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. 2024 Sep 18;262(12):1-9.
doi: 10.2460/javma.24.05.0306. Print 2024 Dec 1.

Cross-sectional survey of 43,517 dogs in the Dog Aging Project identifies owner-reported lifetime prevalence and characteristics of gastrointestinal disease

Sarah M Schmid  1 , Jessica M Hoffman  2 , Emily N Gould  3 , Alaina Moon  4 , Kate E Creevy  5
Affiliations

Cross-sectional survey of 43,517 dogs in the Dog Aging Project identifies owner-reported lifetime prevalence and characteristics of gastrointestinal disease

Sarah M Schmid et al. J Am Vet Med Assoc. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of and characteristics associated with owner-reported gastrointestinal (GI) disease in companion dogs within the US.

Methods: Cross-sectional owner-reported survey study of 43,517 dogs enrolled in the DAP between December 26, 2019, and December 31, 2022. Dogs were grouped on the basis of having an owner-reported GI disorder (ORGID) versus not having that ORGID at any point in their history (control group). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between dog characteristics and ORGIDs with prevalence ORs (PORs).

Results: Of the 43,517 dogs in the DAP Pack, 30,677 (70%) had no history of ORGIDs and 12,840 (30%) had at least 1 ORGID. The most common ORGIDs included infectious diseases (7,580 of 43,517 [17%]), chronic diarrhea (1,316 [3%]), foreign bodies (1,086 [2%]), anal sac impactions (1,031 [2%]), pancreatitis (857 [2%]), inflammatory GI disease (615 [1%]), chronic vomiting (519 [1%]), and acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (388 [1%]). Compared to controls, dogs with noninfectious ORGIDs had greater odds of having a history of being castrated (POR, 2.55; 95% CI, 2.29 to 2.85), underweight (POR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.47 to 1.70), or fed primarily canned food (POR, 2.51; 95% CI, 2.21 to 2.85) or receiving probiotics (POR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.58 to 1.81) or nonprescription GI medications (POR, 4.06; 95% CI, 3.80 to 4.33).

Conclusions: Dog owners in the US recruited from the general public reported a high prevalence of GI disorders in their dogs. Infectious and noninfectious ORGIDs were reported with approximately equal frequency.

Clinical relevance: Dogs with ORGIDs were more likely to have a history of receiving probiotics or nonprescription GI medications, which may indicate that owners are changing lifestyle practices to accommodate these GI disorders, although future longitudinal research is needed.

Keywords: cross-sectional; dog; epidemiology; gastrointestinal; owner-reported.

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Figures

Figure 1—
Figure 1—
Forest plot of characteristics associated with noninfectious owner-reported gastrointestinal disorders (n = 6,806). Data are presented as prevalence ORs with 95% CIs as determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Weight was recorded in kilograms, and age was analyzed in years.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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