Demography and disorders of English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK

Abstract

The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is a common family dog in the UK. This study aimed to describe demography, morbidity, and mortality in ECS under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016 using data from the VetCompass™ Programme. This study hypothesised that the prevalence of aggression is higher in male than female ECS, and higher in solid-coloured than bi-coloured ECS. English Cocker Spaniels comprised 10,313/336,865 (3.06%) of dogs under primary veterinary care during 2016. The median age was 4.57 years (inter-quartile range (IQR) 2.25–8.01) and the median adult bodyweight was 15.05 kg (IQR 13.12–17.35). The annual proportional birth rate was relatively stable between 2.97–3.51% from 2005–2016. The most common specific diagnoses were periodontal disease (n = 486, prevalence 20.97%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 19.31–22.62), otitis externa (n = 234, 10.09%, 95% CI: 8.87–11.32), obesity (n = 229, 9.88%, 95% CI: 8.66–11.09), anal sac impaction (n = 187, 8.07%, 95% CI: 6.96–9.18), diarrhoea (n = 113, 4.87%, 95% CI: 4.00–5.75), and aggression (n = 93, 4.01%, 95% CI: 3.21–4.81). The prevalence of aggression was higher in males (4.95%) than in females (2.87%) (P = 0.015) and in solid-coloured (7.00%) than in bi-coloured dogs (3.66%) (P = 0.010). The median age at death was 11.44 years (IQR 9.46–13.47) and the most common grouped causes of death were neoplasia (n = 10, 9.26%, 95% CI: 3.79–14.73), mass-associated disorders (n = 9, 8.33%, 95% CI: 4.45–15.08), and collapse (n = 8, 7.41%, 95% CI: 3.80–13.94). Periodontal disease, otitis externa, and obesity are identified as the most common health issues for ECS, and neoplasia and mass-associated disorders as the most common reasons for death. The prevalence of aggression was higher in males and solid-coloured dogs. The results can aid veterinarians in giving evidence-based health and breed choice information to dog owners and highlights the importance of thorough oral examination and body condition score evaluation during routine veterinary examination of ECS. The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is a popular family dog in the UK, but there is limited information regarding common disorders affecting the breed. The goal of this study was to describe demography (age, sex, neuter, and bodyweight), disease occurrence, lifespan, and reasons for death in ECS by using data from the VetCompass™ Programme. The VetCompass™ Programme collects information from anonymised clinical records of dogs attending first-opinion veterinary practices in the UK. This study hypothesised that aggression is more common in males than in females, and in solid-coloured than in bi-coloured ECS dogs. English Cocker Spaniels comprised 10,313/336,865 (3.06%) of dogs under primary veterinary care during 2016. Breed popularity did not vary much from 2005 to 2016, comprising around 3% of all dogs born each year. The average age of dogs in 2016 was 4.57 years and the average adult bodyweight was 15.05 kg. The most common disorders were periodontal disease (infection of the tissues that hold the teeth in place, affecting 20.97% of the dogs), inflammation of the external ear canal (10.09%), obesity (9.88%), anal sac impaction (8.07%), diarrhoea (4.87%), and aggression (4.01%). Aggression was more common in males (4.95%) than in females (2.87%) and in solid-coloured (7.00%) than in bi-coloured (3.66%) dogs. The frequency of aggression also varied across the four most common solid colours (black, liver, golden, red), with golden-coloured dogs showing the most aggression (12.08%). The average lifespan was 11.44 years and the most common cause of death was tumours. This study shows that first-opinion clinical records can help us to understand and enhance breed health. The results can guide veterinarians in giving breed-adapted information to owners of ECS and help breeders to optimise breeding decisions. Further, this information can be used by future ECS owners to make more informed decisions when acquiring a dog if avoidance of aggression is a key priority. Periodontal disease was the most common condition affecting the breed, which highlights the importance of regular veterinary dental checks and as well as tooth brushing in ECS.