Abstract
Tooth resorption (TR) is the most common dental disease in cats. It causes painful lesions in the teeth, the only treatment being tooth extraction. The prevalence of the TR is high in clinical studies while the estimate in the population sample is unknown. The aetiology of the disease remains unclear, but associations to old age, breed, other oral and dental diseases, viral infections and certain environmental factors have been suspected. We wanted to determine the prevalence, risk factors and heredity of feline TR in a population sample of Finnish cats. We collected health and environmental information of 8115 Finnish cats in 41 breeds through an online survey targeted for breeders and owners. The prevalence of veterinary-diagnosed TR was 3.9% in the whole data and 15% in cats diagnosed with oral or dental disease. Results indicated an increased risk by age and decreased risk by constantly available food. Periodontitis and stomatitis were more common in the TR-affected cats. The interaction between gingivitis, dental calculus, and age suggests that the predisposition of young cats to TR is associated with gingivitis, which could partially be prevented by proper dental hygiene. The observed differences between breeds highlight the genetic contribution.