Presentations of idiopathic hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome in dogs in relation to meteorological factors.

Specific weather conditions, including cold, dry, and windy days, may be associated with increased AHDS presentations in dogs.

This retrospective case-control study investigated potential associations between meteorological factors and the prevalence of idiopathic acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS) in dogs. A total of 412 dogs presenting with acute gastrointestinal signs between January 2016 and January 2021 at a tertiary veterinary care center were stratified into three groups: idiopathic AHDS, acute gastroenteritis, and other causes of acute GI signs. Meteorological data were extracted based on the geocodes of each patient's primary location and analyzed using a random forest model with odds ratio calculations. Results indicated that increased wind speeds, greater shortwave radiation exposure, lower ambient temperatures, reduced sunlight intensity, and dry weather conditions were associated with increased AHDS presentations. While the etiology of AHDS remains incompletely understood—with recent evidence implicating enterotoxin-producing Clostridium perfringens—the specific triggers for toxin production and syndrome onset have not been previously explored from an environmental standpoint. The authors propose that meteorological factors may influence the gut-brain-microbiome axis, potentially predisposing dogs to AHDS under certain weather conditions. The study is exploratory in nature, and the authors acknowledge the need for prospective investigations to validate these findings. Nevertheless, understanding environmental and weather-related influences on AHDS could have practical implications for predicting disease onset and guiding clinical management of this idiopathic condition in canine patients.

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