Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Common health problems reported by owners in 25 popular dog breeds
By Forsyth, Kiersten K et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Lifetime prevalence of owner-reported medical conditions in the 25 most common dog breeds in the Dog Aging Project pack.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the health issues reported by owners of the 25 most common dog breeds in the U.S. and found that dental problems, like dental calculus and extracted teeth, were among the most common issues. Interestingly, purebred dogs did not have a higher overall rate of medical conditions compared to mixed-breed dogs; in fact, more purebred dogs reported having no health problems at all. However, certain breeds may still be prone to specific conditions. This information can help owners understand what health issues to watch for in their dogs.
People also search for: common dog health problems · dental issues in dogs · purebred vs mixed-breed dog health
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Large scale data on the prevalence of diverse medical conditions among dog breeds in the United States are sparse. This cross-sectional study sought to estimate the lifetime prevalence of medical conditions among US dogs and to determine whether purebred dogs have higher lifetime prevalence of specific medical conditions compared to mixed-breed dogs. METHODS: Using owner-reported survey data collected through the Dog Aging Project (DAP) Health and Life Experience Survey for 27,541 companion dogs, we identified the 10 most commonly reported medical conditions in each of the 25 most common dog breeds within the DAP cohort. Lifetime prevalence estimates of these medical conditions were compared between mixed-breed and purebred populations. The frequency of dogs for whom no medical conditions were reported was also assessed within each breed and the overall mixed-breed and purebred populations. RESULTS: A total of 53 medical conditions comprised the top 10 conditions for the 25 most popular breeds. The number of dogs for whom no medical conditions were reported was significantly different (p = 0.002) between purebred (22.3%) and mixed-breed dogs (20.7%). The medical conditions most frequently reported within the top 10 conditions across breeds were dental calculus (in 24 out of 25 breeds), dog bite (23/25), extracted teeth (21/25), osteoarthritis (15/25), and Giardia (15/25). DISCUSSION: Purebred dogs in the DAP did not show higher lifetime prevalence of medical conditions compared to mixed-breed dogs, and a higher proportion of purebred dogs than mixed-breed dogs had no owner-reported medical conditions. Individual breeds may still show higher lifetime prevalence for specific conditions.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38026653/