Abstract:
Focal palatine erosion (FPE) is a misleading term that is used in the literature to describe
inflammatory lesions associated with depressions of the palatal mucosa in cheetah.
Cheetahs have large cheek teeth and these depressions are formed to accommodate
them. Previously FPE was only described as a mandibular molar tooth malocclusion
on the hard palate due to suspected rotation and super eruption of the mandibular
molar teeth of cheetahs aged 18 months and older. Two hundred and fifty six cheetahs
(135 male, 121 female), originating from two independent facilities, had their oral cavities
evaluated as part of an annual health visit over a decade. Ninety-nine cheetahs were seen
once, 59 cheetahs were seen twice, 33 were seen three times, 43 on four occasions, 16
on five occasions, 5 on six occasions, and 1 cheetah was seen seven times. Apart from
these clinical cases a prospective study on 5 cheetah cubs (3 male and 2 female) was
conducted to document their skull development and mandibular molar tooth eruption
over a period of 25 months. Of the 261 cheetahs observed none developed rotation
or super eruption of their mandibular molar teeth. The term FPE is a misnomer as
these inflammatory lesions were found in palatal depressions opposing any of the cusps
of all of the cheetah mandibular cheek teeth. It consisted mainly of deep ulcerations,
inflammation and oedema and also micro abscess formation. In severe cases oro-nasal
fistulas were present. Of all the depressions present on the cheetah’s palate, the large one
palatal to the 4th maxillary premolar tooth was most commonly affected. In the five cubs
evaluated prospectively, focal palatitis was evident from the 7 month evaluation, before
all the permanent teeth erupted. Conservative treatment of the inflamed depressions by
removing the foreign material through curettage and copious flushing reduced the grade of the inflammation when observed on follow-up. Focal palatine erosion is an incorrect
term used to describe focal palatitis that occurs randomly in cheetahs. This focal palatitis
is often associated with foreign material trapped in the palatal depressions. Conservative
management is sufficient to treat these animals without odontoplasties.
