New test for early detection of periodontal disease in dogs and cats is launched

Photo: PDX Biotech LLC

A rapid test that can detect active periodontal disease in dogs and cats in 10 seconds, with no anesthesia or sedation required, has been launched by PDX Biotech LLC. The product, OraStripdx, features an easy-to-use test strip that changes color based on the concentration of thiols in the patient’s oral fluid, according to a company release.¹

This product was a finalist in the North American Veterinary Community’s 2023 Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX) Pet Pitch Competition, which celebrates innovation.² Additionally, OraStripdx was 1 of 5 North American startups named winners of the Purina's 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize.³

A common, chronic, and progressive disease affecting multiple organ systems, periodontal disease develops in the gingival sulcus, an anatomic compartment between the tooth and gum that cannot be visualized in the awake patient. The OraStripdx test strip detects the development of disease where it cannot be directly visualized.¹

Photo: PDX Biotech LLC

“Periodontal disease is an invisible infection that causes needless suffering for millions of dogs and cats, so being able to test it this quickly and find it in its earliest stages is a major advantage to pet owners and their health care providers,” said John Beran, CEO of PDX Biotech, the parent company of OraStipdx, in an organizational release.¹

“In addition to periodontal disease itself causing pain, early detection can also serve as a warning sign of more serious disease," said Beran, in the release.¹

In periodontal disease, the gingival sulcus becomes anaerobic as it deepens into a periodontal pocket. Each periodontal pocket harbors millions of pathogens. The most prominent of these pathogens are anaerobic bacteria that produce thiols as end-products of their metabolism. These pathogens degrade gingival tissue and alveolar bone, leading to loss of tooth attachment and, ultimately, cardiovascular, renal, and hepatic sequelae.¹

The OraStripdx test strip is pretreated with a thiol detection reagent. After the strip is glided along the maxillary gingival margin of a canine or feline patient by a veterinary professional, its color will reflect the concentration of thiols in the patient’s oral fluid. No color change means no detectable thiols and no active periodontal disease. Any color change reflects periodontal disease activity. The more intense the color, the higher the concentration of thiols, and the greater the periodontal disease. These visual results are easy for veterinary professionals to interpret and easy for clients to understand.

The performance of OraStripdx has been documented in multiple peer-reviewed studies published in journals. These studies found the product to be significantly more effective than the visual awake exam in detecting active periodontal disease.

Early detection enables timely intervention to prevent disease progression which may otherwise lead to tooth and bone loss as well as debilitating and life-threatening comorbidities including cardiovascular, renal, and hepatic sequelae. Early detection with OraStripdx also increases client compliance with veterinarian recommendations, according to the company release.1

In a peer-reviewed study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Science & Technology, the authors found that routine use of the test in every wellness examination led to the following increases in client compliance with veterinarian recommendations⁴:

• 54% for professional cleaning under anesthesia
• 57% for dental radiology
• 80% for dental home care products

OraStripdx was launched with a company announcement at the 2023 VMX conference in Orlando, Florida. Additional information about the product is available on the website, orastripdx.com, where veterinary practices can also purchase the product.

References

1. New product: revolutionary ten-second test for early detection of periodontal disease in dogs, cats. News release. PDX Biotech LLC. January 15, 2023.
2. NAVC names 3 finalists in VMX 2023 Pet Pitch Competition. Dvm360®. January 12, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2023. https://www.dvm360.com/view/navc-names-3-finalists-in-vmx-2023-pet-pitch-competition
3. Purina announces 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize Winners. News release. January 31, 2023. Accessed March 6,, 2023. https://newscenter.purina.com/2023-01-31-Purina-Announces-2023-Pet-Care-Innovation-Prize-Winners?fbclid=IwAR0NLIJJN8HnwhMuTHlG9X7K2yPfFlTOO2kCY0GpZVzvxCMYmScUNdZw404
4. Goldstein G, Chapman A, Herzog L, McClure D. Routine use of a thiol-detection test in every wellness examination increased practice dental revenues and enhanced client compliance with dental recommendations in veterinary general practice clinics. J Veterinar Sci Techno. 2016;7:2. DOI:10.4172/2157-7579.1000312