Science Digest: How have referral soft tissue surgical procedures in UK cats and dogs changed over a ten-year period?

15 January 2026

A better understanding and prediction of future surgical requirements and clinical needs are essential for effective strategic planning for the veterinary profession and practices.

New research has assessed changes in the number and type of referral surgical procedures performed on cats and dogs at a single veterinary referral hospital in the UK between 2008 and 2018.¹

The study, by researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and published in Companion Animal Health and Genetics, reviewed healthcare administration records (theatre logs) for soft tissue surgical procedures for canine and feline patients at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, RVC, in two one-year periods of 2008 and 2018.

After data cleaning, the frequency of each soft tissue surgical procedure, the breed of patients, and the median age at which the procedure was performed were reported for the two study years (2008 and 2018).

Dogs in 2018 were significantly more likely to be neutered compared to 2008; their median age at the procedure was significantly older (73 months in 2018 versus 60 months in 2008), and bodyweight was significantly lighter (16.5kg in 2018 versus 22.7kg in 2008) compared to in 2008. The most frequent pure breed in 2008 was German Shepherd Dog (8%), whereas in 2018, it was the French Bulldog (10%).

The most frequently performed surgical procedure changed from wound management surgery in 2008 (12%) to brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) surgeries in 2018 (16%), representing an 813% increase in BOAS surgery. French Bulldogs were the most frequent breed to undergo BOAS surgery (45%), at a median age of 26 months old. This increase is largely due to a similar increase of 2075% in the number of French Bulldogs within the soft tissue surgical caseload in 2018 relative to 2008, and is consistent with the wider rising ownership of the breed. It may also be a reflection of the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals promoting itself as a specialist centre for the clinical management of brachycephalic patients, which may have increased the number of BOAS surgeries referred here instead of other referral centres.

In cats, 147 underwent a soft tissue surgical procedure in 2008, rising to 198 in 2018. Cats in 2018 were significantly more likely to be neutered compared to in 2008; their median age at the procedure was significantly older (71.5 months in 2018 versus 60 months in 2008); and bodyweight was not significantly different between the years. The most frequently presented breed was Domestic Short Hair in both 2008 (65%) and 2018 (72%). Ragdoll was the breed with the greatest change between the study years, with an 800% increase.

The most frequently performed surgical procedure in cats changed from wound management surgery in 2008 (14%) to subcutaneous ureteral bypass in 2018 (14%). This is a result of technological development over the ten years, with the use of a subcutaneous ureteral bypass device for the management of feline ureteral obstruction first described in 2011. An increase in cutaneous/subcutaneous mass excision, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, and adrenalectomy was also seen, and a decline in exploratory laparotomies, which may be due to improvements in pre-operative diagnostic imaging.

Limitations of the study are potentially poor accuracy or incompleteness in clinical coding, meaning the frequency of specific surgeries carried out within a body cavity itself may have been underestimated. The range of factors affecting surgical case load is complex and multifactorial, including local population demographics and socioeconomic factors; presence of other local referral centres; the desire of local first opinion vets to refer cases; and the referral centre’s capacity, staffing, infrastructure, clinical services provided, and costs. Nevertheless, the findings highlight important implications for resourcing future veterinary care needs, particularly the impact of increasing ownership of breeds with extreme conformations on surgical referrals.

Take home message

There has been a considerable increase in soft tissue surgical caseload over a ten-year period in the single referral hospital in this study. BOAS surgery, particularly on French Bulldogs, saw the largest change in frequency in dogs, and subcutaneous ureteral bypass saw the greatest change in cats.

Reference

¹Currie AJ, O’Neill DG & Brockman D (2025) Lessons from changing soft tissue surgical referral trends for cats and dogs in a UK veterinary university teaching hospital between 2008 and 2018. Companion Animal Health and Genetics. 12, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-025-00147-w