Researchers from the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition have published two studies which reveal, for the first time, the most common bacterial species associated with gum disease in cats.
Working with veterinary dentists and the Harvard affiliated Forsyth Institute, researchers used DNA sequencing technologies to identify 267 bacterial species present in feline dental plaque and build a database detailing the differences between bacterial populations in healthy cats and those in cats with gum disease.
Dr. Ian Davis, Oral Health Researcher at WALTHAM, part of Mars Petcare, said: "This knowledge is a first step in understanding the potential for improving oral health of cats through dietary interventions that target disease-associated bacteria."
The studies also revealed that the bacterial species in feline plaque were more similar to those observed in canine plaque than to those found in humans. This suggests that interventions targeted at bacteria which cause oral disease in humans are unlikely to be effective in cats, and there is more potential to learn from interventions that work well in dogs.
Dr. Davis added: "It’s important for pet owners to know that cats are just as susceptible to gum disease as dogs and understand the importance of maintaining a good oral hygiene routine; ideally including tooth brushing and dental treats or a specific dental diet".
The first study was published in Veterinary Microbiology in February 2015. The second was published on 25th November in PLOS ONE, and can be downloaded here: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136986.
The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition has announced new research - published in BMC Vet Research1 - which examined the progression of periodontal disease in miniature schnauzers and found that without effective and frequent oral care, dental disease developed rapidly and advanced even more quickly with age.
Over the course of 60 weeks, full mouth examinations were conducted on 52 miniature schnauzers ranging in age between 1.3 and 6.9 years. Prior to the study, each dog had a regular oral care routine that included tooth brushing. This was suspended a week before the initial dental assessment. Of the 2,155 teeth examined, all entered the study with some level of gingivitis, while only 23 teeth entered with periodontitis.
Every 6 weeks, levels of gingivitis and periodontitis were assessed around the whole surface of each individual tooth by measuring periodontal probing depth, gingival recession and furcation exposure. Teeth were assessed for the level of gingivitis (scored between 0 and 4) and periodontitis (PD1 - up to 25% attachment loss and PD2 - between 25 to 50% attachment loss). Teeth from only one dog in the study did not progress to periodontitis.
Researchers found that, without regular oral care, the majority of dogs developed the early stages of periodontal disease within six months and dogs above the age of four developed periodontal disease even faster. The degree to which periodontal disease progressed varied based on the type of tooth and location on the tooth.
Furthermore, the study showed that periodontitis developed regardless of the visible signs of gingivitis, which had previously been believed to reliably precede it. Therefore while a visual inspection may be sufficient to detect a disease like gingivitis, it is not useful in detecting the onset of periodontitis and may not reveal the areas at greatest risk for dental disease.
Dr Stephen Harris, leader of the oral care team at WALTHAM, part of Mars Petcare said: "We all want to do the very best for our pets' health, and the study showed us that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to small dogs' oral health.
"Some pet owners "lift-the-lip" and look at a dog's gums to get a sense of its oral health, but this research shows they could be missing important early signs of dental disease. The findings should encourage all dog owners to establish an oral care routine that consists of regular tooth brushing supplemented with dental chews and veterinary checks. It's important for all dogs, but we know that small dogs like miniature schnauzers are at an even higher risk of developing severe dental problems."
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A collaborative team of researchers from the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition has shown that adding moisture to a cat's diet leads to an increase in activity and may help slow down weight gain.
In a series of studies conducted in partnership with the University of Aberdeen, Waltham scientists found that cats fed a dry diet with added water were more physically active and gained less weight than those cats fed the dry diet alone. According to the Centre, this is the first time reduced energy density diets have been associated with an increase in physical activity levels in cats.
Waltham scientist and author of the study, Dr. Penelope Morris, said: "These findings advance our understanding of the factors that influence body weight in cats and provide a strong basis for further research.
"Obesity is a growing problem in the cat population, recent figures indicate that up to 50 per cent of cats are either overweight or obese. These findings could have important implications for developing tailored diets that meet cats' energy and nutritional needs."
The research is part of a wider programme of ongoing collaborative research into the effect of food and nutrition on body weight in both cats and dogs.
The research has been published in the June edition (Volume 95, Issue 3) of the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition and is available in print and online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01107.x/abstract