Lessons from changing soft tissue surgical referral trends for cats and dogs in a UK veterinary university teaching hospital between 2008 and 2018.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: A comparative review of the annual numbers and types of referral soft tissue surgical procedures performed in UK cats and dogs for two years, a decade apart: 2008 and 2018. METHODS: Healthcare administration data at a single large referral centre in the UK were reviewed for all soft tissue surgical procedures in each study year. RESULTS: There were 659 soft tissue surgeries across all cats and dogs in 2008, compared with 1001 in 2018. Among dogs, French Bulldog was the breed with the greatest change between the study years (2008: n = 4; 2018: n = 83, 2075% increase), rising to become the most common breed presenting for soft tissue surgery in 2018. In dogs, the greatest change in frequency of surgical procedure performed was brachycephalic obstructive airway surgery (2008: n = 16; 2018: n = 131, 818.8% increase). Among cats, Ragdoll was the breed with the greatest change between study years (2008: n = 1; 2018: n = 8, 800% increase). In cats, the greatest change in surgical procedure performed was subcutaneous ureteral bypass (2008: n = 0; 2018: n = 27). CONCLUSIONS: The numbers, types and relevant breeds for surgical procedures performed at this single referral centre have changed considerably over this 10-year period, with much of this change linked to human preferences for extreme conformations in dogs. Considered alongside current patient presenting age and wider available population data, the current healthcare administration data may support veterinary organisations and practices with a better evidence base to better meet future patient needs.