Epidemiology of Canine <i>Wei Syndrome</i> and Its Hemorheology Characteristics

Abstract

Canine paraplegia is a common condition in small animal medicine, referred to as <i>Wei Syndrome</i> (<i>WS</i>) in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). Common clinical manifestations encompass hind limb paralysis, motor dysfunction, muscle atrophy, and the absence of pain perception. <i>WS</i> is considered a difficult-to-treat disease in small animal practice. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of canine <i>WS</i> and the characteristics of hemorheology. A total of 53 dogs with <i>WS</i> and 53 healthy dogs were included in this study. A retrospective case-controlled study design was employed. Data regarding the gender, season of <i>WS</i> occurrence, breed, and age of dogs with <i>WS</i>, as well as hemorheology from dogs with <i>WS</i> and healthy dogs, were collected and analyzed using SPSS 27.0. The study findings revealed that male dogs were more susceptible to <i>WS</i> (77.36%, 41/53). <i>WS</i> cases occurred more frequently in Winter (33.96%, 18/53), and were commonly found in Poodle breeds (43.40%, 23/53). The most affected age of <i>WS</i> was between 3 and 6 years old (54.72%, 29/53). Except for plasma viscosity and fibrinogen, the hemorheology indices of canine <i>WS</i> were significantly higher than those of healthy dogs (<i>p</i> < 0.05), especially in male dogs, Poodles and Bulldogs, those between 3 to 10 years, and in Autumn and Winter. This study provides evidence that male Poodles and Bulldogs aged 3 to 6 years are more prone to developing <i>WS</i>, with Winter being the season of high disease incidence. Abnormal hemorheology is a characteristic feature in dogs with <i>WS</i>, which should be considered during the treatment of <i>WS</i>.