There are three types of tooth resorption in cats and six types in dogs. And all of them are treated differently, says Dr. Mary Krakowski Volker, DVM, DAVDC. Treatment depends on the type of resorption present. She notes we don’t use the same names for dogs or cats.
Source: Veterinary Medicine, DVM 360, May 23, 2018. Link.
There are stages of tooth resorption in cats that describe how far the disease has progressed, but Dr. Volker says don’t get caught up in stages, because type, which determines treatment, is much more important to a general practitioner. In dogs, treatment depends on whether the tooth is alive or not as well as whether there’s inflammatory tooth resorption.
Of the six canine types, Dr. Volker says general practitioners should focus on the three most common: non-inflammatory external replacement resorption, apical periodontitis (external inflammatory resorption) and external cervical root surface resorption.
INSIGHTS: AHD team members researched the prevalence of resorption in cat and dog populations. Various sources indicate resorption ranges from 29 to 38 percent in healthy cat populations. Canine information was less available. However, one source indicated as high as 50 percent of large-breed and older dogs could show signs of resorption under radiography.