Survey of travel-related problems in dogs

The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the kind of transport dogs undergo, the behaviours displayed during transport, the prevalence of travel-related problems in dogs and owners' interventions to solve these problems. A convenience sample of 907 dog owners completed a questionnaire containing 16 multiple-choice questions. All dogs had been transported by car at least once, but 4.7 per cent were no longer transported. 76.2 per cent of animals always responded positively to car transport, the rest showing or having shown problems (6.7 per cent always reacted negatively). Dogs were found to be more excited than inhibited during car transport. The vast majority (86.0 per cent) had become used to travelling by car as puppies; this made them less likely to develop problems (6.3 per cent v 24.1 per cent; χ(2)=19.886, P=0.000). If dogs were transported only to veterinary clinics, they were more prone to respond negatively to car transport (46.4 per cent v 22.7 per cent; χ(2)=7.245, P=0.007). For dogs reported as problematic (23.8 per cent of the sample), 96.3 per cent of the owners did not administer any treatments or other substances, 48.7 per cent did not seek any advice, and 40.4 per cent of them made attempts to solve the problem by themselves.     

Serum antibody titres to canine parvovirus, adenovirus and distemper virus in dogs in the UK which had not been vaccinated for at least three years

Antibody titres to canine distemper (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine adenovirus (CAV) were measured in 144 adult dogs that had not been vaccinated for between three and 15 years. Protective antibodies to CPV were present in 95 per cent of the population, to CDV in 71.5 per cent and to CAV in 82 per cent. The prevalence of protective titres did not decrease with increasing time interval from the last vaccination for any of the three diseases studied. Booster vaccination increased the dogs CAV titres. For comparative purposes, 199 puppies were sampled at the time of their first and second vaccination. In the case of CPV and CAV a significantly higher proportion of the adult dogs were protected than of the puppies immediately after they were vaccinated. Natural CPV boosting was strongly suspected because the dogs had significantly higher titres three years after their primary vaccination than two weeks after it and three unvaccinated dogs had acquired protective antibody levels uneventfully. There was no evidence of natural exposure to CDV.     

Campylobacter infection in domestic dogs

Campylobacter jejuni, a recently recognised human enteric pathogen, was recovered from the faeces of 21.7 per cent of domestic dogs with diarrhoea as compared with only 3.1 per cent of normal healthy dogs. The recovery rate from non-diarrhoeic, but unhealthy, domestic dogs was 6.7 per cent. The differences in the incidence of C jejuni between breeds was not statistically significant. The majority of isolations were from puppies between birth and six months old. The incidence of C jejuni in domestic dogs did not appear to be sex specific. Domestic canine infections with C jejuni could possibly be an important source of human infection, especially to those in close contact.     

Free‐Roaming Dogs in Nepal: Demographics,Health and Public Knowledge,Attitudes and Practices

In Nepal, most dogs are free to roam and may transmit diseases to humans and animals. These dogs often suffer from malnutrition and lack basic health care. Minimal information is available about their demographics and about public attitudes concerning dogs and diseases. We carried out a study in Chitwan District (central Nepal), to collect baseline data on free‐roaming owned dog demographics, assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of dog owners concerning dogs and rabies, evaluate rabies vaccination coverage and anthelmintic treatment of dogs, measure dogs' response to rabies vaccination and assess dog health through body condition scores and parasites. We conducted household interviews with owners of free‐roaming female dogs (n = 60) and administered dogs with rabies vaccination and anthelmintics. Dog owners regularly fed free‐roaming dogs but provided minimal health care; 42% of respondents did not claim ownership of the dog for which they provided care. We collected skin, faecal and blood samples for parasite identification and for measuring rabies virus‐specific antibodies. Ninety‐two per cent of dog owners were aware of the routes of rabies virus transmission, but only 35% described the correct post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following a dog bite. Twenty‐seven per cent of the dogs had measurable rabies virus‐specific antibody titres and 14% had received anthelmintics in the previous year. Following rabies vaccination, 97% of dogs maintained an adequate antibody titre for ≥6 months. Most dogs appeared healthy, although haemoprotozoans, endoparasites and ectoparasites were identified in 12%, 73% and 40% of the dogs, respectively. Poor skin condition and parasite load were associated. Seventy‐four per cent of the females had litters in 1 year (mean litter size = 4.5). Births occurred between September and February; we estimated 60% mortality in puppies. We concluded that vaccination coverage, PEP awareness and anthelmintic treatment should be emphasized in educational programmes focussed on animal welfare, veterinary and public health.     

Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) of Swine: Canine Serum Antibodies Against an Associated Virus

Sera of weaned puppies from a hysterectomy-derived, specific pathogen free (SPF) closed dog colony did not contain antibodies against a TGE-associated virus or a serologically related one, but sera from puppies and older dogs from open kennels did. The higher antiviral titers in serum of older dogs suggested that these animals had suffered either persistent or recurrent infections. Seventy-two puppies had no contact with swine, indicating that the virus was able to propagate independently of contact with swine.     

Comparison of the prevalence of enteric viruses in healthy dogs and those with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea by electron microscopy

Objectives: To evaluate prevalence of enteric viruses in healthy dogs and to compare it with prevalences in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from 200 healthy dogs and examined by electron microscopy for presence of viral particles. Data were compared with viral prevalences that had been determined retrospectively by electron microscopy for 936 dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Results: There were significantly more negative faecal samples among the healthy dogs (82.0 per cent) compared with 55.8 per cent in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P<0.001). With a prevalence of 17.5 per cent, significantly more healthy dogs were shedding coronavirus compared with 11.6 per cent in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P=0.034). Parvovirus was only detected in one healthy dog (0.5 per cent), thus with a prevalence that was significantly lower than 16.0 per cent detected in the dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P<0.001). Paramyxovirus was not found in any of the healthy dogs but was found in 9.3 per cent of dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea (P<0.001). Clinical Significance: Results suggest that shedding of parvovirus and paramyxovirus is strongly associated with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea. However, coronavirus seems to be even more prevalent among healthy dogs, raising the need for further studies to investigate the strain-associated pathogenicity of this virus.     

Contamination of dog hair with eggs of Toxocara canis

Toxocara canis, the common intestinal nematode of dogs and foxes, is the parasite responsible for human toxocarosis. It has recently been shown that dogs may harbour eggs of the parasite in their fur. To further investigate this claim a population of 100 stray dogs was examined to establish the prevalence and intensity of adult toxocaral worm infection in the intestines and eggs harboured in the hair. A novel method of washing the eggs from the hair was used. Sixty-seven percent of dogs were found to have T. canis eggs on their hair with a mean egg retrieval of nearly 584 eggs per gram from positive dogs. The age of the dog was found to be the only significant factor to influence the prevalence and intensity of eggs, with 95% of all the eggs recovered found on puppies. Thirty-nine percent of dogs were found to have adult T. canis worms in their intestine, although a significantly higher percentage of puppies (80%) were infected with worms than adults (22.5%). Puppies also had more worms per infection than adults and have a strong positive correlation between egg and worms numbers whereas adults did not. These studies show that stray dogs, particularly puppies, potentially harbour considerable numbers of eggs on their hair, at densities far higher than those reported in the soil or the general environment.     

Unilateral arytenoid lateralisation: An assessment of technique and long term results in 62 dogs with laryngeal paralysis

Sixty-two dogs with laryngeal paralysis were presented over a three year period. Presenting clinical signs included inspiratory stridor (100 per cent), exercise intolerance or syncopal episodes (81 per cent), loss or alteration in phonation (48 per cent) and coughing or gagging when eating (29 per cent). Causes of the paralysis were determined as traumatic (two dogs), neoplastic (two dogs), iatrogenic (two dogs), congenital (one dog) and idiopathic (55 dogs). Unilateral arytenoid lateralisation was performed in all dogs. The perioperative complication rate was approximately 10 per cent, while the success rate as judged by owners one year postoperatively was greater than 90 per cent. The technique avoided many of the recorded complications of intralaryngeal surgery. Operative times were short and the requirement for postoperative monitoring was minimal. Increasing familiarity with the technique favourably influenced the incidence of complications and the success rate.     

