The spread of dogs’ otitis in Odesa city

Abstract

Inflammation of the external ear in dogs is a widespread pathology in 20 % of sick animals that come to veterinary medicine clinics. The purpose of the work was to monitor the spread of otitis in dogs for 2021 in Odesa. To solve this goal, several tasks were set: to study the spread of otitis among dogs by breed, age, and sex; to study the spread of Malassezia otitis among dogs; to determine the seasonality of otitis in dogs. The data from the journal of registration of sick animals of the veterinary clinic of Odessa (VetKOiN) served as the material. Data concerning sick animals from the logbook were entered into tables, and statistical analysis was carried out. Dogs of Pugs and Mestizo made up the most significant number of sick animals with otitis (10.4 % each); the French Bulldog breed accounts for 9.1 %, the Pekinese and Labrador breeds – 6.5 % each, the Clamber Spaniel breed – 5.2 %. Such dog breeds as Jack Russell Terrier, Chihuahua, Spitz, German Shepherd, and Cane Corso account for 3.9 %; Bull Terrier, East European Shepherd, and Retriever – 2.6 % each; Grünendal, Husky, Samoyed, Kangal, Dachshund, Scottish Shepherd, Shar-Pei, Bolonka, Beagle, American Cocker Spaniel, Shih-Tzu, Laika, Fox Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, American Bully, Breton, Bernese Mountain Dog, English Bulldog breeds – 1.3 % each. Animals between the ages of 1 and 5 years suffer mostly from canine otitis (64 %) and animals under the age of 1 year suffer less(10 %). Animals older than five years make up 26 %. The gender of dogs is not important in otitis spreading: females account for 49 % of sick animals, and males – 51 %. Malassezia otitis in dogs occurred in 38 % of cases. Dogs of Pug breeds comprised the largest percentage of sick animals (13.8 %), French bulldog and Pekingese breeds – (10.3 % each). The Bull Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, and Chihuahua breed each account for 6.9 %. Otitis was registered every month during the year. An increase in the incidence was observed in April (9.1 %), May (13.0 %), June (7.8 %), July (15.6 %), August (13.0 %), September (10.4 % ) and November (10.4 %). So otitis was more often registered in dogs in the warm season. In the future, the spread, etiology, and most effective treatment regimens of various forms of otitis in dogs will be studied.