client education about dental health.