Reporting the epidemiology of aural haematoma in dogs and proposing a novel aetiopathogenetic pathway

The epidemiology of tick infestation in dog breeds in the UK

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence and risk factors for tick infestation in dogs in the UK based on anonymised electronic patient records.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinical records of dogs under veterinary care in 2016 at clinics participating in the VetCompass Programme were followed over a 5-year period to identify cases of tick infestation. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

The study included 905,553 dogs. From a random sample, 1903 tick infestation cases were identified. The estimated 5-year (2014 to 2018) period prevalence was 2.03% (95% confidence interval: 2.00 to 2.06). Sixteen breeds showed increased odds compared with non-designer-crossbreed dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Cairn terrier (odds ratio 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.64 to 4.98), standard poodle (odds ratio 2.80, 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 6.29) and Goldendoodle (odds ratio 2.63, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 5.91). Six breeds showed reduced odds, with lowest odds shown by Staffordshire bull terrier (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 0.50), Rottweiler (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.85) and Chihuahua (odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.26 to 0.55). Males had 1.24 (95% confidence interval 1.13 to 1.36) times the odds of females. Compared with non-designer-crossbred dogs, designer-crossbreed dogs had increased odds (odds ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 2.15). Compared with breeds with short coats, breeds with medium length coats (odds ratio 2.20, 95% confidence interval 1.96 to 2.48) showed increased odds. Breeds with V-shaped drop and pendulous ear carriage had higher odds compared with breeds with erect ear carriage.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

These findings provide an evidence base for veterinary professionals to raise awareness of tick infestation as a preventable disorder in dogs in the UK and to support more effective prevention and therapeutic protocols based on targeted approaches.

The epidemiology of canine ear diseases in Northwest China: Analysis of data on 221 dogs from 2012 to 2016

Background and Aim

Ear disease is relatively important in veterinary medicine as it significantly affects the quality of life of pets. Two hundred and twenty-one cases of canine ear diseases were collected and collated at the Xi'an Teaching Hospital of Northwest A&F University from 2012 to 2016. An epidemiological analysis was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and causes of various ear diseases in various breeds of dogs in Xi'an.

Materials and Methods

Data were collected and statistically analyzed by reviewing previous cases and obtaining medical history data and laboratory results. This study included the following experiments: systematic examination of the animals' skin, auricular skin scraping test, ear canal endoscopy, and examination of ear canal secretion.

Results

The top three dog breeds most commonly afflicted with ear diseases in Xi'an were Toy poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers, accounting for 18.5%, 10.4%, and 9.5% of the total cases, respectively. The prevalence was the highest in August and September, with male dogs having a higher prevalence rate than female dogs. Common ear diseases were categorized as otitis externa, otitis media, otitis interna, or ear hematoma.

Conclusion

This study determined the prevalence of external otitis, ear hematoma, otitis media, and inner otitis in dogs in the Xi'an area. These results can help expand the current understanding of the development and epidemiology of canine ear diseases and provide a reference for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Platelet- Rich Plasma Treatment Supported by Ultrasound Detection of Septa in Recurrent Canine Aural Hematoma: A Case Series

Aural hematoma is a common pathological condition in veterinary practice with a high incidence rate in dogs. Drainage, corticosteroid injections, and surgical approaches represent the common treatments in these clinical cases. However, surgery leaves visible signs and is usually correlated with recurrence, scars, and deformation of the treated pinna. For this reason, more effective and less invasive methods have been proposed over the years. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is one of the most promising options due to its pro-regenerative properties and capability to modulate the inflammatory state. The present work reports 12 cases of canine aural hematoma treated with PRP. The PRP treatment was combined with an ultrasound evaluation of the pinna to detect and treat all involved septa. The results show that relatively large volumes (2 mL) of PRP associated with an ultrasound guide are safe and efficacious in the treatment of canine aural hematoma requiring a maximum of two infiltrations, both in acute and chronic conditions. All the patients recovered their normal ear thickness (compared with the controlateral one) without relapses, averaging 38.5 days from their first treatment (10-90 days; SD: 24.7). The key role of PRP combined with a tailored diagnosis process carried out by the veterinarian, which included using an ultrasound system and the proper bandage, suggests that this approach may represent a valid alternative to surgery and corticosteroids.

