Small animal medicine in Germany

In this study, currently the largest in Europe, the number of cases from five representative veterinary practices in different parts of Germany was analyzed. Over a period of six to eleven months, these five veterinary practices recorded the description, reason for presentation, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of 5,030 patients (mainly dogs, cats, or small pets). Over a third of the 6,100 documented visits were for preventive health care or skin problems. Together with the category of non-specific problems such as fever, loss of appetite, and weight loss, these account for almost 50% of cases. Species-specific differences are much more prominent in Germany than regional or seasonal variations. Further diagnostics were initiated in just under half of the sick patients; in the remaining patients, a diagnosis could be made based on medical history and clinical examination, or the cause of the illness could not be determined. Drug therapies were used in 60% of cases. In numerous medical specialties, no clear diagnosis could be made.