Prospective evaluation of hospital-acquired skin lesions in dogs: A case-control study.

Background: Hospital-related dermatological conditions are well-studied and reported in human medicine. However, studies about these dermatological disorders in veterinary medicine are lacking.

Objectives: To report the incidence, type and distribution of hospital-acquired skin lesions (HASL) in dogs, and to investigate risk factors that may be associated with their development.

Animals: Hospitalised client-owned dogs with HASL and a control group of hospitalised dogs without skin lesions.

Materials and methods: Prospective clinical evaluation of all HASL and dermatological tests, when indicated, were performed, over 6 months. A variety of potentially predisposing factors also were recorded.

Results: Thirty-one dogs with HASL and a matched control group of 60 hospitalised dogs without skin lesions were included. The incidence of HASL was 11.2% (31 of 278). The most common lesion was erythema in 74.2% of dogs (23 of 31) and the most affected area was the abdomen in 58.1% (18 of 31) of dogs. Faecal and/or urinary incontinence was identified as an important risk factor for the development of skin lesions during hospitalisation (odds ratio 14.445, 95% confidence interval 1.444-144.479, p = 0.023). Immobilisation and changes in body temperature also may play a role in the development of such lesions in dogs.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Faecal and/or urinary incontinence was found to be an important factor in the development of HASL. The impact of HASL on patient outcomes and the prevention of these lesions requires further investigation.