Work

Small animal disease surveillance 2019: pruritus, pharmacosurveillance, skin tumours and flea infestations

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Report summary• Presentation for investigation and/or treatment of pruritus represented 4.7 per cent, 2.2 per cent and 0.9 per cent of total dog, cat and rabbit consultations respectively between 1 May 2018 and 30 June 2019.• Cytology was the most frequently recorded diagnostic test for both dogs (9.5 per cent of pruritus survey responses) and cats (4.1 per cent).• The proportion of pruritus consultations which prescribed antibiotics authorised for systemic administration (including oral and injectable formulations) decreased between April 2014 and June 2019 by approximately 50 per cent and 33 per cent in dogs and cats, respectively.• In a new multi-diagnostic laboratory tumour registry curated by SAVSNET, skin tumours (including cutaneous and subcutaneous origins) were commonly reported, with the most commonly reported malignant skin tumours being mast cell tumours in dogs (14.6 per cent of total pathological diagnoses), and squamous cell carcinomas in cats (7.4 per cent).• In a clinical narrative summary of records of flea infestation between October 2014 and April 2019 a clear autumnal peak in flea infestation frequency was noted in both dogs and cats, although evidence of flea infestation was observed throughout the year. About this reportThis report is the ninth in a series by the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET).The other reports in the series are available from: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com.As data are collected for longer periods, the estimates of changes in disease burden will become more refined, allowing more targeted local and perhaps national interventions.Anonymised

Source: Veterinary Record

DOI: 10.1136/vr.l6074