Dog Breeding Operations And Disease
As in humans, gastrointestinal distress and diseases are often indicators of other health problems for nonhuman animals. Also similar to humans, disorders like diarrhea can be especially problematic for younger and vulnerable populations. Of course, there are many reasons why diarrhea may occur, including being caused by a wide variety of parasites and viruses. Still, an animal’s environment can play a major role in their health and well-being. In particular, environmental stressors can contribute to the health state of dogs, including when they have diarrhea. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of parasites and viruses in puppies in breeding kennels in France.
The researchers performed a risk analysis for diarrhea during the weaning period, looking for “enteropathogens, environment and management procedures.” They studied 266 puppies (from 60 litters) from 29 different breeding operations in France, randomly selected from a registry of breeders. Only puppies with a normal clinical examination were included, and a variety of environmental factors were measured for each breeding facility. They found that 77% of puppies were infected with at least one parasite or virus, while nearly 30% had three pathogens or more. Only 25% of dogs’ feces was considered normal. Furthermore, 18% of the puppies in the study were found to be excreting a “high load” of canine parvovirus type 2, which is “well described as inducing hemorrhagic diarrhea associated with vomiting, anorexia, dehydration and depression.”
The study should be concerning to companion animal advocates. Although the study doesn’t explicitly link the prevalence and severity of pathogens with the environment of the breeding operations, it will no doubt raise alarm bells. Dog breeding operations, even these found on a registry, show clear evidence of being stressful and unhealthy for dogs. Dog advocates should take note of such concerning numbers, use them in their advocacy, and delve further with additional research.