Sessions

Nowadays, guinea pigs are increasingly popular as companion animals and are commonly kept as household pets. Consequently, the recognition and identification of species-specific diseases have become increasingly important in small animal practice. Guinea pigs frequently suffer from dental disorders, which may lead to severe and chronic pathological changes. The diagnosis of these conditions is complex and requires thorough professional knowledge and clinical expertise. Today, an increasing number of veterinary practices are equipped with radiographic facilities, which play a particularly important role in the diagnostic assessment of dental diseases in rodents, including the identification and follow-up of pathological processes.

The aim of this thesis was to facilitate the dental diagnostic assessment of guinea pigs presented to small animal practices. For this purpose, the guinea pig dental checklist presented in this thesis was developed. The use of the checklist streamlines the acquisition of appropriate radiographs, the detection of dental abnormalities, and the systematic evaluation of radiographic findings.

During the development of the checklist, particular emphasis was placed on a thorough review of the relevant scientific literature and on clinical experience. An important consideration was to develop a practical tool that could be used quickly and easily while supporting precise and comprehensive diagnostic assessment.

The checklist is based on six positioning techniques routinely used for the radiographic examination of the teeth in rodents. A schematic illustration was prepared for each positioning technique, demonstrating the relevant anatomical reference lines. After recording the data of the patient, the radiographs are assessed according to the predefined criteria. Each criterion is then answered with a „YES” or „NO”, based on which decision can be made regarding the presence or absence of dental disease.

To demonstrate the practical applicability of the checklist, 25 guinea pig cases were randomly selected from the radiographic archive of a veterinary practice and subsequently evaluated. The main advantages of the checklist are that it provides a standardized set of assessment criteria, allows the listed parameters to be evaluated objectively, provides a clear decision-making framework, and organizes the diagnostic process as a whole. The main limitations were the inadequate quality of some radiographs and incorrect patient positioning, both of which made radiographic evaluation more difficult.

Overall, it can be concluded that the developed checklist is a suitable diagnostic aid for the radiographic assessment of dental diseases in guinea pigs. It contributes to the standardization of the evaluation process and can be effectively used to support diagnostic procedures in clinical practice.