CCUS (Canine chronic ulcerative stomatitis) can be a frustrating condition to control. The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to be an over-reaction of the dog’s immune system to normal levels of plaque in the mouth (I.e. an ‘allergic reaction’ to their own plaque). Small sized, terrier breeds are more commonly affected, although Springer Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Greyhounds, and Labrador Retrievers are also seen to have this condition. Unfortunately, because this condition has no definitive cause there is no way to effectively prevent it from happening.
Note: This is a chronic condition that requires management for life, therefore it requires a lot of commitment and follow-up visits.
Managing Canine Chronic Gingivostomatitis:
- The first line treatment for this condition involves a thorough dental assessment under general anaesthetic, with possible tooth extractions.
- Rigorous home care and regular follow-up checks to assess the long-term response to treatment.
- Regular scale and polish under general anaesthetic.
- Medications: Some cases may require long-term medical management with immuno-modulatory
medication. - Please note that over time, dogs with this condition may require multiple additional dental procedures with/out extractions due to the nature of this chronic condition.
Patients fitting the criteria for CCUS, require a general anaesthetic and a thorough oral assessment which
includes probing, charting, scaling and dental x-rays. Any teeth with advanced periodontitis require extraction, and biopsies are taken of lesions to rule out other autoimmune disorders, as these are treated differently.