Abstract
BackgroundIndividual dog breeds are often reported as predisposed to specific breed-related disorders but reliable epidemiological data on disease prevalence are sparse. The Miniature Schnauzer in the UK is a popular small breed dog that is often considered as relatively healthy and long-lived, but is this really true? This study aimed to use data from the VetCompass™ Programme at the Royal Veterinary College to characterise the demography, mortality and common disorders of the general population of Miniature Schnauzers under veterinary care in the UK.ResultsThe study population of 455,557 dogs from 304 clinics in the VetCompass™ database under veterinary care during 2013 included 3857 Miniature Schnauzers (0.85%). For dogs with data available, 1771 (56.9%) were neutered and 1893 (49.2%) were females. Mean adult bodyweight overall was 9.9 kg (SD 2.2 kg) and median longevity was 11.6 years (IQR 9.3–13.1, range 0.5–17.0). The most prevalent fine-level precision disorders recorded were periodontal disease (n = 343, prevalence 17.4, 95% CI: 15.7–19.1), obesity/overweight (164, 8.3, 95% CI: 7.1–9.6), anal sac impaction (114, 5.8, 95% CI: 4.8–6.9), vomiting (100, 5.1, 95% CI% 4.1–6.1) and otitis externa (99, 5.0, 95% CI% 4.1–6.1). The most prevalent grouped-level precision disorders were dental (n = 378, prevalence: 19.2, 95% CI: 17.5–21.0), enteropathy (270, 13.7, 95% CI: 12.2–15.3), cutaneous (250, 12.7, 95% CI: 11.2–14.2) and aural (197, 10.0, 95% CI: 8.7–11.4).ConclusionsThis study provides generalisable evidence on the demography, longevity and most prevalent disorders in the Miniature Schnauzer breed in the UK. Awareness of common diseases and breed predispositions can support evidence-based policies to improve breed health, guide veterinary surgeons when producing differential diagnosis lists, and assist owners when purchasing or caring for their pets.
Highlights
Individual dog breeds are often reported as predisposed to specific breed-related disorders but reliable epidemiological data on disease prevalence are sparse
Despite perceptions that we know much about the health of individual breeds, there is quite little reliable information on the frequency of specific common diseases in individual breeds
The Miniature Schnauzer is a popular small breed dog which is often considered as relatively healthy and long-lived. Is this really true? This study aimed to describe the frequency of diagnosis of the most
Summary
Individual dog breeds are often reported as predisposed to specific breed-related disorders but reliable epidemiological data on disease prevalence are sparse. The UK Kennel Club breed standard describes the Miniature Schnauzer as a “sturdily built, robust [and] sinewy” dog, “nearly square, (length of body equal to height at shoulders)” [3]. The UK Kennel Club registered 5611 Miniature Schnauzers from 243,290 new registrations overall (2.3% of all new registrations) in 2017 [5]. The Kennel Club only registers around 30% of the overall UK dog population (i.e. the pedigree subset of the breed) [6], these figures suggest that the popularity of the Miniature Schnauzers has remained relatively stable over the last decade. In the US, the Miniature Schnauzer is currently the 17th most popular breed registered by the American Kennel Club [7]. There is little information available on the popularity of the Miniature Schnauzer in the wider UK dog population such information is important to truly understand the wider welfare issues facing the breed [8]
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