Prevalence of enteropathic Escherichia coli in dogs with acute and chronic diarrhoea

Samples of faeces from 57 dogs with acute diarrhoea, 82 dogs with chronic diarrhoea, 34 clinically healthy household dogs and 88 kennelled control dogs were analysed by hybridisation, using DNA probes to detect enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC), verocytotoxin-producing E coli (VTEC), enterohaemorrhagic E coli (EHEC), enteroinvasive E coli (EIEC) and enteroaggregative E coli (EAggEC). Samples of duodenal juice from 60 of the 82 dogs with chronic diarrhoea were also examined. Significantly more of the dogs with diarrhoea were excreting EPEC (acute 35.1 per cent, chronic 31.7 per cent) and VTEC (acute 24.6 per cent, chronic 28 per cent) than the kennelled dogs (EPEC 17.1 per cent, VTEC 0 per cent) or the household control dogs (EPEC 6 per cent, VTEC 5.9 per cent). Enteropathic E coli was also detected in the duodenal juice of 23 of 60 (38.3 per cent) of the dogs with chronic diarrhoea. The EPEC attaching and effacing A (eaeA) gene and the verocytotoxin 1 (VR1) gene coding for VTEC were often found together. There was good agreement between in vitro studies and hybridisation for the detection of eaeA and VT1. Isolates from the dogs with diarrhoea adhered significantly more to Hep-2 cells, and VT1-positive strains from the dogs with diarrhoea consistently killed more than 50 per cent of Vero cells.     

Upper gastrointestinal examinations: a radiographic study of clinically normal beagle puppies

A total of 24 upper gastrointestinal examinations were performed on four weanling beagle puppies over six weeks, using liquid barium (10 ml/kg bodyweight of 60 per cent w/v barium sulphate suspension] and barium food (8 g/kg of crushed kibble dog food and 7 ml/kg bodyweight of 60 per cent w/v barium sulphate suspension) as contrast media. The radiographic appearance was similar to that noted in adult dogs except for the consistent location of the pylorus on or near the midline. Duodenal pseudoulcers were seen more often with liquid barium and the caecal shadows were identified more often with the longer examination time with barium food. The stomach of the puppies appeared to have discriminatory emptying function; that is, semi-solid food was emptied from the stomach at a slower rate (210 to 450 minutes) than liquid (60 to 90 minutes). Solid meals emptied faster in puppies than in adult dogs. Dosages of 13 to 15 mg/kg bodyweight for the liquid barium examination and 14 g of ground kibble and 16 ml of barium sulphate suspension per m² of body surface area for the barium food examination are suggested as more appropriate for contrast studies in puppies.     

Suspected side effects of doxycycline use in dogs - a retrospective study of 386 cases

This study investigated doxycycline-related side effects in a large population of dogs. Data from 386 dogs that had received doxycycline for the treatment of various infectious diseases were analysed retrospectively. Potential side effects that developed during treatment were documented, and correlations with signalment, dose, duration of treatment, frequency of application, doxycycline preparation and use of additional drugs were investigated. Vomiting was reported in 18.3 per cent of dogs, 7.0 per cent developed diarrhoea and 2.5 per cent developed anorexia. While being treated with doxycycline, 39.4 per cent of dogs showed an increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and 36.4 per cent showed an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. There was a dose-related risk of an increase in ALP activity (P=0.011, odds ratio [OR]=1.27, 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 1.06 to 1.53), and older dogs treated with doxycycline were more likely to develop an increase in ALT activity (P=0.038, OR=1.23, 95 per cent CI 1.01 to 1.50) and vomiting (P=0.017, OR=1.11, 95 per cent CI 1.02 to 1.21).     

