Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Demodicosis skin disease in UK dogs by age and breed risk
By O'Neill, D G et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2020·The Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Juvenile-onset and adult-onset demodicosis in dogs in the UK: prevalence and breed associations.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that juvenile-onset demodicosis, a skin condition caused by mites, is more common in younger dogs under 2 years old, with certain breeds like the British bulldog and Staffordshire bull terrier being at higher risk. In contrast, adult-onset demodicosis is much rarer, affecting dogs over 4 years old, with breeds like the Chinese shar-pei and pug showing increased odds. Understanding which breeds are more likely to develop this condition can help veterinarians diagnose and treat it more effectively.
People also search for: dog skin problems breeds · juvenile demodicosis treatment · adult demodicosis in dogs · pug skin issues · Staffordshire bull terrier skin mites
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore epidemiological features of demodicosis relevant to UK veterinary general practitioners. Breed risk factors were proposed as distinct between juvenile-onset and adult-onset disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study used anonymised clinical data on dogs under primary veterinary care at practices enrolled in the UK VetCompass Programme. Case inclusion required recording of a final demodicosis diagnosis for a dermatological condition that was present during the 2013 study period. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling. RESULTS: In dogs aged <2 years (juvenile-onset), the 1-year period prevalence was 0.48% (95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.52). Compared with crossbred dogs, seven breeds showed increased odds of diagnosis with demodex: British bulldog, Staffordshire bull terrier, Chinese shar-pei, dogue de Bordeaux, pug, French bulldog and boxer. Additionally, six breeds showed reduced odds of juvenile demodicosis: Lhasa apso, bichon frise, Labrador retriever, German shepherd dog, shih-tzu and Chihuahua. In dogs aged >4 years (adult-onset), the 1-year period prevalence was 0.05% (95% confidence interval: 0.0.04 to 0.06). Six breeds showed increased odds of demodicosis compared with crossbred dogs: Chinese shar-pei, shih-tzu, West Highland white terrier, pug, boxer and Border terrier. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Juvenile-onset demodicosis is much more common (about 10 times higher) than the adult-onset form. Knowledge of the predisposed breeds for these two presentations can assist with diagnosis and support the concept of distinct aetiopathogenetic phenotypes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31584708/