Disorder predispositions and protections of Labrador Retrievers in the UK

Prioritization of Appearance over Health and Temperament Is Detrimental to the Welfare of Purebred Dogs and Cats

Fashions in the appearance of purebred dogs and cats are encouraged by celebrity culture, social media, and online impulse buying. The popularity of characteristics perceived as cute, quirky, and anthropomorphic has driven increasingly exaggerated breed features appealing to aesthetics rather than health. 'Hypertypes' of some breeds have emerged that take a breed's distinctive appearance to extremes beyond the intended interpretation of breed standards. This has severe, direct and indirect health and welfare consequences. Extreme conformations are associated with chronic health conditions including brachycephalic obstructive airway disorder, ocular, dental, skin, and musculoskeletal disorders. Puppy and kitten farms and illegal traders that meet the demand for hypertypes are associated with poor husbandry that neglects the physical, behavioral, and mental health of parents and offspring. A multidimensional approach involving collaboration between breeders, geneticists, owners, veterinarians, kennel clubs, cat fanciers' associations, animal charities, the academic and research communities, commercial enterprises, and governments is needed to safeguard breeds and tackle these challenges. There are many ongoing initiatives by national kennel clubs and global partnerships to educate pet owners and support responsible pet ownership and sustainable breeding. The resounding message is that health, temperament, and well-being must be prioritized over appearance.

Demography, common disorders and mortality of Shih Tzu dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

Shih Tzus are a popular dog breed in the UK although there is relatively little reported information on their health. This study aimed to characterise the demography, common disorders and mortality of Shih Tzus under primary veterinary care during 2016 in the UK using de-identified clinical records from the VetCompass™ Programme.

RESULTS

The study population of 336,865 dogs under veterinary care during 2016 included 11,082 Shih Tzus (3.3%). The median age was 4.1 years (IQR: 2.1-7.1, range: 0.3-20.4) and mean adult bodyweight was 7.9 kg (SD: 1.9 kg). Annual proportional births increased from 2.2% of all dog births in 2005 to 3.8% in 2013, dropping to 3.3% by 2016. From a random subset of 2,423 Shih Tzus that had information extracted on disorders diagnosed during 2016, the most prevalent fine-level precision disorders were periodontal disease (n = 229, prevalence 9.5%, 95% CI: 8.4-10.7), anal sac impaction (180, 7.4%, 95% CI: 6.5-8.5) and ear disorders (134, 5.5%, 95% CI: 4.7-6.5). The most prevalent grouped-level precision disorders were cutaneous (n = 402, prevalence: 16.6%, 95% CI: 15.2-18.1), dental (322, 13.3%, 95% CI: 12.0-14.7), and ophthalmological (289, 11.9%, 95% CI: 10.7-13.3). Males were more likely than females to be diagnosed with skin disorders (P = 0.007) and musculoskeletal disorders (P = 0.010) while females were more likely than males to be diagnosed with hernias (P = 0.005). The median age of death was 12.7 years (IQR 8.7-14.3, range 2.0-19.9) and did not differ statistically between males and females. The most common grouped causes of death were enteropathy (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4), heart disease (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4) and poor quality of life (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal disease, anal sac impaction and ear disorders were identified as common health issues. Shih Tzus had higher prevalence of anal sac impaction, umbilical hernias and eye problems than reported previously in dogs overall, suggesting potential predispositions. Shih Tzus appear to be relatively long-lived compared to previous reports of lifespan in dogs overall. The results can inform veterinarians and owners on priority disorders for monitoring to protect welfare. Oral hygiene was highlighted as a healthcare priority.

English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is one of the most popular dog breeds in the UK but information on disorder predisposition and protection is limited. Using anonymised veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass™ Programme, this study aimed to compare disorder predisposition and protection between the ECS and the remaining dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016. Electronic patient records for random samples of ECS and non-ECS were reviewed. The most common disorders diagnosed during 2016 were extracted and compared using multivariable logistic regression, controlling for confounders.

RESULTS

The analysis included random samples of 2510/10,313 (24.3%) ECS and 7813/326,552 (2.39%) non-ECS. After accounting for confounding by age, sex, bodyweight within breed-sex, insurance status and veterinary practice group, the ECS had increased odds of 21/43 (48.85%) disorders at fine-level precision, with highest odds for aural discharge (odds ratio (OR) 14.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.73-30.90, P <  0.001) and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (OR 7.64, 95% CI: 4.33-14.14, P <  0.001) and lowest odds for atopic dermatitis (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.31, P <  0.001) and allergy (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.28, P <  0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence for strong predisposition to aural and ocular disorders and protection from hypersensitivity disorders in the ECS. These results can aid dog owners, breeders, and veterinarians to better monitor health in ECS, and promote earlier diagnosis with improved prognosis. Further, the results can help breeding organisations establish key priorities the health-based reforms of the ECS.

Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone neoplasia that has high welfare consequences for affected dogs. Awareness of breed and canine conformational risk factors for osteosarcoma can assist with earlier diagnosis and improved clinical management. Study of osteosarcoma in dogs also offers translational value for humans. Anonymised clinical data within VetCompass on dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK were searched for osteosarcoma cases. Descriptive statistics reported overall and breed-specific prevalence. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

From 905,552 study dogs, 331 osteosarcoma cases were confirmed yielding a one-year period prevalence of 0.037% (95% CI: 0.033-0.041). Breeds with the highest annual prevalence were the Scottish Deerhound (3.28%, 95% CI 0.90-8.18), Leonberger (1.48%, 95% CI 0.41- 3.75), Great Dane (0.87%, 95% CI 0.43- 1.55) and Rottweiler (0.84%, 95% CI 0.64-1.07). The median age at diagnosis was 9.64 years (IQR: 7.97-11.41). Following multivariable modelling, 11 breeds showed increased odds of osteosarcoma compared with crossbred dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Scottish Deerhound (OR 118.40, 95% CI 41.12-340.95), Leonberger (OR 55.79, 95% CI 19.68-158.15), Great Dane (OR 34.24, 95% CI 17.81-65.83) and Rottweiler (OR 26.67, 95% CI 18.57-38.29). Compared with breeds with mesocephalic skull conformation, breeds with dolichocephalic skull conformation (OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.06-3.58) had increased odds while breeds with brachycephalic skull conformation showed reduced odds (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.32-0.80). Chondrodystrophic breeds had 0.10 times the odds (95% CI 0.06-0.15) compared with non-chondrodystrophic breeds. Increasing adult bodyweight was associated with increasing odds of osteosarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study cements the concept that breed, bodyweight and longer leg or longer skull length are all strong risk factors for osteosarcoma in dogs. With this awareness, veterinarians can update their clinical suspicion and judgement, breeders can select towards lower-risk animals, and researchers can robustly define more useful study populations for fundamental and translational bioscience.

Demography, common disorders and mortality of Boxer dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

The Boxer is a popular dog breed with a distinctive appearance. However, the breed has been linked with several health conditions, some of which have been associated with its moderately brachycephalic conformation and its white colouration. Anonymised primary-care veterinary clinical records were explored to extract data on the demography, common disorders and mortality of Boxers in the UK in 2016.

RESULTS

The study population of 336,865 dogs included 3,219 (0.96%) Boxers, of which 10.71% were recorded as white. The mean adult bodyweight was 30.43 kg (SD 5.73 kg). Annual disorder counts did not differ statistically between the sexes or between white and non-white Boxers. The most prevalent fine-level precision disorders were otitis externa (n = 230, 7.15%), epulis (188, 5.84%), corneal ulceration (161, 5.00%) and periodontal disease (149, 4.63%). Of the 34 most common fine-level disorders, none differed in prevalence between white and non-white dogs. The most prevalent disorder groups were skin disorder (n = 571, 17.74%), neoplasia (457, 14.20%) and ear disorder (335, 10.41%). White Boxers had higher prevalence than non-white Boxers for two disorder groups: dental disorder and brain disorder. The median longevity of 346 Boxers that died during the study was 10.46 years (IQR 9.00-11.98, range 2.76-18.00). Median longevity did not differ statistically between the sexes or between white and non-white Boxers. The most common grouped causes of death were death - unrecorded cause (n = 73, 21.10%), neoplasia (43, 12.43%) and brain disorder (33, 9.54%).

CONCLUSIONS

There was minimal evidence of substantial health differences between white and non-white Boxers. Among the four most common disorders recorded in Boxers, two were typically common across all types of dogs (otitis externa and periodontal disease) while two suggested strong predispositions for the Boxer breed (epulis and corneal ulceration), showing the value of eliciting breed-specific disorder patterns for insights for potential health reforms. The overall longevity of Boxer dogs was consistent with other breeds of similar body size.

Frequency, breed predispositions and other demographic risk factors for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

Background

Hypothyroidism is a commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy in dogs. This study aimed to investigate the frequency and risk factors for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in UK primary-care practice. Dogs diagnosed with hypothyroidism were identified by searching electronic patient records of primary-care practices participating in VetCompass. A cohort study design estimated one-year (2016) period prevalence and incidence risk for hypothyroidism. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between demographic risk factors and hypothyroidism.

