3 days ago
Considering a ‘designer dog'? This study might make you think again
'Designer dogs' are more likely to suffer from diarrhoea than other breeds, a study has found.
Trendy dogs that are hybrids between poodles and other breeds are increasingly popular, owing to a belief they have no health problems and a good temperament, as well as being aesthetically appealing.
But a study of more than two million dogs in the UK has revealed the cavapoo and cockapoo are among six breeds with a heightened chance of going to the vet with acute diarrhoea.
This likely comes from inherited genetics of the miniature poodle, the common ancestor of both of these popular hybrids, which is the breed most prone to the condition.
Miniature poodles are 2.17 times as likely to be seen by a vet for the condition than a standard cross-breed, while cavapoos are twice as likely and cockapoos 1.36 times more likely.
Overall, all designer dogs, which includes other portmanteau types such as the labradoodle, were found to be 34 per cent more likely to have the issue.
Cockapoos are now the most popular dog in the UK, behind the trusty family stalwart of the labrador retriever, and a previous study found they are no more sickly than other crosses.
However, the latest study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found these popular puppies actually appear to have a predisposition to stomach problems.
'Every breed is by definition unique – that is what makes it a recognisable breed that differs to other dogs,' said Dr Dan O'Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at RVC, and the study's lead author.
'Coming with that will be a unique disorder profile, with some disorders at higher risk and some at lower risk. The overall health of the breed is then the balance of the higher and lower risks.
'And this new evidence published today does suggest that diarrhoea is a higher risk in designer crosses overall – many of these are poodle crosses.'
He adds that the miniature poodle's high risk likely means there is an inherited component from this animal if it parents a cross.
'Dreaded doggy poonami'
But the authors say that the findings could also reflect that owners of these higher risk dog breeds could be feeding their animals food that upsets their stomach or are more likely to take their pet to the vets with the issue.
And because poodle-cross owners are often told that these animals are less prone to getting sick, this could make them more complacent in what they provide as food and also make them more likely to visit the vets if something does go wrong.
'Perhaps a prior belief in their better health may mean that owners are less careful with dietary control,' said Dr O'Neill. 'So it could paradoxically be the belief in health that causes the disease.'
'The bottom line is that anyone thinking of acquiring a poodle designer cross-breed should be aware of the increased risk of diarrhoea.
'Perhaps plan in advance and be very careful with consistent diet in terms of the timing of feeding, the volume of feeding, and consistency in the type of food fed. Having advance awareness of the risk can hopefully prevent diarrhoea even happening.'
The study used VetCompass data, which collects vet records from participating practices in the UK, and it found 1,835 confirmed cases of acute diarrhoea in 2019, which is around one in 12 dogs.
Half of these animals also had vomiting issues at the same time and a quarter had reduced appetite and lethargy.
While short-faced dogs like bulldogs, pugs and boxers often have a litany of health issues, diarrhoea is not one of them, the study shows.
These so-called brachycephalic breeds are collectively 20 per cent less likely to have diarrhoea than an average mongrel, while dogs with particularly long snouts such as greyhounds or borzoi, are 25 per cent more likely to have the issue.
