OraStripdx, a periodontal diagnostic strip that estimates the levels of thiols dissolved in oral fluid thereby indicating the level of periodontal disease in an awake patient, has been launched by Animalcare.
The visual result shown on the strip can support vets and veterinary nurses in explaining to owners the often-invisible early signs of periodontal disease without the need to examine the animal under anaesthetic.
It also gives them a platform from which to start a conversation about dental health and care.
Each OraStripdx comprises a dry porous pad, pre-treated with a mixture containing a thiol detection reagent, attached to a plastic backing.
The strip is gently swiped along the maxillary gingival margins, and the pad changes colour from off-white to various intensities of yellow, representing the concentration of thiols present.
The result gives the veterinary team a snapshot of the pet’s dental health, indicating the probability of significant periodontal disease and alveolar bone loss.
The WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines note that the use of a test strip for measuring levels of dissolved thiols can be very useful during an oral examination and that the test strips have been shown to improve client compliance with dental recommendations.
OraStripdx is the latest addition to Animalcare’s growing dental range.
On 30 November 2022, Animalcare is hosting a free webinar which demonstrates how OraStripdx™ can help drive positive oral health conversations. Sign up to the webinar online.
The company has also created a range of dental care educational resources for veterinary healthcare team members and pet owners which are available for free download.