Dog breeds and conformations in the UK in 2019: VetCompass canine demography and some consequent welfare implications

INTRODUCTION

Growing concerns over health and welfare impacts from extreme phenotypes in dogs have created an urgent need for reliable demographic information on the national breed structures of dogs.

METHODS

This study included all dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2019 at practices participating in VetCompass. Demographic data on these dogs were analysed to report on the frequency of common breeds and also to report on conformation, bodyweight, sex and neuter associations with these breeds.

RESULTS

The study included 2,237,105 dogs under UK veterinary care in 2019. Overall, 69.4% (n = 1,551,462) were classified as purebred, 6.7% (149,308) as designer-crossbred and 24.0% (536,335) as nondesigner-crossbred. Across 800 unique breed names, the most frequent breeds at any age were nondesigner-crossbred (n = 536,335, 24.0%), Labrador Retriever (154,222, 6.9%) and Jack Russell Terrier (101,294, 4.5%). Among 229,624 (10.3%) dogs aged under one year, the most frequent breeds were nondesigner-crossbred (n = 45,995, 20.0%), French Bulldog (16,036, 7.0%) and Cockapoo (14,321, 6.2%). Overall, based on breed characteristics, 17.6% (395,739) were classified as brachycephalic, 43.1% (969,403) as mesaticephalic and 8.3% (186,320) as dolichocephalic. Of 1,551,336 dogs that were classifiable based on breed, 52.6% (815,673) were chondrodystrophic. Of 1,462,925 dogs that were classifiable, there were 54.6% (n = 798,426) short haired, 32.6% (476,883) medium haired and 12.8% (186,934) long haired. Of 1,547,653 dogs that were classifiable for ear carriage, 24.5% (n = 379,581) were erect, 28.1% (434,273) were semi-erect, 19.7% (305,475) were v-shaped drop and 27.7% (428,324) were pendulous. Overall, there was a 1.09:1.00 ratio of male (n = 1,163,512; 52.2%) to female dogs (n = 1,067,552; 47.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Health and welfare issues linked to popular breeds with extreme phenotypes suggest that there is much work to do to help owners to make more welfare-friendly decisions when choosing which type of dog to own.

Antimicrobial resistance and genotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the ear canals of dogs in Japan

The strong bond between dogs and their owners creates a close association that could result in the transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from canines to humans, potentially leading to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common causative agent of persistent ear infections in dogs, is often resistant to multiple antibiotics. Assessing the antimicrobial resistance profile and genotype of P. aeruginosa is crucial for the appropriate use of veterinary pharmaceuticals. However, in recent years, few studies have been conducted on this bacterium in Japan. We determined the antimicrobial resistance profile and genotype of P. aeruginosa isolated from the ear canal of dogs in Japan in 2020. Analysis of antimicrobial resistance using disk diffusion tests indicated a high frequency of resistance to most antimicrobial agents. Particularly, 29 isolates from the ear canals of the 29 affected dogs (100%) were resistant to cefovecin, cefpodoxime, and florfenicol; however, they were susceptible to cefepime and piperacillin/tazobactam. Only 3.4, 10.3, and 10.3% of the isolates were resistant to ceftazidime, tobramycin, and gentamicin, respectively. Furthermore, upon analyzing the population structure using multilocus sequence typing, a considerably large clonal complex was not observed in the tested isolates. Three isolates, namely ST3881, ST1646, and ST532, were clonally related to the clinically isolated sequence types in Japan (such as ST1831, ST1413, ST1812, and ST1849), which is indicative of dog-to-human transmission. Considering the variation in antibiotic resistance compared to that reported by previous studies and the potential risk of dog-to-human transmission, we believe that the survey for antimicrobial resistance profile and population structure should be continued regularly. However, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa in dogs in Japan is not a crisis.

Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone neoplasia that has high welfare consequences for affected dogs. Awareness of breed and canine conformational risk factors for osteosarcoma can assist with earlier diagnosis and improved clinical management. Study of osteosarcoma in dogs also offers translational value for humans. Anonymised clinical data within VetCompass on dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK were searched for osteosarcoma cases. Descriptive statistics reported overall and breed-specific prevalence. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

From 905,552 study dogs, 331 osteosarcoma cases were confirmed yielding a one-year period prevalence of 0.037% (95% CI: 0.033-0.041). Breeds with the highest annual prevalence were the Scottish Deerhound (3.28%, 95% CI 0.90-8.18), Leonberger (1.48%, 95% CI 0.41- 3.75), Great Dane (0.87%, 95% CI 0.43- 1.55) and Rottweiler (0.84%, 95% CI 0.64-1.07). The median age at diagnosis was 9.64 years (IQR: 7.97-11.41). Following multivariable modelling, 11 breeds showed increased odds of osteosarcoma compared with crossbred dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Scottish Deerhound (OR 118.40, 95% CI 41.12-340.95), Leonberger (OR 55.79, 95% CI 19.68-158.15), Great Dane (OR 34.24, 95% CI 17.81-65.83) and Rottweiler (OR 26.67, 95% CI 18.57-38.29). Compared with breeds with mesocephalic skull conformation, breeds with dolichocephalic skull conformation (OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.06-3.58) had increased odds while breeds with brachycephalic skull conformation showed reduced odds (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.32-0.80). Chondrodystrophic breeds had 0.10 times the odds (95% CI 0.06-0.15) compared with non-chondrodystrophic breeds. Increasing adult bodyweight was associated with increasing odds of osteosarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study cements the concept that breed, bodyweight and longer leg or longer skull length are all strong risk factors for osteosarcoma in dogs. With this awareness, veterinarians can update their clinical suspicion and judgement, breeders can select towards lower-risk animals, and researchers can robustly define more useful study populations for fundamental and translational bioscience.

Ironing out the wrinkles and folds in the epidemiology of skin fold dermatitis in dog breeds in the UK

Skin fold dermatitis (intertrigo) is an inflammatory process of closely apposing skin surfaces. Extreme conformations towards folded skin in many dog breeds are linked with higher risk. Using anonymised primary-care veterinary data from the VetCompass Programme, this study aimed to report the frequency, demographic risk factors and clinical management for skin fold dermatitis in the UK. Risk factor analysis used random effects multivariable logistic regression modelling. From a study population of 905,553 dogs, the one-year period prevalence in dogs overall was 0.37% (95% CI 0.35–0.39). Diagnosis was supported by laboratory testing in 4.21% cases. Systemic antibiosis was used in 42.30% cases. Compared with crossbreed dogs, the most highly predisposed breeds were English Bulldog (odds ratio [OR] 49.07, 95% CI 37.79–63.70), French Bulldog (OR 25.92, 95% CI 19.62–34.26,) and Pug (OR 16.27, 95% CI 12.20–21.69). The most protected breeds were Yorkshire Terrier (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03–0.56), Border Collie (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11–0.84), Jack Russell Terrier (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30–0.92) and Labrador Retriever (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35–0.93). This study adds further evidence to the welfare concerns around high popularity of dog breeds with extreme conformations. The three breeds with by far the highest odds of skin fold dermatitis represent an extreme brachycephalic conformation.

A Review of Recent Developments in Veterinary Otology

The knowledge gap between practical research and its implementation in veterinary practice is becoming harder to bridge, as researchers now have a plethora of journals in which to publish. This paper summarizes recent research from the latest publications related to ear disease in dogs which have implications for veterinary practitioners. The topics reviewed include 16s rRNA new-generation sequencing, the use of oclacitinib in pinnal ulceration, the etiopathogenesis of aural hematoma, contamination of the middle ear during elective myringotomy and how to avoid it, and the use of carbon dioxide lasers in chronic obstructive otitis.