Results

From 905,553 dogs, 2,105 dogs were recorded with diagnosed hypothyroidism in 2016; 359 incident and 1,746 pre-existing, giving an annual prevalence of 0.23% (95% CI 0.22–0.24) and annual incidence risk of 0.04% (95% CI 0.04–0.04). Multivariable logistic regression identified 24 predisposed and nine protected breeds. Standard Doberman pinscher (odds ratio [OR] = 17.02, 95% CI 12.8–22.64), Tibetan terrier (11.25, 95% CI 8.27–15.32) and boxer (10.44, 95% CI 8.66–12.58) breeds showed high predisposition. Pug (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.09–0.89), Yorkshire terrier (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.59), Shih-tzu (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.23–0.64) and Jack Russell terrier (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.29–0.54) were the most protected breeds. Overall, being a purebred dog, being insured, having bodyweight above the breed-sex mean, increasing age, being neutered and rising adult bodyweight also showed increased odds being a dog living with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

Conclusions

Several strong breed predispositions for diagnosis of hypothyroidism were identified that can assist with disorder prioritisation in ongoing efforts to improve breed health. Other risk factors were also identified that can assist veterinary surgeons during clinical work-up of suspected cases. Identification of novel evidence for protected breeds provides useful information for research into genetic mechanisms.

English Bulldogs in the UK: a VetCompass study of their disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

The English Bulldog has risen sharply in popularity over the past decade but its distinctive and extreme conformation is linked to several serious health conditions. Using multivariable analysis of anonymised veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass Programme, this study compared the odds of common disorders between English Bulldogs and all remaining dogs in the UK during 2016.

RESULTS

From 905,544 dogs under veterinary care during 2016, the analysis included a random sample of 2,662 English Bulldogs and 22,039 dogs that are not English Bulldogs. English Bulldogs had 2.04 times the odds of diagnosis with ≥ 1 disorder than dogs that are not English Bulldogs (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85 to 2.25). At a specific-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had increased odds of 24/43 (55.8%) disorders. These included: skin fold dermatitis (odds ratio [OR] 38.12; 95% CI 26.86 to 54.10), prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (OR 26.79; 95% CI 18.61 to 38.58) and mandibular prognathism (OR 24.32; 95% CI 13.59 to 43.53). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 6/43 (14.0%) disorders. These included: retained deciduous tooth (OR 0.02; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.17), lipoma (OR 0.06; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40) and periodontal disease (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.30). At a grouped-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had significantly increased odds of 17/34 (50.0%) disorders. These included: congenital disorder (OR 7.55; 95% CI 5.29 to 10.76), tail disorder (OR 6.01; 95% CI 3.91 to 9.24) and lower respiratory tract disorder (OR 5.50; 95% CI 4.11 to 7.35). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 3/34 (8.8%) disorders. These were: dental disorder (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.31), spinal cord disorder (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.71) and appetite disorder (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the health of English Bulldogs is substantially lower than dogs that are not English Bulldogs and that many predispositions in the breed are driven by the extreme conformation of these dogs. Consequently, immediate redefinition of the breed towards a moderate conformation is strongly advocated to avoid the UK joining the growing list of countries where breeding of English Bulldogs is banned.

Health of Pug dogs in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

Pugs are a brachycephalic dog breed that has become phenomenally popular over recent decades. However, there is growing concern about serious health and welfare issues in the breed. To augment the evidence-base on the comparative health of Pugs, this study aimed to compare the odds of common disorders between Pugs and all remaining dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016. A cross-sectional study design of VetCompass clinical records was used to estimate the one-year (2016) period prevalence for the disorders most commonly diagnosed in Pugs and non-Pugs. Risk factor analysis applied multivariable logistic regression modelling methods to compare the odds of 40 common disorders between Pugs and non-Pugs.

RESULTS

From a study population of 905,544 dogs, the analysis included random samples of 4308 Pugs and 21,835 non-Pugs. Pugs were younger (2.36 years, range 0.07-16.24 vs 4.44 years, range 0.01-20.46, p <  0.001) and lighter (8.95 kg, range 5.00-13.60 vs. 14.07 kg, range 1.41-85.00, p <  0.001) than non-Pugs. Pugs had 1.86 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72 to 2.01) times the adjusted odds of diagnosis with ≥1 disorder than non-Pugs. Pugs had significantly increased adjusted odds for 23/40 (57.5%) common disorders. These included: brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (odds ratio [OR] 53.92; 95% CI 36.22 to 80.28), stenotic nares (OR 51.25; 95% CI 24.93 to 105.37) and corneal ulceration (OR 13.01; 95% CI 10.50 to 16.11). Conversely, Pugs had significantly reduced adjusted odds of 7/40 (17.5%) common disorders compared to non-Pugs. These included: heart murmur (OR 0.23; 95% 0.13 to 0.14), lipoma (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.55) and aggression (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.47).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study highlights that predispositions outnumber protections between Pugs and non-Pugs for common disorders, suggesting some critical health welfare challenges to overcome for Pugs. Highly differing heath profiles between Pugs and other dogs in the UK suggest that the Pug has diverged substantially from mainstream dog breeds and can no longer be considered as a typical dog from a health perspective.

