25 May 2023
Scientists hope the latest study based on VetCompass programme data will allow for more targeted health care to be provided for the breed and also aid potential owners.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image: © Kate / Adobe Stock
Periodontal disease, ear infection, obesity and aggression are among the most common health conditions in English cocker spaniels, according to RVC-led research.
It is hoped the findings, the latest to come from work using VetCompass data, will help owners and veterinary teams provide targeted health care, while also help potential owners considering a dog from the breed.
English cocker spaniels have long been popular and are considered fairly healthy, but The Kennel Club recommends breeders of pedigree dogs screen for several conditions, including eye disorders, hip dysplasia and hereditary diseases. Little research has been done up to now on the health of UK dogs.
In the largest study on the health of the breed, a research team studied 10,313 English cocker spaniels from a sample of 336,865 UK dogs of all breeds under first opinion veterinary care in 2016.
Periodontal disease was the most recorded specific disorder, diagnosed in 20.97% of dogs. The other most recorded disorders were otitis externa (10.09%); obesity/overweight (9.88%); anal sac impaction (8.07%); diarrhoea (4.87%); and aggression (4.01%).
Ranking of the disorders was similar to previous research, but the frequency of each disorder was generally higher in English cockers than the general dog population. This could be due to the dog’s longer ears and looser skin.
Results suggest English cocker spaniels can be considered a typical dog in many respects, but with higher risk of some disorders related to their specific body shape.
Aggression was also found to be relatively common in the breed, although the frequency differed depending on the sex and coat colour, it being more common in males than females and in single-coloured dogs than multi-coloured dogs.
It also varied widely between the four most-common single coloured coat colours: 12.08% for golden-coloured dogs; 6.52% for red; 6.29% for black; and 4.33% for liver.
Karolina Engdahl, epidemiologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and lead author of the paper, said: “English cocker spaniels are popular family dogs and can make fantastic pets. However, we found that aggression was relatively common in the breed, especially in golden-coloured dogs.
“This highlights the importance of focusing good breeding on behavioural as well as physical health, and that behavioural-related problems should be a key area for veterinary-owner discussions.”
Bill Lambert, health, welfare and breeding services executive at The Kennel Club, said: “This research, supported by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, enables us, and all those who care about the health of this much-loved and popular breed, to know and understand more about cocker spaniel health.”
He added: “We’re pleased this study indicates that cocker spaniels don’t appear to suffer from a high prevalence of specific diseases, other than those which appear to be fairly common for all dogs.
“This paper, though, does also illustrate the importance of would-be owners considering all aspects of any new canine companion, from health to temperament and behaviour. We continue to urge all puppy buyers to make responsible decisions, seek out a good, caring breeder, who prioritises health and temperament, such as a [The] Kennel Club Assured Breeder and fully research their preferred breed.
”This plays an important part in improving the health and welfare of all breeds now, and in generations to come.”
The full paper was published in Canine Medicine and Genetics, and is available online.
