Medical conditions linked to stomach ulcers in 168 dogs

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many medical conditions are thought to cause gastroduodenal ulceration or erosion (GUE) in dogs. However, evidence for the association between many of these conditions and GUE in dogs is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To identify medical conditions associated with GUE in dogs. ANIMALS: One hundred and sixty-eight dogs with GUE and 168 randomly selected control dogs without evidence of GUE identified on necropsy between January 2008 and September 2018. METHODS: Patient signalment, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine concentrations, recently administered ulcerogenic drugs, as well as necropsy findings were recorded. The association between these findings and presence of GUE was assessed by univariable and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: In the final multivariable model, the following factors were associated with GUE: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration (odds ratio [OR], 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-17.4; P = .0004), glucocorticoid administration (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-5.9; P = .001), gastrointestinal neoplasia (OR, 13.5; 95% CI, 1.7-108.0; P = .01) and gastrointestinal mechanical disease (foreign bodies, gastric dilatation, and volvulus; OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.2-19.7; P = .03). Additionally, working dog breeds were predisposed to GUE compared to mixed breed dogs (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1-7.4; P = .04). Insufficient clinical data was available to either support or refute a role of other putative risk factors evaluated. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Administration of NSAID or glucocorticoid and gastrointestinal neoplasia or mechanical disease were associated with GUE in dogs. The potential predisposition of working breed dogs for GUE requires further investigation.