Scientific Results: Lifetime prevalence of owner-reported medical conditions in the 25 most common dog breeds in the Dog Aging Project Pack

December 8, 2023 - 7 minutes read

Posts in our Scientific Results series introduce recent papers published in the scientific literature by members of the Dog Aging Project research team. Follow this series to learn more about the scientific questions we’re asking, the kinds of results we’re getting, and what it all means for you and your dog.

Who worked on this research?

Kiersten K. Forsyth
Brianah M. M. Coy
Sarah M.  Schmid
Daniel E. L. Promiselow
Noah Snyder-Mackler
The Dog Aging Project Consortium
Kate E. Creevy

  • Kiersten Forsyth
  • Schmid, Sarah-web
  • BriMcCoy
  • Daniel-Promislow-300-x-250
  • Snyder-Mackler-Noah
  • DAP-favicon
  • Creevy-Kate-2

Where was it published?

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

What is this paper about?

This paper looked at the most popular dog breeds in the Dog Aging Project (DAP) Pack and the mixed-breed dogs in the DAP Pack to identify which medical conditions owners are reporting most commonly in these different breeds. We also looked at the percentage of dogs in these breeds with no owner-reported medical conditions.

We identified the 10 most commonly reported medical conditions for each of the 25 most common breeds and the mixed-breed dogs in the DAP Pack. Some of these conditions, such as dental calculus, dog bites, having teeth extracted, osteoarthritis, and Giardia infections, were reported frequently across many breeds. These conditions seen commonly across breeds highlight areas where preventative measures should be considered, as they are often seen regardless of breed.

We also compared mixed-breed and purebred dogs as a whole and found that purebred dogs did not show a higher prevalence of medical conditions compared to mixed-breed dogs. Instead, a higher percentage of purebred dogs had no owner-reported medical conditions compared to mixed-breed dogs, although the difference was small (22.3% vs 20.7%). However, specific breeds did show increased prevalence in specific medical conditions.

What do these results mean for me and my dog?

The results of this study are most useful for primary care veterinarians as it calls attention to what some of the more common medical conditions are for 25 of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. In other words, the dogs they are most likely to see at their clinics. This information is also useful to help dog owners think about some of the health concerns that their dogs may experience throughout their lifetime.

Some of the conditions identified were seen commonly across breeds, such as dental conditions or dog bite wounds. Because they are seen regularly regardless of breed, these are areas where preventative measures may be beneficial. For instance, dental calculus and the need for dental extractions frequently occurred. As a pet owner, you can take preventative measures by brushing your dog’s teeth regularly or performing routine dental cleaning procedures with your veterinarian to improve your dog’s dental health.

These results also show that there is not a significant difference in the prevalence of medical conditions between purebred and mixed-breed dogs, so this should not be a deciding factor when determining which to choose when adopting a new furry friend. However, individual breeds do have predilections towards specific medical conditions, so this is something a new owner should consider when looking into adopting a specific breed.

Where can I learn more?

Forsyth KK, McCoy BM, Schmid SM, Promislow DEL, Snyder-Mackler N, the DAP Consortium and Creevy KE (2023) Lifetime prevalence of owner-reported medical conditions in the 25 most common dog breeds in the Dog Aging Project pack. Front. Vet. Sci. 10:1140417. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1140417

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 a 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 a 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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