The role of computed tomography in the assessment of dental disease in 66 guinea pigs

Schweda, M. C.; Hassan, Jasmin; Böhler, Alexandra; Tichy, Alexander; Reiter, Alexander M.; Künzel, Frank

doi:10.1136/vr.101469

Cited by 25 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…In the present study, the prevalence of dental disease was recorded in 36.3 per cent. However, as not all the guinea pigs were examined with skull radiography/CT (Schweda and others 2014), the incidence of dental disease could be even higher. Higher prevalence of the disease can be explained by better client education about regular preventive veterinary health examination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diseases in pet guinea pigs: a retrospective study in 1000 animals

et al. 2015

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Guinea pigs are commonly kept as pet animals; however, information about particular disease prevalence is lacking. The objective of this article was to present disease prevalence in 1000 pet guinea pigs from private owners divided into three age groups: under two years; between two and five years; and above five years. Medical records of guinea pigs () that were presented to the authors' clinic in the period from January 2008 to August 2013 were reviewed. The most commonly diagnosed disease in guinea pigs was dental disease (36.3 per cent), with higher prevalence in the middle age group (P<0.001) and in males (P<0.001) rather than females. Skin problems were seen as the second most common disease (33.3 per cent), with higher prevalence in male guinea pigs (P<0.001) and in animals younger than two years (P<0.001). Ovarian cystic disease was the third most commonly seen disorder, with higher prevalence in females older than two years (P<0.001). Other common health disorders included gastrointestinal stasis, heterotopic ciliary body calcifications, fatty eye and tibiofemoral osteoarthritis. Only 81 guinea pigs from a total of 1000 animals were healthy. This is the first study to describe the disease prevalence in three age groups of pet guinea pigs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diseases in pet guinea pigs: a retrospective study in 1000 animals

et al. 2015

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“…This is likely, as clinical signs in guinea pigs are often overlooked by owners [24]. Guinea pigs were also not physically examined by the experimenter, as was performed in previous studies [21,34,35]. Additionally, as dental disease can be difficult to diagnose due to guinea pigs typically having a small mouth opening and a long narrow oral cavity, the true prevalence is often underestimated even with a clinical examination [5].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Norman

Wills

2016

Animals

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Simple SummaryDental disease is a serious problem in small mammals, with cases in rabbits well documented. Guinea pigs also suffer from this condition, yet the literature investigating the underlying causes in guinea pigs is limited. Owners of guinea pigs were surveyed to investigate what they fed their animals. It was discovered that there was no relationship between the overall diet of the animals and whether or not they had been diagnosed with dental disease or displayed clinical signs of the disease. However, the environment was important, with animals that had access to the outside, including the use of runs on both concrete and grass, less likely to display clinical signs of disease. Some of the clinical signs of dental disease in guinea pigs, including difficulty eating, were related to dental problems. These findings are important, as many guinea pigs may not have continuous access to the outdoors. Dental disease is a serious welfare concern, as many owners may not pick up on the clinical signs, leaving animals susceptible to pain, dysphagia, malnutrition, and secondary infection. It is important that owners are aware of key clinical signs, particularly in multi-animal households where monitoring food consumption may be challenging.AbstractRecent studies have highlighted a high prevalence of dental disease in domestic guinea pigs, yet the aetiology of this multi-factorial disease is still unclear. Factors that have been associated with dental disease include feeding a diet that is high in energy but low in fibre, feeding an insufficiently abrasive diet, a lack of dietary calcium, and genetics. As many of these factors relate to the husbandry requirements of guinea pigs, owner awareness of dietary requirements is of the utmost importance. An online questionnaire was created based on previous research into the husbandry and feeding of rabbits. Guinea pig owners were asked to answer questions on the clinical history of their animals and their diet and management. In total, 150 surveys were completed for 344 guinea pigs, where owners of multiple animals could complete the survey for individuals. According to the owners, 6.7% of guinea pigs had been clinically diagnosed with dental disease, but 16.6% had signs consistent with dental disease. The specific clinical signs of having difficulty eating (Exp(B) = 33.927, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.301, p < 0.05) and producing fewer or smaller faecal droppings (Exp(B) = 13.733, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.149, p < 0.05) were predictive for the presence of dental disease. Having access to an outside environment, including the use of runs on both concrete and grass, was significantly related to not displaying clinical signs of dental disease (Exp(B) = 1.894, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.021, p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between owner knowledge, guinea pig diet, and dental disease in the study population. This study highlights the importance of access to the outdoors for the health and welfare of guinea pigs in addition to the need for owners to be alert to key clinical signs. A r...

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“…Due to an increasing awareness by guinea pig breeders and veterinary professionals, an increasing number of owners require an exact diagnosis and treatment for dental disease (Minarikova and others 2015). The diagnosis is commonly based on results of imaging methods, laboratory analyses and bacteriology (Schweda and others 2014). Baumgartner (2004) argued that culture of the bacteria present in an abscess has a low sensitivity and specificity, due to the polymicrobial nature of the infection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial flora of odontogenic abscesses in pet guinea pigs

et al. 2016

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Abscesses of odontogenic origin in guinea pigs pose a serious health problem and need to be treated with a combination of surgical and medical therapy. The aim of this prospective study was to describe the microbial flora of odontogenic abscesses associated with osteomyelitis in 24 pet guinea pigs, to perform antibiotic sensitivity testing, and to make recommendations for practitioners on the antibiotics of first choice. Inclusion criteria for the study included the animal being diagnosed with an odontogenic abscess which underwent surgery and was not pre-treated with an antibiotic. Inclusion criteria matched for 24 guinea pigs. Samples (pus, capsule and affected tooth/bone) for bacteriological examination were collected under sterile conditions during the surgical procedure. The most commonly isolated bacteria from abscesses of odontogenic origin were Bacteroides fragilis in 12.8 per cent (6/47) of cases, Pasteurella multocida in 10.6 per cent (5/47) and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius in 8.5 per cent (4/47). Aerobic bacterial species only were isolated in 29.2 per cent (7/24) of cases, anaerobic bacteria only were isolated in 33.3 per cent (8/24), and mixed infection with anaerobic and aerobic bacterial species was seen in 37.5 per cent (9/24). Aerobes (n=20) were sensitive to enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin in 100 per cent of samples, benzylpenicillin potassium (penicillin G, PNCG) in 90 per cent, cephalotin in 85 per cent, amoxicillin-clavulanate in 75 per cent, doxycycline in 70 per cent, gentamicin in 65 per cent and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in 55 per cent. Anaerobes (n=27) were sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanate in 100 per cent of cases, clindamycin in 96.3 per cent, metronidazole in 92.6 per cent, PNCG in 92.6 per cent and cephalotin in 74.1 per cent. As guinea pigs are strictly herbivorous animals, based on the results of this study the recommended antibiotic treatment for odontogenic abscesses is a combination of fluoroquinolones and metronidazole.

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The role of computed tomography in the assessment of dental disease in 66 guinea pigs

Cited by 25 publications

References 18 publications

Diseases in pet guinea pigs: a retrospective study in 1000 animals

Diseases in pet guinea pigs: a retrospective study in 1000 animals

An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Microbial flora of odontogenic abscesses in pet guinea pigs

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