French Bulldogs differ to other dogs in the UK in propensity for many common disorders: a VetCompass study

Background

The French Bulldog is a highly popular dog breed but is linked with many serious health issues. A holistic view of breed health in French Bulldogs would assist efforts to appreciate the overall health strengths and weaknesses in the French Bulldog and to take appropriate steps to mitigate these.

Based on random sampling of French Bulldogs and non-French Bulldogs under primary veterinary care during 2016 within the VetCompass Programme, a cohort study design was used to estimate the one-year (2016) period prevalence of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in each group. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling methods.

Results

The analysis included 2,781 French Bulldogs and 21,850 non-French Bulldogs. French Bulldogs were younger (1.51 years, IQR 0.86 – 2.77 vs. 4.48 years, IQR 1.94 – 8.14) (p < 0.001) and lighter (12.45 kg, IQR 11.00 – 14.03 versus 13.80 kg, IQR 8.10 – 25.12) (p < 0.001) than non-French Bulldogs. Of 43 common specific-level disorders across both groups, French Bulldogs had significantly increased adjusted odds of 20/43 (46.5 %) disorders and significantly reduced adjusted odds of 11/43 (25.6 %) disorders compared to non-French Bulldogs. Highly predisposed disorders in French Bulldogs included stenotic nares (OR 42.14; 95 % CI 18.50 to 95.99; p < 0.001), Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (OR 30.89; 95 % CI 20.91 to 45.64; p < 0.001), aural discharge (OR 14.40; 95 % CI 9.08 to 22.86; p < 0.001), skin fold dermatitis (OR 11.18; 95 % CI 7.19 to 17.40; p < 0.001) and dystocia (OR 9.13; 95 % CI 5.17 to 16.13; p < 0.001). At a grouped-level of diagnostic precision, French Bulldogs had increased adjusted odds of 12/32 (37.5 %) disorders and reduced adjusted odds of 6/32 (18.8 %) disorders compared to non-French Bulldogs.

Conclusions

These results identified ultra-predispositions with worryingly higher odds in French Bulldogs for several disorders, suggesting that the health of French Bulldogs has diverged substantially from, and may be lower than, the health of the wider non-French Bulldog population. Many of these predispositions are closely associated with the conformational extremes that define the French Bulldog breed. Shifting the typical conformation of the French Bulldog population towards a more moderate phenotype is proposed as a logical opportunity to reduce the serious health issues endemic in the French Bulldog breed.

The French Bulldog is currently a hugely popular dog breed in the UK. However, the breed is linked with a range of serious health issues. Using veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass Programme at the Royal Veterinary College, this study aimed to compare the frequency of common disorders in French Bulldogs against that of all remaining dogs to identify health strengths and weaknesses in French Bulldogs. This overall view of breed health can assist owners, breeders and veterinarians to take appropriate actions to improve the health of French Bulldogs.

From an overall population of 905,544 dogs, random samples of 2,781 French Bulldogs and 21,850 non-French Bulldogs were included in the analysis. French Bulldogs were younger (1.51 years versus 4.48 years) and lighter (12.45 kg versus 13.80 kg) than non-French Bulldogs. French Bulldogs had increased risk of 20/43 (46.5 %) specific disorders and decreased risk of 11/43 (25.6 %) specific disorders compared to non-French Bulldogs. The disorders with greatest relative risk in French Bulldogs compared to non-French Bulldogs were narrowed nostrils (x 42.14), Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (x 30.89), ear discharge (x 14.40), skin fold dermatitis (x 11.18) and difficulty giving birth [dystocia] (x 9.13). When the disorders were grouped into broad disease categories, French Bulldogs had increased risk of 12/32 (37.5 %) disorder groups and reduced risk of 6/32 (18.8 %) disorder groups compared to non-French Bulldogs.

This study suggests that the health of French Bulldogs is very different, and largely much poorer, that the health of the wider non-French Bulldog population. Many of these differences are closely associated with the extreme body shape that defines the French Bulldog breed. Shifting the body shape of French Bulldogs to become more moderate, and hence less extreme, is proposed as a logical opportunity to reduce the current serious and common health issues in the French Bulldog breed.