Results: 2018 General Health Survey
Mouth and Teeth
Conditions listed in the Mouth and Teeth category were reported in 23.5% (276) of 1,171 surveys completed across all breeds/varieties surveyed, making it the second most reported issue among all categories and the highest reported among physical health categories.
Considering the entire population surveyed:
Follow-up
Considering the entire population surveyed:
- Poor dental health resulting in abscess or extractions was reported at significantly higher rates in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers than Standard Manchester or Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI).
- While overall rates of reporting in English Toy Terriers appear to be lower, this is largely a function of the younger average age of ETTs compared to TMTs. When statistics are considered as a proportion by age range, however, the results indicate that the rate of dental disease is similarly high in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers, with ¼- 1/3 of dogs affected by the time they are 6-10 years old and more that 2/3s affected by 11+ years of age.
- Just 5% of Standard Manchester owners reported abscess or extractions as a result of poor oral health by the 6-10 year age range, however that rate rises to almost 40% in the 11-15 year category – making dental health a serious concern for senior aged dogs.
- English Toy Terrier owners were more than 2x more likely than any other breed/variety surveyed to report that their dog had an underbite.
Follow-up
- Additional surveying could be undertaken to learn more about when dental issues begin to appear in all breeds/varieties, methods and frequency of owner cleanings and general best practices.
Conditions
The following conditions are referenced below in the analysis for this section. The explanation for each disease/condition provided in the survey is included for reference:
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Toy Manchester Terriers
The most common condition affecting Toy Manchester Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 33% (100) of Toy Manchesters. Additional conditions reported included 23 cases of Dental Abscess (7.6%), four dogs with Salivary Gland Cysts (1.3%), and three with Oral Papillomatosis (0.9%). 10 owners (3.3%) indicated their dogs had overbites and seven (2.3%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified:
The survey provides limited data on dental health issues, as follows:
We cannot address issue #1 with further surveying, however we gain some limited insight into the other points by looking at the age of the dogs as of the date of the survey or their date of death. While this approach does not identify when issues first appear, it can indirectly indicate in broad strokes ages by which dental issues have appeared. To correct for this disparity, the number of dogs reporting either dental abscess or removal of teeth as a result of poor oral health were calculated as a percentage of the total number of dogs in each age category per breed/variety (see above chart and graph). The results indicate that the rate of dental disease is similarly high in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers, with 1/4 - 1/3 of dogs affected by age 6-10 and more than 2/3s by 11+ years of age.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for Toy Manchesters, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even without additional research, however, owners of Toy Manchesters should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Follow-up
The most common condition affecting Toy Manchester Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 33% (100) of Toy Manchesters. Additional conditions reported included 23 cases of Dental Abscess (7.6%), four dogs with Salivary Gland Cysts (1.3%), and three with Oral Papillomatosis (0.9%). 10 owners (3.3%) indicated their dogs had overbites and seven (2.3%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified:
- Four dogs with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health (i.e., retained puppy teeth, broken teeth, etc.)
- Four dogs with general dental health problems but no indication of extractions
The survey provides limited data on dental health issues, as follows:
- It offers no information on factors influencing dental health, such as how often owners brush, how often teeth are checked or cleaned by veterinarians, etc.
- It does not measure ages at which dental health issues first appeared or when extractions become necessary.
- Raw data does not compensate for demographic differences among the breeds/varieties surveyed. English Toy Terriers and Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI), for example, tended to be younger (mean age of 5 years among all respondents) while Toy and Standard Manchesters were proportionately older (mean age of 8 years among all respondents).
We cannot address issue #1 with further surveying, however we gain some limited insight into the other points by looking at the age of the dogs as of the date of the survey or their date of death. While this approach does not identify when issues first appear, it can indirectly indicate in broad strokes ages by which dental issues have appeared. To correct for this disparity, the number of dogs reporting either dental abscess or removal of teeth as a result of poor oral health were calculated as a percentage of the total number of dogs in each age category per breed/variety (see above chart and graph). The results indicate that the rate of dental disease is similarly high in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers, with 1/4 - 1/3 of dogs affected by age 6-10 and more than 2/3s by 11+ years of age.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for Toy Manchesters, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even without additional research, however, owners of Toy Manchesters should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Follow-up
- Additional surveying could be undertaken to learn more about when dental issues generally begin to appear in this breed/variety, methods and frequency of owner cleanings, and best practices.
Standard Manchester Terriers
The most common condition affecting Standard Manchester Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 15% (28) of Standard Manchesters. Additional conditions reported included eight cases of Dental Abcess (4.3%), two cases each of Oral Papillomatosis and Salivary Gland Cysts (1.1%), and one case of Salivary Gland Infection (0.5%). Additionally, two owners (1.1%) indicated their dogs had overbites and one (0.5%) said their dog had an underbite.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified four dogs with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health (i.e., retained puppy teeth, crowding/misalignment, etc.)
Rates of dental disease appear to be lower in Standard Manchesters than in Toy Manchesters or English Toy Terriers, with just 5% of owners reporting abscess or extractions as a result of poor oral health by the 6-10 year age range. Rates do rise significantly to almost 40% in the 11-15 year category, however, making this a serious concern for senior aged SMTs.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for senior Standard Manchesters, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even without additional research, however, owners of Standard Manchesters should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Follow-up
The most common condition affecting Standard Manchester Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 15% (28) of Standard Manchesters. Additional conditions reported included eight cases of Dental Abcess (4.3%), two cases each of Oral Papillomatosis and Salivary Gland Cysts (1.1%), and one case of Salivary Gland Infection (0.5%). Additionally, two owners (1.1%) indicated their dogs had overbites and one (0.5%) said their dog had an underbite.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified four dogs with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health (i.e., retained puppy teeth, crowding/misalignment, etc.)
Rates of dental disease appear to be lower in Standard Manchesters than in Toy Manchesters or English Toy Terriers, with just 5% of owners reporting abscess or extractions as a result of poor oral health by the 6-10 year age range. Rates do rise significantly to almost 40% in the 11-15 year category, however, making this a serious concern for senior aged SMTs.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for senior Standard Manchesters, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even without additional research, however, owners of Standard Manchesters should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Follow-up
- Additional surveying could be undertaken to learn more about when dental issues generally begin to appear in this breed/variety, methods and frequency of owner cleanings, and best practices.
Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI)
The most common condition affecting Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI) in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 5.1% (23) of Manchester Terriers. Additional conditions reported included five cases of Dental Abcess (1.1%), and one case each of Oral Papillomatosis and Salivary Gland Cyst (0.2%). Additionally, two owners (0.4%) indicated their dogs had overbites and three (0.7%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified:
The most common condition affecting Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI) in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by a veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 5.1% (23) of Manchester Terriers. Additional conditions reported included five cases of Dental Abcess (1.1%), and one case each of Oral Papillomatosis and Salivary Gland Cyst (0.2%). Additionally, two owners (0.4%) indicated their dogs had overbites and three (0.7%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified:
- one dog with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health; and,
- one dog who had a non-malignant lump mremoved from the upper jaw at age seven.
English Toy Terriers
The most common condition affecting English Toy Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 17.5% (40) of ETTs. Additional conditions reported included eight cases of Dental Abscess (3.5%), and one case of Oral Papillomatosis (0.4%). Four owners (1.8%) indicated their dogs had overbites and 11 (4.8%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified three dogs with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health (i.e., retained puppy teeth, broken teeth, etc.).
The survey provides limited data on dental health issues, as follows:
While overall rates of reporting in English Toy Terriers appear to be lower, this is largely a function of the younger average age of ETTs compared to TMTs. Results indicate that the rate of dental disease is similarly high in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers, with 1/4 – 1/3 of dogs affected in the 6 -10 year range and more than 2/3s of owners reporting dental health issues resulting in abscess or extractions by 11+ years of age.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for English Toy Terriers, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even with additional research, however, owners of ETTs should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Associated Deaths
One English Toy Terrier died from conditions in this category with a 10-year-old male dying of “Atrophy of the masticatory muscle”.
Follow-up
The most common condition affecting English Toy Terriers in the Mouth and Teeth category was “removal of teeth by veterinarian as a result of gingivitis, gum disease or poor oral health,” which was reported in 17.5% (40) of ETTs. Additional conditions reported included eight cases of Dental Abscess (3.5%), and one case of Oral Papillomatosis (0.4%). Four owners (1.8%) indicated their dogs had overbites and 11 (4.8%) said their dogs had underbites.
In the ‘other’ section, owners also identified three dogs with teeth removed for reasons not related to poor dental health (i.e., retained puppy teeth, broken teeth, etc.).
The survey provides limited data on dental health issues, as follows:
- It offers no information on factors influencing dental health, such as how often owners brush, how often teeth are checked or cleaned by veterinarians, etc.
- It does not measure ages at which dental health issues first appeared or when extractions became necessary.
- Raw data does not compensate for demographic differences among the breeds/varieties surveyed. English Toy Terrier and Manchester Terriers (UK/FCI) reported on in the survey, for example, tended to be younger (mean age of 5 years among all respondents) while Toy and Standard Manchesters were proportionately older (mean age of 8 years among all respondents).
While overall rates of reporting in English Toy Terriers appear to be lower, this is largely a function of the younger average age of ETTs compared to TMTs. Results indicate that the rate of dental disease is similarly high in Toy Manchesters and English Toy Terriers, with 1/4 – 1/3 of dogs affected in the 6 -10 year range and more than 2/3s of owners reporting dental health issues resulting in abscess or extractions by 11+ years of age.
Given this is the single largest physical health condition reported for English Toy Terriers, additional investigation could provide useful insights for the breeding community and to inform preventative advice and guidance provided to new owners. Even with additional research, however, owners of ETTs should pay special attention to dental health beginning at an early age.
Associated Deaths
One English Toy Terrier died from conditions in this category with a 10-year-old male dying of “Atrophy of the masticatory muscle”.
Follow-up
- Additional surveying could be undertaken to learn more about when dental issues generally begin to appear in this breed/variety, methods and frequency of owner cleanings, and best practices.