Collie eye anomaly in the rough collie in Norway

The results of eye examinations of 741 rough collies for collie eye anomaly (CEA) are described. Of the examined dogs, 40-8 per cent had CEA, including, in most cases, chorioretinal dysplasia (CRD). 7-7 per cent had coloboma of the optic disc while 3–5 per cent had complications of CEA, either retinal detachment or intraocular bleeding. There was no sex difference nor was the frequency of the disease influenced by coat colour. After estimating the total frequencies of the different manifestations of the disease, the dogs were divided into two groups according to the age at first examination. In the group of dogs examined between seven weeks and three months old, 48-9 per cent had CEA, compared to a frequency of 25-6 per cent in the group of dogs examined after three months of age. All the puppies with coloboma also showed signs of CRD, while among the older dogs 11 of the 66 CEA cases reported showed signs of coloboma without CRD. Twenty-two dogs which had been examined as puppies and given the diagnosis CEA with minor chorioretinal changes were re-examined at an older age. Of these dogs, 15 had ophthalmoscopi-cally normal fundi at re-examination while seven were unchanged from the first examination.     

Campylobacter in the dog: a clinical and experimental study

Faecal samples from 54 dogs with diarrhoea and 54 control dogs were cultured for Campylobacter, Salmonella and Yersinia species and controlled for enteric viruses. The campylobacter were identified as either C jejuni/coli or C upsaliensis. In the diarrhoeic group 16 dogs (29.6 per cent) were positive for campylobacter, 10 C upsaliensis and six C jejuni/coli. Concomitant infection with parvovirus was evident in six of the dogs with diarrhoea and campylobacter-positive faecal cultures. In the control group 13 dogs (24.1 per cent) were positive for campylobacter; three of the isolates were C upsaliensis and six C jejuni/coli. Four isolates could not be identified. The most prominent clinical findings in naturally occurring cases were an acute onset of vomiting (12 of 16), diarrhoea (16 of 16) which was often haemorrhagic (nine of 16) and a raised rectal temperature. Dogs were infected experimentally with both C jejuni (three dogs) and C upsaliensis (three dogs). The challenge strains could be identified in faecal samples from all the dogs, but clinical signs of diarrhoea were seen in only one dog infected with C jejuni. Soft faeces was passed by one dog infected with C upsaliensis. It is concluded that C jejuni/coli or C upsaliensis are either primary pathogens or, after predisposing factors such as virus infections, act as secondary pathogens. It also seems probable that Campylobacter species are present in the intestinal flora of the normal dog.     

Population genetic analysis of the new dog breed Elo

The breeding of the dog breed Elo was started in 1987. This dog breed was established by using 16 dogs of nine different breeds. All pedigree information of the dogs from 1987 to 2002 was included for the analysis of the proportion of genes of the different founder breeds, of the inbreeding coefficient, and relationship coefficients. Additionally, the number of died puppies per litter were investigated. The Eurasian dog breed contributed about 48% of the genes in the whole Elo dog population. Old English sheepdog and Chow Chow contributed about 23% and 10% of the genes. The other dog breeds were of minor importance. The mean inbreeding and relationship coefficients of the whole Elo dog population were 12.04% and 19.22%, respectively. With the exception of 3.5% of animals, all Elo dogs were related to each other. The mean litter size was 6.39 puppies. The percentage of stillborn puppies per litter averaged at 9.47%. The inbreeding coefficients of the puppies and of their dams, the age of the sire and the dam at the time of birth of the puppies, the litter size, the puppies' year of birth and the proportion of genes of the Chow Chow showed a significant effect on the number of stillborn puppies per litter. The heritability for the frequency of stillborn puppies was estimated using a linear animal model. After transformation of the linear estimates to the underlying liability scale, the heritability amounted to h2 = 0.15.     

Demography and dog-human relationships of the dog population in Zimbabwean communal lands

Dogs are Zimbabwe's primary vector for rabies, and the majority live in communal lands (traditional agropastoralist rural areas). In 1994, a household questionnaire survey was conducted to provide baseline data on the demography and dog-human relationships of the dogs in the communal lands. The survey showed that all the dogs were owned, and there was no evidence of a feral population. They were unrestricted and semi-dependent on people. The numbers of dogs per capita varied little in each communal land, resulting in higher dog densities in communal lands with higher human densities, and indicating that people were not intolerant of dogs at higher densities. The population turnover was rapid: the life expectancy of the dogs was 1.1 years, the mean age 2.0 years, and 71.8 per cent died in their first year. The population was heavily skewed towards juveniles, with 40.8 per cent aged less than 12 months. Despite the high juvenile mortality, the population was growing by 6.52 per cent per annum. It was estimated that in 1994 there were 1.36 million dogs in communal lands.     

