2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

A total 81 dogs with mitral regurgitation were referred to the Nihon University and 196 specimens from left atrium, left ventricle, and mitral valve were harvested during mitral valve repair. The distribution of an animal periodontopathic organism Porphyromonas gulae (P. gulae), in addition to 7 human periodontopathic bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Treponema denticola, Tanneralla forsythia, Campylobacter rectus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Fusobacterium nucleatum, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with species-specific sets of primers. Oral swab specimens from the same dogs were also collected and analyzed the distribution of periodontopathic bacterial species. Pocket depth and bleeding on probing on the designated tooth were measured as clinical parameters.