Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Changes in dog breeds and ages with leptospirosis from 1970 to 2009
By Lee, H S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2014·Department of Comparative Pathobiology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Signalment changes in canine leptospirosis between 1970 and 2009.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that between 1970 and 2009, the number of dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis (a bacterial infection) changed significantly. Most cases were seen in male dogs aged 2 to 9.9 years, and smaller dogs weighing less than 15 pounds had the highest risk of infection in the last decade of the study. The increase in cases over the years may be linked to changes in how often dogs are exposed to the bacteria or how vaccinations are administered. Pet owners should be aware of these trends and discuss leptospirosis vaccination with their veterinarian, especially for at-risk breeds and sizes.
People also search for: dog leptospirosis symptoms · small dog vaccination · male dog infection risk
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have identified large breed, male, outdoor dogs of herding or working groups to be at increased risk for Leptospira infection. Exposure risk factors may change over time, altering the signalment of dogs most commonly diagnosed with leptospirosis. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate possible signalment changes by decade in canine leptospirosis cases diagnosed at university veterinary hospitals in the United States and Canada using reports to the Veterinary Medical DataBase (VMDB) over a 40-year period (1970-2009). ANIMALS: One thousand and ninety-one dogs with leptospirosis diagnosed among 1,659,146 hospital visits. METHODS: Hospital prevalence of leptospirosis by decade was determined by age, sex, weight, and breed groups. Multivariable logistic regression models were created to evaluate the association between variables and the odds of disease for each decade. RESULTS: Veterinary Medical DataBase hospital prevalence of leptospirosis in dogs, after a marked decrease in the 1970s and low rates in the 1980s, began increasing in the 1990s. Hospital prevalence significantly increased in dogs between 2 and 9.9 years of age (P < .05) and in male dogs (P < .05) in each decade since the 1980s. Among weight groups in the most recent decade (2000-2009), dogs weighing <15 pounds had the greatest odds of being diagnosed with leptospirosis (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Hospital prevalence rates by age, weight, sex, and breed groups differed by decade. These changes may reflect changes in exposure risk, Leptospira vaccination practices for dogs, or both.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24372922/