Association of periodontal disease, oral procedures, and other clinical findings with bacterial endocarditis in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors potentially associated with the development of bacterial endocarditis in dogs and determine whether periodontal disease and surgical procedures (oral and nonoral) were associated with bacterial endocarditis.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
76 dogs with (cases) and 80 dogs without (controls) bacterial endocarditis.


METHODS
Medical records were reviewed for information on signalment, physical examination findings, recent medical history, and results of echocardiography, clinicopathologic testing, and necropsy.


RESULTS
None of the dogs with endocarditis had a history of undergoing any dental or oral procedure in the 3 months prior to the diagnosis of endocarditis, and no significant difference was found between groups with regard to the prevalence of oral infection. Dogs with endocarditis were significantly more likely to have undergone a nonoral surgical procedure that required general anesthesia in the preceding 3 months or to have developed a new heart murmur or a change in intensity of an existing heart murmur. Preexisting cardiac dis-ease (congenital or acquired) was not found to be a risk factor.


CONCLUSIONS
Results did not provide any evidence of an association between bacterial endocarditis in dogs and either dental or oral surgical procedures or oral infection. Findings suggested that the routine use of prophylactic antimicrobial administration in dogs undergoing oral procedures needs to be reevaluated.
Peddle
Gordon D
GD
Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Drobatz
Kenneth J
KJ
Harvey
Colin E
CE
Adams
Allison
A
Sleeper
Meg M
MM
D000818:Animals; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003729:Dental Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D003945:Diagnosis, Oral; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies