Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is Cushing's disease in UK dogs and which breeds are
By D. O'Neill et al.·Published in Journal of Small Animal Practice·2016·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Epidemiology of hyperadrenocorticism among 210,824 dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in the UK from 2009 to 2014.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 0.28% of dogs visiting primary-care vets in the UK were diagnosed with hyperadrenocorticism, also known as Cushing's disease. Certain breeds, like bichon frises, were much more likely to develop this condition, with older dogs and those weighing more than their breed average also at higher risk. Insured dogs were found to have a greater likelihood of being diagnosed compared to those without insurance. Understanding these risk factors can help pet owners and vets identify and manage this disease more effectively.
People also search for: dog Cushing's disease symptoms · bichon frise health issues · older dog hyperadrenocorticism signs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate prevalence and risk factors for diagnosis with hyperadrenocorticism in dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in the UK from 2009 to 2014. METHODS Cases were identified by searching the de-identified electronic patient records from UK primary-care veterinary practices participating in the VetCompass Programme. RESULTS The estimated prevalence for hyperadrenocorticism diagnosis in dogs was 0·28% (95% confidence interval: 0·25 to 0·31). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed four associated risk factors: breed, breed-relative bodyweight, age and insurance status. The bichon frise had 6·5 times the odds (95% CI: 3·5 to 12·1, P<0·001) of hyperadrenocorticism compared with crossbreds. Dogs weighing more than or equal to their breed mean had 1·7 times the odds (95% CI: 1·3 to 2·3, P<0·001) of hyperadrenocorticism compared with dogs weighing less than the breed mean. Dogs aged 12·0 years and above showed 5·7 times the odds (95% CI: 3·7 to 8·7, P<0·001) of hyperadrenocorticism compared with dogs aged 6·0 to 8·9 years. Insured dogs had 4·0 times the odds (95% CI: 2·8 to 5·6, P<0·001) of hyperadrenocorticism compared with non-insured dogs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This is the first epidemiological report of a non-referral hospital population of dogs diagnosed with hyperadrenocorticism in the UK and describes important breed, age and bodyweight associations with this disorder which may improve diagnosis and enhance understanding of the underlying pathophysiology.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/27279104