18 Jun 2021
Study shows brachycephalic dogs and spaniels are among the breeds more prone to keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which can lead to blindness if left untreated.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Flat-faced dogs and spaniels are among breeds more prone to keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), according to research published by the RVC.
More commonly known as dry eye, the disease causes dull and lacklustre eyes, and can lead to blindness if left untreated.
It is hoped the research, led by the RVC’s VetCompass programme, can be used to help owners of prevalent dogs spot the signs and seek veterinary help sooner.
A total of 363,898 dogs featured in the study of anonymised health records, with 1,456 dogs found to be affected by the condition – or 1 in every 250 dogs (0.4%) overall.
Worst affected breeds include American cocker spaniels (1 in 17), English bulldogs (1 in 55), pugs (1 in 110) and Lhasa apsos (1 in 54). Brachycephalic and spaniel breeds had greater risk of KCS.
Twenty-two breeds showed increased risk compared with cross-bred dogs, including:
Two breeds had reduced risk of dry eye:
Brachycephalic breeds had 3.63 times the risk of dry eye compared with mesocephalic breeds, while dogs with bodyweight at or above the mean for their breed and sex had 1.25 times the risk compared with those below the mean.
Veterinary ophthalmologist Rick Sanchez, one of the co-authors of the paper – published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice – said: “Taking a fresh dip into an old, dull-looking disease like KCS has shown us there is more for us to learn than we thought.
“There’s no better eye-opener than evidence-based scientific findings. I hope this research helps all of us raise awareness about canine KCS, and that it helps us keep those animal eyes looking fresh and healthy, as they should.”
The paper can be viewed online.
