Prevalence of the breed-related glaucomas in pure-bred dogs in North America

Objective To determine the prevalence of the breed‐related glaucomas in pure‐bred dogs presented to the veterinary medical teaching hospitals in North America that participate in the Veterinary Medical Data Base (VMDB). Materials and methods In this retrospective study, age of first diagnosis, breed, and gender data for all breeds of dogs were collected from the VMDB with the clinical diagnosis of primary glaucoma (glaucoma‐NOS) at 5–10 year intervals from 1964 to 2002. The prevalence for each breed (affected dogs compared to all dogs of each breed), any changes over the 38 years, and any gender differences for these glaucomas were determined. Results The prevalence of the primary breed‐related glaucomas has gradually increased from 0.29% (1964–1973); 0.46% (1974–1983); 0.76% (1984–1993); to 0.89% (1994–2002). Breeds that consistently featured among the highest 10 for glaucoma prevalence from four different periods (1964 to 2002) included American Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, Wire Fox Terrier, and Boston Terrier. During the last observation period (1994–2002), 22 different breeds had 1% or higher prevalence of the glaucomas. The highest prevalence of glaucomas in 1994–2002 by breed included: American Cocker Spaniel (5.52%); Basset Hound (5.44%); Chow Chow (4.70%); Shar‐Pei (4.40%); Boston Terrier (2.88%); Wire Fox Terrier (2.28%); Norwegian ElkHound (1.98%); Siberian Husky (1.88%); Cairn Terrier (1.82%); and Miniature Poodle (1.68%). A predominance of females with glaucoma occurred in the American Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, Cairn Terrier, Chow Chow, English Cocker Spaniel, Samoyed, and perhaps the Siberian Husky, and a predominance of males in the Australian Cattle dog and St Bernard. Age affected the time for first presentation of the glaucomas in the pure‐bred dog. In the majority of breeds the glaucomas were presented for initial diagnosis in dogs between 4 and 10 years of age. Conclusion Breed‐related glaucomas in pure‐bred dogs are frequently presented to the veterinary medical teaching hospitals in North America. The prevalence of the breed‐related glaucomas in the dog appears similar to humans, and in some breeds exceeds that in humans. In many breeds the high prevalence of the glaucomas suggests a genetic basis.     

Prevalence and co-occurrence of hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia in Dutch pure-bred dogs

Hip as well as elbow dysplasia (HD, ED) are developmental disorders leading to malformation of their respective joints. For a long time both disorders have been scored and targeted for improvement using selective breeding in several Dutch dog populations. In this paper all scores for both HD and ED, given to pure bred dogs in the Netherlands from 2002 to 2010, were analyzed. Heritabilities and correlations between HD and ED were calculated for the 4 most frequently scored breeds. Heritabilities ranged from 0.0 to 0.37 for HD related traits (FCI-score, osteoarthritis, congruity, shape and laxity (Norberg angle); FCI: Fédération Cynologique Internationale) and from 0.0 to 0.39 for ED related traits (IEWG score, osteoarthritis, sclerosis and indentation; IEWG: International Elbow Working Group). HD related traits showed high genetic and residual correlations among each other but were only to a minor extent correlated with ED related traits, which also showed high correlations among each other. Genetic correlations were higher than residual correlations. Phenotypic and genetic trends since 2001 for the four most scored breeds were slightly positive but decreasing over time, indicating that selection over the past decade has not been effective.     

