Relação entre a doença periodontal em gatos e a manifestação de alterações comportamentais
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2019-07-17
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O stresse consiste numa reação fisiológica a um estímulo que perturba o estado de homeostasia do indivíduo. A capacidade do organismo combater este estímulo, e se adaptar, é essencial para a sobrevivência. Nem sempre estar exposto a uma potencial situação de stresse é prejudicial, dado que é a capacidade de superar o obstáculo e restabelecer o estado de homeostasia que vai permitir a sobrevivência do indivíduo. Contudo, a exposição prolongada a agentes de stresse leva a alterações comportamentais e ao aparecimento de doenças sistémicas. A Doença Periodontal é a doença que se manifesta mais frequentemente em gatos, sendo que 70% dos gatos com menos de 2 anos de idade já apresentam qualquer forma da mesma. Esta doença resulta de uma combinação de fatores de risco (genéticos, imunitários, entre outros), com a atividade dos agentes bacterianos presentes na boca e a consequente resposta inflamatória do hospedeiro. Neste trabalho foram consideradas alterações comportamentais os seguintes comportamentos: está mais agressivo; evita o relacionamento com humanos; evita o relacionamento com outros gatos; fricção da face contra o chão ou com os membros; mastigar, roer ou transportar na boca objetos; odontoprisis. Pretendeu-se identificar, na amostra estudada, o número de gatos com alterações comportamentais; avaliar a sua exposição a agentes stressantes e a forma como o ambiente influência o seu comportamento; identificar o número de animais com doença periodontal; tentar estabelecer uma relação entre o desenvolvimento desta doença e a manifestação de alterações de comportamento. Para isso realizou-se um questionário aplicado a tutores de gatos, com e sem alterações de comportamento, onde se avalia a exposição do gato a fatores stressantes assim como comportamentos que predispõem ao aparecimento da doença periodontal. Adicionalmente foram recolhidos, em clínica, dados inerentes ao exame estomatológico-dentário, de 30 gatos, que nos permitem aferir sobre a presença ou ausência da doença. No universo de 321 gatos estudados, 89 manifestavam alterações de comportamento. Foi observada uma associação entre alguns fatores e as variáveis a serem estudadas (p<0.05). Nos fatores em que foi observada uma associação realizou-se, quando possível, uma regressão logística que nos permitiu determinar a forma de como é que as variáveis se influenciavam. A situação profissional do tutor influência as alterações comportamentais; o meio em que vive é preponderante para a manifestação comportamental; gatos com mais idade tendem a manifestar mais alterações comportamentais; a socialização com algum elemento do agregado familiar e o medo de algum elemento do mesmo estão relacionados com alterações comportamentais; gatos que têm brinquedos têm menor probabilidade de ter alterações comportamentais; a vivência de um período de stresse influência a manifestação comportamental; o fato do gato comer normalmente reduz a probabilidade de ter alterações comportamentais; sinais de mau hálito, dificuldade na preensão, mastigação ou deglutição do alimento, escovagem dentária e o grau de gengivite estão intimamente relacionados com manifestações comportamentais. Em jeito de conclusão, podemos afirmar que a Doença Periodontal e as alterações comportamentais, partilham uma relação bidirecional.