Canine wobbler syndrome: A study of the Dobermann pinscher in New Zealand

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of wobbler disease within a Dobermann pinscher population from three geographical locations in New Zealand. The study population consisted of 138 adults (aged 1–13 years) and 32 puppies (aged 6 weeks to 11 months). Data collected for each dog included age, sex, geographic location, if a choker chain was used or not and, in adults, the following body measurements: dimensions of head length, head circumference, width between shoulders, neck length, height at withers and withers to rump length. In addition, lateral radiographs were taken of the caudal cervical vertebrae of each dog and the radiological abnormalities associated with wobbler disease scored, so that each dog could be assigned to one of three radiological groupings. Based upon a neurological examination, each animal was also placed into one of three neurological groupings. The relationship between radiological and neurological groupings and the independent variables was initially compared using a univariate and subsequently a multivariate analysis.

It was found that 48.8% of the dogs investigated had some abnormal radiological sign associated with wobbler disease, and 32.0% of them showed neurological signs. Dogs with radiological signs of the disease were 5.56 times more likely to have neurological signs. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that more severe radiological and neurological abnormalities occurred in the older dogs. In addition, dogs located in Hawke's Bay region had less chance of showing radiological changes than dogs from the other two regions, Hamilton and Wellington. Twelve of the 32 puppies were examined for radiological and neurological changes over the first year of their life. No abnormalities were detected in puppies under 12 weeks of age, but 28% (n=9) of the 32 puppies over 3 months of age did show some radiological changes. Only 9%(n=3) of puppies showed any neurological signs. Although several pedigree lines were investigated, the lineage data were incomplete, and therefore there was no conclusive evidence that wobbler disease was an inherited trait.

This study showed that, although the radiological signs of wobbler disease were present throughout a wide age range, the associated neurological changes tended to appear at a later age. In both instances, the severity of these changes increased with age.     

Diseases associated with pronounced eosinophilia: a study of 105 dogs in Sweden

Records of 105 dogs with pronounced eosinophilia (>2.2 X l0⁹ eosinophils/litre) were evaluated in a retrospective study to determine diseases associated with the abnormality in dogs in Sweden. Inflammatory disease in organs with large epithelial surfaces, such as the gut, lungs or skin, was found in 36 per cent of the dogs. A further one-quarter of the 105 cases were placed in the 'miscellaneous' category, which comprised various diseases found at low frequency. The most well defined diagnosis was pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophils in 12 per cent of the dogs. A further 11 per cent had parasitic disease caused by either sarcoptic mange or nasal mite. No atopic dog was found and rottweilers were over-represented in most disease groups. Pronounced eosinophilia, in many cases transient, seems to be associated with a variety of disorders in dogs. In the present study, rottweilers appeared to be more prone to a high eosinophil response than other breeds.     

Canine wobbler syndrome: a study of the Dobermann pinscher in New Zealand

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of wobbler disease within a Dobermann pinscher population from three geographical locations in New Zealand. The study population consisted of 138 adults (aged 1-13 years) and 32 puppies (aged 6 weeks to 11 months). Data collected for each dog included age, sex, geographic location, if a choker chain was used or not and, in adults, the following body measurements: dimensions of head length, head circumference, width between shoulders, neck length, height at withers and withers to rump length. In addition, lateral radiographs were taken of the caudal cervical vertebrae of each dog and the radiological abnormalities associated with wobbler disease scored, so that each dog could be assigned to one of three radiological groupings. Based upon a neurological examination, each animal was also placed into one of three neurological groupings. The relationship between radiological and neurological groupings and the independent variables was initially compared using a univariate and subsequently a multivariate analysis. It was found that 48.8% of the dogs investigated had some abnormal radiological sign associated with wobbler disease, and 32.0% of them showed neurological signs. Dogs with radiological signs of the disease were 5.56 times more likely to have neurological signs. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that more severe radiological and neurological abnormalities occurred in the older dogs. In addition, dogs located in Hawke's Bay region had less chance of showing radiological changes than dogs from the other two regions, Hamilton and Wellington. Twelve of the 32 puppies were examined for radiological and neurological changes over the first year of their life. No abnormalities were detected in puppies under 12 weeks of age, but 28% (n=9) of the 32 puppies over 3 months of age did show some radiological changes. Only 9% (n=3) of puppies showed any neurological signs. Although several pedigree lines were investigated, the lineage data were incomplete, and therefore there was no conclusive evidence that wobbler disease was an inherited trait. This study showed that, although the radiological signs of wobbler disease were present throughout a wide age range, the associated neurological changes tended to appear at a later age. In both instances, the severity of these changes increased with age.     

