13 Aug 2021
In the largest study of its kind, VetCompass used a year’s worth of anonymised data from more than 22,000 dogs and found about 12.5% of all dogs studied (2,797 dogs) were affected by dental disease.
James Westgate
Job Title
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A study has shown that toy poodles and King Charles spaniels are among the dog breeds worst affected by dental disease.
These breeds – along with greyhounds and cavalier King Charles spaniels – are the breeds most prone to suffer, according to research carried out by the RVC VetCompass programme.
In the largest study of its kind, the VetCompass team used a year’s worth of anonymised data from more than 22,000 dogs and found about 12.5% of all dogs studied (2,797 dogs) were affected by dental disease.
As well as the aforementioned breeds, the study showed brachycephalic dogs are at greater risk, while smaller-sized breeds have higher incidences of dental disease than heavier breeds.
The research also confirmed that the risk of dental disease increases rapidly as dogs age. Dogs older than 12 years of age are four times more likely to suffer problems with their teeth compared with dogs aged between 2 and 4 years.
Other key findings were that a total of 18 pedigree breeds showed increased risk of dental disease compared with cross‑breed dogs, while four showed reduced risk of dental disease compared with cross‑breed dogs – the German shepherd dog, French bulldog, Staffordshire bull terrier and Labrador retriever.
Overall, researchers found brachycephalic breeds had 1.25 times the risk of dental disease compared with breeds with mesocephalic skulls, and that spaniel breeds overall had 1.63 times the risk of dental disease compared with non‑spaniel breeds.
Smaller dogs weighing less than 10kg are at three times greater risk of dental disease compared to dogs weighing between 30kg and 40kg.
It is hoped understanding which breeds are most at risk will also allow vets to target diagnostic and therapeutic protocols towards the high-priority types and ages of dogs.
Claire Mitchell – co-author, and academic leader in science and engineering at the University of Nottingham International College – said: “This work represents an important step forward for dog dental health. Much other research links the head shape of flat-faced dogs to other problems, so it makes sense that dental health would also be affected.
“It is also really useful to know which breeds are more prone to dental disease. Hopefully we can now improve welfare for these dogs.”
Bill Lambert – health, welfare and breeder services executive at The Kennel Club – said: “This large study, partly funded by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust as part of our mission to make a difference for dogs, will hopefully enable more owners to spot the signs of dental issues in dogs and to seek the appropriate care from their vet.
“Unlike humans, dogs will not complain when they suffer from tooth problems and these can then become chronic for our four-legged friends, so it’s crucial more owners become aware of the signs and take steps to help their dog.
“This research shows that this common problem is caused by a number of factors and underlines why it’s important for owners to take preventive steps, make dental care part of their routine canine care and never ignore early warning signs of dental disease, such as bad breath.”
The full paper is available online.
