title: Raw beef bones as chewing items to reduce dental calculus in Beagle dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the effect of raw bovine cortical bone (CB) (medullary bone cross-sectioned) and marrow or epiphyseal 'spongy' bone (SB) as chew items to reduce dental calculus in adult dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight 3-year-old Beagle dogs were observed in two study periods. In the first study, the dogs each received a piece of bovine femur CB (122 ± 17 g) daily and in the second study, a piece of bovine femur SB (235 ± 27 g). The first study lasted 12 days and the second 20 days. Dental calculus was evaluated using image integration software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the start of the studies, dental calculus covered 42.0% and 38.6% of the dental arcade areas, respectively. In study one, the chewing reduced the established dental calculus area to 27.1% (35.5% reduction) after 3 days and after 12 days the dental calculus covering was reduced to 12.3% (70.6% reduction). In study two, the dental calculus covered 16.8% (56.5% reduction) after 3 days, 7.1% (81.6% reduction) after 12 days and 4.7% (87.8% reduction) after 20 days. The CB remained largely intact after 24 h, but SB was reduced to smaller pieces and in some cases totally consumed after 24 h. No complications such as tooth fractures, pieces of bone stuck between teeth or intestinal obstructions were observed during the studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chewing raw bovine bones was an effective method of removing dental calculus in dogs. The SB bones removed dental calculus more efficiently in the short term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil. fabioritter@msn.com.
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pezzali
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Marcolla
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Ø
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Ahlstrøm
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, 91540-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trevizan
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs; D008409:Mastication; D066256:Raw Foods
keywords: dental calculus; dogs; oral health; raw beef bones; teeth