Novel local sustained released varnish for reducing oral bacteria in dogs

Dental diseases are prevalent in dogs. The process of most oral disorders starts with a high quantity of salivary bacteria in the oral cavity. Reducing the amount of supra-gingival bacteria would be important in prevention of those diseases. Oral hygiene of dogs is not practiced routinely, mainly due to low compliance by both owners and their dogs. A sustained release varnish, applied on the teeth, designed specifically for dogs, in which the drug is released for a prolonged time, would have both clinical and user advantages. This research studies the fundamental properties of potential sustained release varnishes containing antimicrobial agents for treatment of supra-gingival bacteria. The veterinary sustained release varnish (VSRV) contains a polymeric matrix in which the active drug is embedded, and released over a prolonged period of time. The varnish has demonstrated a prolonged anti-bacterial effect in dogs, which lasted up to 10 days depending on the pharmaceutical formulation. The use of VRSV as a prophylactic measure will improve dogs' oral health and thereby dramatically decrease the need for dental therapy which usually requires anesthesia and high expense.