Oral affections in an ex situ population of marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus): a retrospective study (1990-2020)

• Autor(a) principal: Borsanelli, Ana Carolina
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Saraiva, Júlia R. [UNESP], Pádua, Daniela B. [UNESP], Athayde, Flávia R. F. [UNESP], Vaccari, Juliana [UNESP], Zanetti, Eveline S., Dutra, Iveraldo S. [UNESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1678-5150-PVB-7096; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/236958
• topic: Oral affections; odontogenic abscess; deer; marsh deer; Blastocerus dichotomus; tooth wear; periodontal disease; Afecções bucais; abscesso odontogênico; cervídeos; cervo-do-pantanal; Blastoceru dichotomus; desgaste dentário; doença periodontal

Oral diseases are limiting to health, welfare, and conservation practices, especially in the case of endangered animals. In this retrospective study, a survey on oral health-related conditions noted in the clinical records for 261 deer comprised in an ex situ population of the Marsh Deer Conservation Center (CCCP) over 30 years (1990-2020) was carried out. Of these, 49 (18.77%) marsh deer (31 females - 63.27% and 18 males - 36.73%) had clinical oral affections; the affected deer’s mean age was 8.9 years. Logistic regression analysis was performed, and the variable age was significantly associated with the presence of dental affections. Thus, with a change in the age category, a deer had eight times the chance of manifesting oral affections; therefore, age can be considered a risk factor for the manifestation of oral affections in the species. Increased facial volume (65.3%), accumulation of food in the mouth (36.7%), tooth loss (22.4%), fistulas (22.4%), mucosal or palatal lesions (22.4%), tooth wear (20.4%), and tooth root exposure (18.3%) were the most frequently recorded lesions. The relatively high occurrence of oral affections in Blastocerus dichotomus reiterates the importance of oral health care when deer are kept in human care.