Table 2.
Descriptive and binary logistic regression results for risk factor associations (purebred status, breed, and Kennel Club (KC) breed group) with deaths that were or were not ascribed to undesirable behaviour (UB) amongst dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in Australia that died before three years of age or under (n = 4341). Results have been ordered by descending odds ratio (OR).
| Variable | Category | UB Number (%) | Non-UB Number (%) | OR | 95% CI | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purebred Status | Purebred | 537 (46.3) | 1672 (52.6) | Base | ||
| Crossbred | 623 (53.7) | 1509 (47.4) | 1.29 | 1.12–1.47 | <0.001 | |
| KC Breed Group | Not KC-registered | 646 (55.7) | 1560 (49.0) | Base | ||
| Terriers | 165 (14.2) | 339 (10.7) | 1.18 | 0.95–1.44 | 0.127 | |
| Working | 119 (10.3) | 307 (9.7) | 0.94 | 0.74–1.18 | 0.574 | |
| Toys | 60 (5.2) | 171 (5.4) | 0.85 | 0.62–1.15 | 0.292 | |
| Hounds | 45 (3.9) | 153 (4.8) | 0.71 | 0.50–0.99 | 0.052 | |
| Non Sporting | 54 (4.7) | 268 (8.4) | 0.49 | 0.35–0.66 | <0.001 | |
| Utility | 43 (3.7) | 223 (7.0) | 0.47 | 0.27–0.63 | <0.001 | |
| Gun Dogs | 28 (2.4) | 160 (5.0) | 0.42 | 0.27–0.63 | <0.001 | |
| Breed | Labrador retriever | 14 (1.2) | 92 (2.9) | Base | ||
| American Staffordshire terrier | 40 (3.4) | 58 (1.8) | 4.53 | 2.32–9.31 | <0.001 | |
| Miniature fox terrier | 10 (0.9) | 15 (0.5) | 4.38 | 1.63–11.72 | 0.003 | |
| Australian cattle dog | 40 (3.4) | 62 (1.9) | 4.24 | 2.17–8.68 | <0.001 | |
| Beagle | 13 (1.1) | 26 (0.8) | 3.29 | 1.37–7.92 | 0.007 | |
| Bull terrier | 11 (0.9) | 22 (0.7) | 3.29 | 1.30–8.25 | 0.011 | |
| Maltese | 13 (1.1) | 26 (0.8) | 3.29 | 1.37–7.92 | 0.007 | |
| Fox terrier | 7 (0.6) | 15 (0.5) | 3.07 | 1.02–8.73 | 0.038 | |
| Jack Russell terrier | 20 (1.7) | 43 (1.4) | 3.06 | 1.42–6.74 | 0.005 | |
| Cavalier King Charles spaniel | 13 (1.1) | 28 (0.9) | 3.05 | 1.28–7.30 | 0.012 | |
| Dachshund | 10 (0.9) | 22 (0.7) | 2.99 | 1.15–7.61 | 0.022 | |
| Staffordshire bull terrier | 69 (5.9) | 161 (5.1) | 2.82 | 1.54–5.47 | 0.001 | |
| Shar-pei | 8 (0.7) | 19 (0.6) | 2.77 | 0.99–7.45 | 0.046 | |
| Crossbred | 623 (53.7) | 1509 (47.4) | 2.71 | 1.59–5.01 | 0.001 | |
| Australian kelpie | 20 (1.7) | 50 (1.6) | 2.63 | 1.23–5.75 | 0.013 | |
| Chihuahua | 19 (1.6) | 48 (1.5) | 2.60 | 1.21–5.73 | 0.015 | |
| Border collie | 25 (2.2) | 64 (2.0) | 2.57 | 1.26–5.43 | 0.011 | |
| Other purebred | 83 (7.2) | 227 (7.1) | 2.40 | 1.33–4.61 | 0.005 | |
| Boxer | 8 (0.7) | 27 (0.8) | 1.95 | 0.71–5.06 | 0.178 | |
| Great Dane | 7 (0.6) | 24 (0.8) | 1.92 | 0.66–5.17 | 0.208 | |
| Bull mastiff | 7 (0.6) | 25 (0.8) | 1.84 | 0.64–4.94 | 0.236 | |
| Bull Arab | 8 (0.7) | 34 (1.1) | 1.55 | 0.57–3.95 | 0.370 | |
| Neapolitan mastiff | 3 (0.3) | 13 (0.4) | 1.52 | 0.32–5.47 | 0.553 | |
| Cocker spaniel | 3 (0.3) | 14 (0.4) | 1.41 | 0.30–5.02 | 0.624 | |
| German shepherd dog | 22 (1.9) | 107 (3.4) | 1.35 | 0.66–2.85 | 0.416 | |
| Toy/miniature poodle | 7 (0.6) | 35 (1.1) | 1.31 | 0.47–3.44 | 0.587 | |
| Siberian husky | 5 (0.4) | 26 (0.8) | 1.26 | 0.38–3.65 | 0.679 | |
| American bulldog | 6 (0.5) | 32 (1.0) | 1.23 | 0.41–3.36 | 0.693 | |
| Rottweiler | 14 (1.2) | 85 (2.7) | 1.08 | 0.48–2.42 | 0.846 | |
| Greyhound | 13 (1.1) | 84 (2.6) | 1.02 | 0.45–2.30 | 0.967 | |
| Australian bulldog | 4 (0.3) | 28 (0.9) | 0.94 | 0.25–2.87 | 0.917 | |
| Pomeranian | 3 (0.3) | 23 (0.7) | 0.86 | 0.19–2.90 | 0.820 | |
| Dogue de Bordeaux | 3 (0.3) | 25 (0.8) | 0.79 | 0.17–2.65 | 0.725 | |
| French bulldog | 4 (0.3) | 38 (1.2) | 0.69 | 0.19–2.07 | 0.538 | |
| Pug | 3 (0.3) | 30 (0.9) | 0.66 | 0.14–2.18 | 0.531 | |
| British bulldog | 1 (0.1) | 17 (0.5) | 0.39 | 0.02–2.13 | 0.374 | |
| Golden retriever | 1 (0.1) | 27 (0.8) | 0.24 | 0.01–1.30 | 0.181 |