Dental Disease Complicates

Glucose Levels in are Furry

Friends

Kiavett Gavino
Biology 1625- College Biology II
Dr. Melissa Hardy
2021 Fall Semester
 • The majority of cats and dogs have or are developing
periodontal disease without the owners being aware.
Periodontal disease can cause a major issue and one of
them is affecting their glucose levels. Dogs and cats that
Abstract have severe periodontal diseases are going to have
elevated glucose levels and eventually develop diabetes.
Dogs and cats mouths were swabbed and that sample
was cultured inside petri dishes that caused bacteria to
grow. Some samples had an opposite result from my
hypothesis; one sample had severe periodontal disease
and had a normal range within its glucose, another
sample had no dental disease present but it's glucose
was extremely elevated. The results were unexpected
and at this moment it's unclear if severe periodontal
disease affects their glucose; during this experiment I
could've encountered other variables without me
knowing that affected my results.
 I've encountered many people that
complain about their dogs or cats
breath and the reasoning behind it
Most people brush off the
Background importance of oral heath within
their pets
Majority of cats and dogs have or
are devopling periodontal dieases
without the owners being aware
• Grade 0: No calculus or gingivitis is present
around the teeth
• Grade 1: Very little calculus and gingivitis are
present. Discoloring on some teeth.
• Grade 2: Moderate calculus and gingivitis.
Pet owners will start to notice a bad odor
from the mouth.
• Grade 3: Heavy calculus and gingivitis is
present along with infection in the gumlines,
tooth lesion and more. Pet owners will
notice that it might be difficult for the pet to
eat.
• Grade 4: Sever calculus,
gingivitis, periodontal pockets, mobility,
tooth exposure and more are present. Very
painful around the mouth and pet owners
will notice that some pets will stop eating.
Grade 0 Grade 2

Grade 4

Grade 1 Grade 3
Question

• Can periodontal disease in dogs and cats

affect their glucose levels?

• I'm interested in this question because

periodontal disease is a highly common
issue with pet owners. We can see and
understand the importance of dental
disease and what it can cause by doing so
we can sustain a longer, happier and
healthier lifespan with our furry friends
Hypothesis
• My hypothesis states that cats and
dogs that are present with Periodontal
disease are going to have elevated
glucose levels vs dogs and cats that
have healthier teeth are going to have
normal range with their glucose levels

• The biological rational for my

hypothesis is cats and dogs that have
severe dental disease will have
bacteria present in their gumlines, this
bacteria will then enter their
bloodstream and affect their glucose
 • I used two sterile cotton tip applicators and
swabbed around their top and
Methods bottom premolars/molars. Keep in mind that I
only swabbed their mouths if they were having
bloodwork done at that moment. )
• I then gently smeared the cotton tip
applicatoers on the petri dishes with agar. Once
I was done, I sealed the Petri dish with parflim
and added notes to that certain sample. The
total of smaples I collected was around 21
• The type of data I collected was what type of
breed, glucose levels, and what grade of
periontal diease they had.
Variables
Independent variable:
The dogs and cats that
have dental dieases

Dependent variable:
Glucose levels

Controled Variable: Age

and type of breed
Results

• Nov 3: Three samples were taken with different types of dental grades. The first one was my personal cat that had a
grade level of 1 and had a normal glucose level of 113 mg/dl. Her bacterial growth could not be determined because it
didn't have the proper time to develop. The second sample was a Jack Russall Terrier with normal glucose levels of 93
mg/dl, the bacterial growth was circular and irregular with lobate and entire margins. The last sample had a grade 3
dental disease with normal glucose levels of 103 mg/dl. The bacteria growth was very unique with a form of rhizoid and
had lobate and entire margins.
• Nov 5 : One sample was taken that day that had grade one dental disease and elevated glucose of 122+mg/dl. The
comprehensive machine could only detect a certain range within the glucose. We don't have an exact reading on the
glucose due to the machine readings. The bacterial growth had a simple structure
• Nov 8: A sample was taken from my personal dog that had a grade 2 dental disease. Her glucose levels were in normal
range of 107mg/ml and a bacterial growth with a form of filamentous and circular.
• Nov 10: This was an interesting sample because the 6 month old lab had a 0 grade in dental diseases but had high
glucose levels of 122+mg/dl. Meaning that the comprehensive machine couldn't detect its glucose levels because they
were so high
Results

• Oct 6: The first four samples had mild calculus build up on their teeth and little to no gingivitis which is inflammation in
the gum lines. One sample did contain a level of 117 mg/dl on their glucose level; with a dental grade 1. The bacteria
growth on this sample had a lot of specimens inside the petri dish and had marines that were entire and filiform.
• Oct 8: The only sample that was taken on that day had a glucose of 140 mg/dl with a dental grade of 0. The bacteria
growth that was inside the petri dish had small colonies that had circular forms with margins that were entire.
• Oct 13: A sample was taken from a 4 year old basset hound that had a grade 3 dental disease. Its glucose was 114mg/dl
which is a little bit elevated. Its teeth had many periodontal pockets which resulted in extracting multiple teeth. Some
of his teeth were saved by a treatment called doxirobe gel treatment that reduces gingival inflammation. The bacterial
plate had multiple colonies that had a circular form and margins that were entire and filiform
• Oct 20: Both of the samples had heavy to severe periodontal disease. The first one was a 10 year old Shih Tzu with a
glucose level of 117 mg/dl and level 3 furcation, fractures, severe gingivitis, mobility, root exposure, tooth root abscess.
The bacteria growth had very simple structures. The second sample also had mobility and level 3 furcation but It's
glucose was in normal range of 110mg'dl with a simple bacterial growth structures
Results