Stress is a physiological reaction to a stimulus that disturbs the individual's state of homeostasis. The body's ability to fight this stimulus, and consequently adapt, is essential for its survival. Not always being exposed to a potential situation of stress is harmful, since it is the ability to overcome the obstacle and restore the state of homeostasis that will allow the individual to survive. However, prolonged exposure to stress agents leads to possible behavioural changes and the appearance of systemic diseases. Periodontal Disease is the most frequent disease in cats, and it’s found in 70% of cats under 2 years. This disease results of a combination of risk factors (genetic, immune, etc.), the activity of bacterial agents present in the mouth and the consequent inflammatory response of the host. In this work, the following behaviours were considered as behavioural changes: being more aggressive; avoiding the relationship with humans; avoiding the relationship with other cats; friction of the face against the floor or with the limbs; chewing, carrying in the mouth hard objects; odontoprisis. The objective was to identify, in the sample studied, the number of cats with behavioral changes; how the environment influences its behaviour; evaluate the exposure of the cat to stressing agents; identifying the number of cats with periodontal disease; establishment of a relationship between the development of Periodontal Disease and manifestations of behavioural changes. For this purpose, a questionnaire was given to the owners of cats, with and without behavioural changes, where the exposure of the cat to stressing factors and behaviours that predispose to the onset of Periodontal Disease was evaluated. In addition, data from the dental examination of 30 cats was collected in clinical trials, which allowed to assess the presence or the absence of Periodontal Disease. Data was obtained from 321 cats, of which 89 had behavioural changes and 292 hadn’t. An association between some factors and the variables to be studied was observed (p<0.05). Factors in which an association was observed, whenever possible, a logistic regression was performed that allowed to determine how the variables were influenced. The professional situation of the cat owner influences the behavioural changes; the environment in which the cat lives is preponderant for the behavioural manifestation; older cats tend to manifest more behavioural changes; socialization with members from the household and the fear of some members from the household are related to behavioural changes; cats that have toys are less likely to have behavioural changes; the experience of a period of stress influences the behavioural manifestation; the fact that the cat eats normally reduces the probability of having behavioural changes; signs of bad breath, difficulty in grasping, chewing or swallowing food, tooth brushing and the degree of gingivitis are closely related to behavioural manifestations. By way of conclusion, we can state that the Periodontal Disease and behavioural changes are related in a bidirectional way.
Stress is a physiological reaction to a stimulus that disturbs the individual's state of homeostasis. The body's ability to fight this stimulus, and consequently adapt, is essential for its survival. Not always being exposed to a potential situation of stress is harmful, since it is the ability to overcome the obstacle and restore the state of homeostasis that will allow the individual to survive. However, prolonged exposure to stress agents leads to possible behavioural changes and the appearance of systemic diseases. Periodontal Disease is the most frequent disease in cats, and it’s found in 70% of cats under 2 years. This disease results of a combination of risk factors (genetic, immune, etc.), the activity of bacterial agents present in the mouth and the consequent inflammatory response of the host. In this work, the following behaviours were considered as behavioural changes: being more aggressive; avoiding the relationship with humans; avoiding the relationship with other cats; friction of the face against the floor or with the limbs; chewing, carrying in the mouth hard objects; odontoprisis. The objective was to identify, in the sample studied, the number of cats with behavioral changes; how the environment influences its behaviour; evaluate the exposure of the cat to stressing agents; identifying the number of cats with periodontal disease; establishment of a relationship between the development of Periodontal Disease and manifestations of behavioural changes. For this purpose, a questionnaire was given to the owners of cats, with and without behavioural changes, where the exposure of the cat to stressing factors and behaviours that predispose to the onset of Periodontal Disease was evaluated. In addition, data from the dental examination of 30 cats was collected in clinical trials, which allowed to assess the presence or the absence of Periodontal Disease. Data was obtained from 321 cats, of which 89 had behavioural changes and 292 hadn’t. An association between some factors and the variables to be studied was observed (p<0.05). Factors in which an association was observed, whenever possible, a logistic regression was performed that allowed to determine how the variables were influenced. The professional situation of the cat owner influences the behavioural changes; the environment in which the cat lives is preponderant for the behavioural manifestation; older cats tend to manifest more behavioural changes; socialization with members from the household and the fear of some members from the household are related to behavioural changes; cats that have toys are less likely to have behavioural changes; the experience of a period of stress influences the behavioural manifestation; the fact that the cat eats normally reduces the probability of having behavioural changes; signs of bad breath, difficulty in grasping, chewing or swallowing food, tooth brushing and the degree of gingivitis are closely related to behavioural manifestations. By way of conclusion, we can state that the Periodontal Disease and behavioural changes are related in a bidirectional way.
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Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária