Euthanasia rates and risk factors for euthanasia in dogs diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in Australian primary care practices: 2078 cases (2008-2017).

Over half of diabetic dogs in Australian primary care are euthanised within 12 months of diagnosis, warranting proactive owner support.

This retrospective cohort study evaluated euthanasia rates and associated risk factors in 2,078 dogs diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) across Australian primary care practices between 2008 and 2017, using data sourced from VetCompass Australia. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were employed to characterize time-to-euthanasia and identify patient-level risk factors. Results revealed notably high euthanasia rates: 13% of dogs were euthanised at the time of diagnosis, rising to 46% within 6 months and 53% within 12 months of diagnosis, all attributed to DM-related causes. These figures substantially exceed previously published euthanasia rates for diabetic dogs. Key risk factors associated with increased daily hazard of euthanasia within the first 12 months included advanced age (≥10 years; HR 2.4), intact reproductive status (HR 1.9), female sex (HR 1.1), and breed predisposition to DM (HR 1.2). Quality of life concerns were the most commonly cited reason for euthanasia decisions. The study highlights that a considerable proportion of diabetic dogs in primary care settings do not progress beyond initial diagnosis, suggesting that owner education, financial considerations, and perceived manageability of the disease significantly influence outcomes. Clinicians should proactively identify high-risk patients at diagnosis and implement targeted owner support strategies, including realistic expectation setting, financial counseling, and quality-of-life assessment tools, to potentially improve retention in treatment and long-term outcomes.

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