Dogs' features strongly affect people's feelings and behavior toward them

Dogs are a strong appeal for people. The aim of this research was to assess whether different dog features affect people's feelings and behavior toward them. Three puppies (1 Labrador retriever, 1 golden retriever, and 1 Border collie), 7 average adult dogs (3 small, 2 medium, and 2 large), and 2 adult pit bulls (1 black and 1 brown) were involved. They were on the leash with handlers (12 girls) who were instructed to maintain a neutral posture of waiting. People who passed in front of the dog–handler couple were videorecorded and then interviewed through an 8-item questionnaire. Most passersby (81.7%) noticed the dog. Tenderness was higher for the puppies (64.9%) in comparison to the average adult dogs (35.4%) and pit bulls (10.8%) (χ² = 100.442; P = 0.000). Pit bulls left more passersby indifferent (36.3%), followed by the medium-sized dogs (26.5%) and then the small dogs (19.2%) (χ² = 37.268; P = 0.000). Fear was more common at the sight of a pit bull (10.8%), especially when compared with a puppy (2.3%) or a small dog (0.7%) (χ² = 17.723; P = 0.001). More respondents desired to interact with puppies (49.1%) than with pit bulls (22.5%; χ² = 11.133; P = 0.000), and they actually related with young dogs (20.5%) more than with the pit bulls (4.9%). A high statistical difference can be observed for the behavior of participants toward the different categories of dogs (χ² = 43.519; P = 0.000) and their handlers (χ² = 23.854; P = 0.000). In detail, passersby showed more interest toward puppies and interacted more with puppies and large dogs, and their handlers, compared with dogs showing different features.Some factors related to passersby could affect the dog catalysis effect. Women interacted with the handlers more than men did (12.1% vs. 7.3%; χ² = 3.980; P = 0.046), but no difference was observed for the number of interactions with dogs.Passersby handling a dog were more predisposed to interact with the experimental dog (45.6% vs. 7.5%; χ² = 139.606; P = 0.000) and his or her handler (43.5% vs. 5.7%; χ² = 64,526; P = 0.000). Data suggest that puppies and pit bulls are at the 2 extremes of the dog appeal–people axis, with average dogs in the middle.     

Canine dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study of signalment, presentation and clinical findings in 369 cases

O bjective : To review the clinical and diagnostic findings and survival of dilated cardiomyopathy from a large population of dogs in England.
M ethods : A retrospective study of the case records of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy collected between January 1993 and May 2006.
R esults : There were 369 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy of which all were pure-bred dogs except for four. The most commonly affected breeds were dobermanns and boxers. Over 95 per cent of dogs weighed more than 15 kg and 73 per cent were male. The median duration of signs before referral was three weeks with 65 per cent presenting in stage 3 heart failure. The most common signs were breathlessness (67 per cent) and coughing (64 per cent). The majority of dogs (89 per cent) had an arrhythmia at presentation and 74 per cent of dogs had radiographic signs of pulmonary oedema or pleural effusion. The median survival time was 19 weeks.
C linical S ignificance : Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs primarily in medium to large breed pure-bred dogs, and males are more frequently affected than females. The duration of clinical signs before referral is often short and the survival times are poor. Greater awareness of affected breeds, clinical signs and diagnostic findings may help in early recognition of this disease which often has a short clinical phase.