Cat Dental Health & Tooth Care : Genetic Dental Diseases in Cats
How genetics and breeding affect your cat’s dental health in this free feline dental health video. Expert: Dr. Greg McDonald Bio: Dr. Greg McDonald earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ohio State University in 1979. Filmmaker: Diana Bacon
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Regular Dental Exams Prevent Life Threatening Health Issues
Regular Dental Exams Prevent Life Threatening Health Issues
There are many compelling reasons to visit a dentist regularly. Dental screenings check for a wide variety of problems, many of which are important to a patient’s overall health as well as their teeth and gums. In addition to a check for general oral health, the dentist screens for oral cancer, cavities, and early signs of gum disease. Regular visits assist the family dentist in getting to know patients’ habits and issues, increasing the ability to catch problems before they become health emergencies.
Routine dental screenings go further than patients may realize. A part of the procedure is a check for oral cancer. A regularly scheduled visit to the dentist provides the best screening for this cancer, which is curable unless it is discovered in the very late stages. Tobacco users are especially at risk; however, people with no known risk factors for oral cancer can still contract this disease. Recent studies have also linked the occurrence of oral cancer to the human papilloma virus, or HPV. Frequent dental check-ups are the best line of defense to fight oral cancer.
Regular dental check-ups provide an opportunity for the dentist to catch cavities before they develop into bigger problems. The dentist can spot tooth decay early on, and design a treatment plan that will keep the patient’s teeth healthy. Early intervention to stop minor tooth decay can prevent costly dental procedures and even loss of teeth down the road.
Dentists also check for the presence of gum disease during regular screenings. Gum disease, or gingivitis as it is called in the early stages, can be prevented through good dental hygiene and professional cleanings. In fact, some forms of decay, like tartar buildup, can only be eliminated by a dental cleaning. Gingivitis forms after plaque and other build up is allowed to remain (and decay) on the surface of the teeth and gums. While tobacco use and genetics contribute to the formation of gingivitis as well, regular dental treatment can help prevent the condition from developing into a bigger issue.
In advanced stages, gum disease becomes periodontal disease, which is truly a threat to overall health. This serious condition can lead to a patient’s bones breaking down, as well as tooth loss. Even more disturbing, bacteria that are present in a mouth full of infected gums can contribute to dire health issues such as heart disease and stroke.
Some researchers also suggest that gum disease raises the risk of developing diabetes. It is thought that infected gums can raise blood sugar levels, a contributing factor to this serious disease.
Surprisingly, current statistics show that the majority of Americans have gum disease in some form or another. This makes it all the more important to incorporate regular dental checkups in your plan to maintain overall good health.
Current recommendations suggest that adults and children should see their dentists at least every six months for a dental exam and cleaning. A regular visit with the family dentist is an essential weapon in the fight against very preventable conditions like tooth loss, gum disease, and oral cancer.
West Hills Dental Center offers three levels of sedation to help make your treatment more comfortable. This enables patients in Portland and surrounding areas in Oregon to undergo complex dental treatments in just one consultation. Powered by SEO 2.0 Optimization Services
Canine Health and Genetic Testing
Canine Health and Genetic Testing
Caninie Genetics and Health Testing: What do I need to know?
You don’t need a degree in genetics, or even a college course,
to understand the basics of health testing in dogs.
Every aspect of any dog’s physical being began as contributions
from it’s parent’s bodies,carried in their genetic code. As an
example, there are certain health conditions in Golden
Retrivers, Poodles and Labradors which can be passed from parent
to puppy in the genetic material. Hence are found in the hybrids
known as Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever/Poodle crosses) and
Labradoodles (Labrador Retriver/Poodle crosses). These are
called heritable (that is, “able to be inherited”) disorders. In
only one case, Von Willebrand’s Disease, do we actually know
what gene is responsible. In the case of this disease, a
laboratory can examine cells from a dog to see if the gene is
present. A dog having the gene would not be bred.
In all other instances we cannot look for a gene to tell us of
the presence of a certain disease. We have to look for evidence
of the disease itself. In the case of heritable eye diseases in
Poodles and Doodles, for example, an exam is conducted by a
veterinary opthamologist every year to determine if a disease is
developing. Dogs that show symptoms of a heritable eye disease
are eliminated from the breeding program. Other examples of
heritable diseases tested for by some Doodle breeders include
thyroid disease, some forms of heart disease, Addison’s disease,
sebaceous adenitis, hip dysplasia and diabetes.
The heritable disease found in Doodles that most people seem
familiar with is Hip Dysplasia (HD). This disease is a sort of
Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) , with symptoms similar to
arthritis in humans. In dogs though, the heritable form of the
disease is not a disease of old age, but can develop while the
dog is still quite young and is obvious on X-rays as the hip
joint has abnormal features which are present from birth. As
with most things, the hip architecture can range from great to
horrible, with some hips in between. Two schemes are commonly
available in the US for evaluating hips. OFA screening relies on
veterinarians reading an x-ray and assigning a rank:
‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Fair’ ‘Borderline’ or ‘Dysplastic’.
Breeders who base decisions about breeding on OFA generally
agree that ‘Excellent’ and ‘Good’ rankings are fine to breed,
and also agree that ‘Borderline’ or ‘Dysplastic ‘ are not
acceptable for breeding. As with all other decisions where there
are gray areas, some breeders will breed a dog with a ‘Fair’
rank, and others will not. But this is really a judgement call
and not all breeders agree. There is a registry (www.offa.org)
that collects and reports hip assessments to assist in recording
and tracking these rankings. OFA will not certify a dogs hips
until the age of 2 years, however, so some breeders are using a
specialized x-ray technique called PennHIP testing, which can be
done as young as 4 months of age. This test results in a score
for each hip, ranging from .1 to .9, and reflects how tight the
hip joint is, and the average score varies by dog breed. Tighter
hips, that is lower scores, are less likely to develop DJD and
are desirable in any breeding dog. In my opinion, any score
under .3 is clearly breedable. Anything over .6 is clearly not
breedable. In between .3 and .6 is a gray area. Breeders who
utilize this method track the average scores for their breed,
and try to breed only dogs with average or better-than-average
scores. For example, the average hip score for Standard Poodles
is currently .5. If a Poodle were to score .42, in the middle
zone, it would be considered breedable by most because it is
better than average. However .42 would NOT be considered
breedable by most Borzoi breeders because that breed average is
..19!
Mini-Labradoodles are at risk for slightly different problems as
they are bred from Miniature Poodles instead of Standard
Poodles.
What was the real purpose for the “Protection of Genetic Health of the German People?”?
Question by Hallie: What was the real purpose for the “Protection of Genetic Health of the German People?”?
I am writing a report and my teacher wants to know what the purpose of the exam. This was what I wrote….
The Law for the “Protection of Genetic Health of the German People” soon took place. It required all people wanting to marry to submit to a medical assessment, after which a “Certificate of Fitness to Marry” would be issued if they were free of diseases. The certificate was required for a marriage license.
I’m writing a report on the Nuremberg Laws
My teacher believes in more details. But when the reason is really obvious how can you write more details?
The years were during the holocaust of course. Before 1938. What other years do you think the Nuremburg laws came into play??
Best answer:
Answer by rostov
In retrospect the purpose was pretty obvious.
i guess you’d have to reAD SOME books but look at what the laws were and the final outcome.
Lots of information is availbale on the holocaust. Check out some jewish www sites like b’nith Brita.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!