Prevalence and Characterization of Dental and Skull-Bone Pathologies of the Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Lithuania

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The raccoon dog, a species introduced in Lithuania in 1950, has become an invasive species in the Baltic countries and has established itself as one of the prominent carnivores in the region. The primary objective of this study is to identify and compare dental and skull-bone pathologies between male and female raccoon dogs. The predominant pathology observed was tooth absence, with the majority of cases involving the absence of the mandibular third molar. Additionally, various stages of inflammation in the tissues surrounding the teeth were also noteworthy pathologies. Furthermore, our findings indicate that males exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of dental and skull-bone pathologies compared to females. ABSTRACT: The present investigation endeavours to discern dental and non-dental pathologies affecting cranial structures of raccoon dogs, while focusing on cases of periodontitis. Furthermore, the study aims to conduct a comparative analysis based on sex and the nature of the pathologies encountered. The number of investigated skulls amounted to 126, including 76 males and 50 females. The predominant pathology identified was hypodontia, which accounted for 26.7% of males and 20% of females. Notably, the majority of hypodontia cases involved the absence of the mandibular third molar. Another noteworthy pathology was various stages of periodontitis, with rates ranging from 21.3% in males to 8% in females. Other pathologies, like tooth fractures and abrasion, were significantly less encountered. Excessive bone formation was relatively abundant and localized in specific areas—the parietal bone and the occipital regions. This tendency was observed in 8% of male cases and 6% of females. We found that the total number of dental and skull-bone pathologies is significantly more common in males than in females (p = 0.003). Additionally, the total number of various cases of periodontitis is more common in males too (p = 0.04).