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Abstract
Home dental care is a key element of periodontal therapy in veterinary patients. Among many strategies of passive home dental care there is a supplementation of animal diet with seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum which have been shown to reduce both calculus and plaque accumulation after oral administration in both dogs and cats. Ascophyllum nodosum contains numerous biologically active ingredients, including micro-elements, vitamins, and several other compounds, however the exact mechanism of its beneficial action remains unclear. The very first metabolomic data suggest that it could change the composition of dog saliva. Several products containing Ascophyllum nodosum had been assessed clinically according to standards and requirements provided by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. The conducted clinical trials in dogs and cats revealed that Ascophyllum nodosum exerts the strongest preventive action as powder, followed by dental bites and dry pet food. The data concerning its curative action are limited to one study in cats in which no beneficial action has been observed. Based on available clinical data it is recommended to administer Ascophyllum nodosum to dogs and cats after oral cavity prophylactic procedure to reduce the recurrence of plaque and calculus fonnation.
Keywords: Ascophyllum nodosum, oral health, oral hygiene, nutrient, dogs, cats
Introduction
Veterinary cases are frequently dental in nature, and many oral cavity pathologies remain undiagnosed (Niemiec et al. 2020). Recent years brought, however, the significant advances in the diagnosis, management and prevention of periodontal disease, which seems to be a key oral pathology affecting dogs and cats. Periodontal disease is defined as plaque induced disease of any part of periodontium. It is agreed that we can separate this condition into gingivitis and periodontitis. The first one is inflammation of the gingiva, which is presumed reversible when the cause is removed. Periodontitis is inflammation of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone compartments and is diagnosed when loss of attachment is recognized (Harvey 2005). It is ultimately leading to irreversible destruction of the periodontium. (Kwon et al. 2021). Advances in veterinary stomatology have significantly improved animal dental patient care, although owner involvement and proper home care remains a key element of the effective management (Hale 2003, Niemiec 2021). All oral pathol gies influence food intake, and nutrition plays a key role in the treatment of dental diseases,...