A study published on June 11 analyzing health records from more than two million dogs in the United Kingdom found six breeds were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with diarrhea.

The research, conducted by the Royal Veterinary College using primary-care veterinary records from 2019, identified an age pattern as well: dogs three-years-old and under and those aged nine and older were more likely to receive a diagnosis, researchers said. This aligns with findings from larger studies suggesting that about 30% of dogs experience some form of gastrointestinal disease at least once in their lifetime.

The paper names breeds with highest risk of acute diarrhea including Cavapoo, Maltese, Miniature Poodle, German Shepherd, American Bulldog, and Rottweiler. Common causes of diarrhea in dogs include dietary indiscretion, infections like parvovirus or Giardia, and chronic issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, which may vary by breed. The study examined clinical entries from routine veterinary visits across the UK and sought to map which animals were diagnosed and how cases were managed by practitioners.

“Many cases of diarrhea in dogs and cats are mild and self-limiting,” said Dr. Meredith Miller, veterinarian at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, commenting on the clinical picture of the condition. That description underlines why most owners and vets treat many episodes conservatively, the authors noted. For breeds that are more prone to diarrhea, owners can manage the condition by fasting the dog for 12 hours, ensuring hydration, and feeding small frequent meals of a bland diet.

Dr. Dan O’Neill, a study co-author, and animal epidemiologist and veterinarian, captured the owner experience in blunt terms: “Experiencing the dreaded ‘poonami’ with your dog is one of those events any dog owner fears.” His remark emphasizes the routine, sometimes urgent nature of acute diarrheal episodes in companion animals. In fact, annual data suggest that about 8% of dogs are diagnosed with diarrhea in any given year.

The researchers relied on anonymized records from 2019 to assess incidence and clinical presentation in everyday practice. They reported that diarrhea typically presented as loose stools, and affected dogs often displayed other signs recorded at the same visit. Notably, the study’s breed findings align with previous veterinary observations that breed and age can influence how often animals are brought to clinics for gastrointestinal problems.

The Royal Veterinary College led the analysis, and its authors describe the results as a tool for clinicians and owners to better understand which animals may be at elevated risk. They emphasized the importance of these findings for everyday veterinary care, rather than viewing them as rare or exceptional events.

Where dogs fall on the age spectrum mattered in the analysis: animals three-years-old and under and those aged nine and older had greater odds of a recorded diarrhea diagnosis than middle-aged dogs in the dataset. The study used those age categories to examine how the likelihood of diagnosis varied across life stages.

The Royal Veterinary College conducted the study, and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine contributed perspective on the clinical nature of diarrhea in companion animals. Together, those institutions framed the findings as relevant to everyday veterinary care rather than rare or exceptional events.

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Original reporting: view the original article.