02/08/2025
Some of you may find it interesting to see which breeds I see most commonly for physiotherapy and/or hydrotherapy. I created this pie chart using data from all of the dogs I currently have actively registered on my system, excluding the sporting and working dogs I see for maintenance purposes. Labradors come out on top as the most commonly treated breed, closely followed by Miniature Dachshunds and then mixed breeds (excluding, Cockapoos, Cavapoos and Labradoodles).
Why are these breeds seen most frequently? For starters, Labradors and Dachshunds are very commonly owned dogs, so it stands to reason that their numbers would be higher than less commonly owned breeds, such as Bernese Mountain dogs for example. However, breed popularity can also lead to poorer breeding practices, with increased incidences of breeding for profit over health and welfare. Therefore health problems can start to crop up more frequently in these breeds. Labradors are commonly prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, while Dachshunds are prone to IVDD.
Mixed breeds have always been traditionally thought of as healthier than pedigree dogs. However, this isn’t always the case. These dogs are less likely to have come from selectively bred, health-tested lines and they can inherit a predisposition to health conditions that affect each of the breeds in their DNA, potentially making them susceptible to a wider variety of health problems.
Any breed of dog can of course develop health problems and this is just a snapshot of my current client base - other physiotherapists’ may look completely different to this!
