Right: rotten jaw bone removed from dragon
exhibiting Grade 5 periodontal disease.
Treatment.
There are several facets to the successful treatment
of periodontal disease in dragons. The first com-
ponent is the removal of the calculus and staining.
To achieve this the animal must be anaesthetised.
The mouth is held open using a cut-down syringe
cap or commercially available mouth props. An
ultrasonic, hand dental scaler is then used to
remove the calculus and tartar. In severe cases, a
high-speed dental drill fitted with a small round burr may
be required to remove the calculus. Care should be taken
not to damage the teeth during this process. Areas of
bone infection can be identified by the finding of soft
sections of bone in the jaws and also on X-rays. These
affected areas should be cleaned free of infected bone.
The entire area can be flushed with saline or antiseptic
solutions containing chlorhexadine or betadine. In cases
of bone infection, the use of appropriate antibiotics is
warranted and required. In some cases they may need to
be given for 8-12 weeks. Topical treatments may be used
in addition to antibiotics to encourage local effects.
Prevention
There are several methods that can be employed to
prevent the development and/or recurrence of periodontal
disease in dragons. These include:
i.
ii.
Dietary change. Captive dragons are routinely
maintained on diets composed primarily of soft-
bodied insects, fruits and vegetables. In addition it
is common for captive diets to be based primarily
upon vegetation. The problem with this type of
diet is twofold. Firstly, soft foods require little
chewing by the lizard. This results in little
abrasion of the teeth, allowing for bacteria to
accumulate and periodontal disease to develop.
Secondly, the gut of dragons is not designed to
digest large amounts of fibre. They have a
relatively short gastrointestinal tract with little
area for fermentation of fibre. While in the wild
they eat a variety of insects, fruits and flowers,
there is much seasonal variation and the predomi-
nant component of the diet consists of harder-
bodied insects and tough sclerophyll plants and
flowers. The supplementation or replacement of
part of the diet with some native Australian
vegetation such as Eremophila spp., Hemiandra
pungens, croweas, correas and grevilleas should
be considered. In addition to the types of food
being fed one should consider the size of food
items being presented. It is commonplace for
dragon owners to grate their pet’s food into small
pieces. This in turn results in less chewing being
required. As such it is recommended that food
items be chopped into pieces rather than grated.
Regular dental hygiene. A cotton bud dipped in
iii.
chlorhexadine solution can be used as an effective
toothbrush for dragons. When used to brush the
teeth 2-3 times a week, this may aid in the
reduction of bacteria on the teeth and slow the
progression and recurrence of peridontal disease.
Use of dental prophylaxis products. Products
such as Hexarinse, Maxiguard Oral Gel and
Curasept Gel may be used to provide prolonged
antibacterial effects in order to prevent
periodontal disease.
Owners of dragons should be regularly checking the
mouths, and specifically the teeth, of their pets. When
caught early, periodontal disease can be treated and
prevented from getting worse.
qtr page ad