• Oct 12: Two samples were collected that had different types of dental diseases. The first one had
grade 4 periodontal disease but a normal range within its glucose ( 109mg/dl), some of the teeth
needed to be removed due to the high infection that was present inside the gum lines. The bacterial
growth had raised and flat elevations and multiple colonies.
• Oct 15: The first sample was taken by a DLH that had a grade 1 dental disease but had a high
elevation in its glucose levels (161mg/ml) this cat also had a secondary issue present and that was
kidney disease, this issue could also lead to the glucose being really high. The last sample that was
taken had a grade 1 dental disease and its glucose levels were normal by 93mg/dl. The bacterial
growth had a filamentous form and fiform margins.
 Canine or Feline Form: Circular
Breed: French Bulldog Margin: Entrie
Glucose: 109mg/dl Elevation: Raised
Age: 7 years 5 months
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline
Breed: DSH
Glucose: 116mg/dl
Age: 4 years 3 months
Form: Circular and Filamentous
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4 Elevations: Raised and umbonate
Margin: Entrie and Filiform
 Canine or Feline
Breed: Shih Tzu
Form: Circular Glucose: 91mg/dl
Elevation: Raised Age: 10 years 11 months
Margins: Entrie and Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
Filiform
 Canine or Feline Form: Circular​
Breed: Corgi Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 117 mg/dl Margins: Entrie
Age: 3 years 8 months
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline Form: Circular​
Breed: Maine Coon Mix Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 140mg/dl Margins: Entrie
Age: 6 months
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline Form: Circular​
Breed: Basset Hound Elevation: Raised
Margins: Entrie
Glucose: 114mg/dl
and Filiform
Age: 4 years
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Shih Tzu​ Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 117 mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 10 years 10 months​
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
Bone loss that causes
furcation

Roots of the tooth

Bone loss that
are being resorbed
causes furcation
by the body
Roots of the tooth
are being resorbed
by the body
 Results from slide 18

• Canine or Feline
• Breed: Bichon Frise Form: Circular​
• Glucose: 110 mg/dl Elevation: Raised
• Age: 11 years Margins: Entrie
• Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Shih Tzu​ mix Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 118 mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 15 years
Dental Grading: 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Labrador Retriever Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 144 mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 8 years 5 months​
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Results from slide 18

• Canine r Feline
• Breed: Bichon Frise There was no bacterial
growth on this slide due to
• Glucose: 110 mg/dl
the short of amount of
• Age: 11 years time
• Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Results from side 24

• Canine or Feline
Form: Circular​, Irregular
• Breed: Jack Russell Terrier
• Glucose: 93 mg/dl Elevation: Raised
• Age: 7 years 5 months Margins: Entrie and Lobate
• Dental Grading: 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​
Breed: West Highland Form: Circular, Rhiziod
Terrier Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 103 mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie, Lobate
Age: 14 years 2 months​
Dental Grading: 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Poodle Mix Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 122+mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 6 months​
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Results from slide 28

Canine or Feline​
Form: Circular​, Filamentous
Breed: Retriever
Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 107 mg/dl​
Margins: Entrie,
Age: 11 years
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Results from slide 30

Canine or Feline​
Form: Circular​
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 122+mg/dl​
Margins: Entrie
Age: 6 months
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Results from slide 32

Canine or Feline​
Breed: Pomeranian​ Form: Circular​
Glucose: 109 mg/dl​ Elevation: Raised, Flat
Age: 12 years 7 months​ Margins: Entrie
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Chihuahua Mix Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 93 mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 8 years 5 months​
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​
Breed: Poodle Mix Form: Circular​, Filamentous
Glucose: 99 mg/dl​ Elevation: Raised
Age: 11 years 3 months Margins: Entrie, Filform
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​
Breed: DLH Form: Circular​
Glucose: 161 mg/dl​ Elevation: Raised
Age: 13 years 8 months​ Margins: Entrie
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
 Canine or Feline​ Form: Circular​
Breed: Poodle Mix Elevation: Raised
Glucose: 111mg/dl​ Margins: Entrie
Age: 10 months​
Dental Grading: 0 1 2 3 4
Discission

• Out of the 22 samples only 8 samples had elevated glucose

levels and the rest had normal glucose ranges. The normal
range in dogs is 60-110 and in cats its 70-150. The highest
glucose level was 122 mg/dl with a dental grade of 0 and 1.
• My hypotheses at this moment was proven wrong with the
results that I contained. 14 of the 22 samples had normal
glucose levels.
• Unexpected variables that I encountered were that some of
the animals in the clinic were really stressed out and
during this stage it affect their glucose levels.
• If I were to do this experiment again, I would start as soon as
possible and extend my time so I can collect more samples to
get a good accurate statistics reading

• We still don't know if periodontal disease causes the glucose to

become elevated or if there are other factors to include for
example secondary issues that are present.
Conclusion

• During this moment in the experiment we can't say

if dental disease causes the glucose levels to
become elevated. With some of the results that I
gathered there were some samples that had
extreme periodontal diseases with normal glucose
levels and some samples that had no dental
diseases present had elevated glucose levels.