'Dramatic breed predispositions found for urinary incontinence in bitches

Urinary incontinence (UI) affects over 15 per cent of bitches in some high-risk breeds, a study has found. Breeds such as the Irish setter, dobermann, bearded collie, rough collie and dalmatian are all highly predisposed to the condition. The findings, which were collated by the Royal Veterinary College’s VetCompass project, found an overall prevalence in bitches of 3 per cent. It also found that overweight, older and neutered bitches were more likely to get the condition. The study was based on a population of 100,397 bitches attending 119 veterinary clinics across England. The key findings were: UI affects 3.14 per cent of bitches overall, but affects over 15 per cent of bitches in some high-risk breeds; High-risk breeds include the Irish setter, dobermann, bearded collie, rough collie and dalmatian; Bitches weighing above average for their breed had 1.31 times the odds of UI compared...
Source: Veterinary Record - Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research