红三叶种质资源农艺性状的综合评价及聚类分析

通过变异系数、相关性分析和聚类分析对引进的20份红三叶种质资源进行农艺性状多样性分析。结果表明:各个性状在红三叶居群内具有较大程度的变异,其中,顶生小叶大小变异系数最大,为26.16%。各个性状间均有一定相关性,顶生小叶长度与宽度呈显著正相关,与大小呈极显著正相关,顶生小叶宽度与大小呈极显著正相关。聚类分析表明,20份材料分为3大类群,第1类包括6个居群,其特点是茎长度、顶生小叶长度、小叶宽度、小叶大小和花序直径均高于其他2个居群;第2类包括13个居群,其特点是叶形指数较高;第3类包括1个居群,其特点是植株高大、茎粗,理论牧草产量高。     

Comparison of intradermal and serum testing for allergen-specific IgE using a Fcepsilon RIalpha-based assay in atopic dogs in the UK

Atopic dermatitis in dogs is a common allergic skin disease that affects substantial numbers of dogs in the UK. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of an intradermal test (IDT) and an in vitro test in a large cohort of dogs. Dogs were intradermal tested with Greer allergens (Greer Labs Inc, Lenoir, NC, USA) using standard techniques. At the same time blood samples were drawn and submitted for evaluation by ELISA using the ALLERCEPT Definitive Allergen Panels for allergen-specific IgE, a commercial assay that uses a biotinylated recombinant extracellular domain of the high affinity Fc-epsilon receptor alpha chain protein (Fcepsilon RIalpha). The allergens used in the two tests included grass, tree and weed pollens, moulds, flea saliva/whole flea extract and house dust mite species. The optical density readings from the ELISA for each allergen were compared with the results of the IDT for 265 dogs. The prevalence of positive reactions in the ELISA was equal to or greater than the results of the IDT in the case of almost all of the allergens, but two notable exceptions were the house dust mites Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. These two allergens were the most common positive reactions by IDT (prevalence D. farinae 78.9%, D. pteronyssinus 66.4%). The results of the two tests were significantly different (McNemar's test, P<0.05) for 16 of the 22 allergens. The sensitivities of the ELISA compared to the IDT (where there were more than 3 dogs with positive reactions in both tests) varied between 19.3 and 77.1% (D. pteronyssinus 19.3% and D. farinae 67.9%) and the specificities varied between 64.2 and 96.6% (D. pteronyssinus 96.6% and D. farinae 89.3%).     

Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UK

Objectives : To collect information on the cause of death and longevity of dogs owned by members of the numerically largest breed clubs of 169 UK Kennel Club-recognised breeds. Methods : A cross-sectional study was carried out. Approximately 58,363 questionnaires were sent out to breed club members in 2004 (nine clubs failed to report the exact number of questionnaires sent out). Owners reported age at death and cause(s) of death for all dogs that had died within the previous 10 years. Results : A total of 13,741 questionnaires (24% response rate) containing information on 15,881 deaths were included in the analysis. Breed-specific response rates ranged from 64·7 to 4·5%. The median age at death was 11 years and 3 months (minimum=2 months, maximum=23 years and 5 months) and it varied by breed. The most common causes of death were cancer (n=4282, 27%), “old age” (n=2830, 18%) and cardiac conditions (n=1770, 11%). Clinical Significance : This survey shows breed differences in lifespan and causes of death, and the results support previous evidence that smaller breeds tend to have longer lifespan compared with larger breeds. Although many of the breeds in the study may not be representative of the general pedigree dog population in the UK, the results do contribute to the limited information currently available.     

Selecting pet dogs on the basis of cluster analysis of breed behavior profiles and gender

Using a computer-generated data base of rankings of 56 breeds of dogs on 13 behavioral traits, a factor analysis was performed to determine the extent to which a few general underlying behavioral tendencies are manifested in specific characteristics. Three factors, referred to as reactivity, aggression, and trainability, accounted for 81% of the variance in the 13 behavioral traits. Subsequently, a cluster analysis was performed to generate 7 clusters of dog breeds on the basis of similarity in scores for each of the 3 main factors. The clusters reflected to some degree the conventional groupings of dogs into working, sporting, hound, and terrier breeds. A quantitative analysis of the ranking of male dogs vs female dogs for the 13 characteristics revealed that males differed from females on 10 traits. It was concluded that these gender and cluster profiles will allow people to select a breed or gender of dog that is most likely to match the emotional and physical needs of the person who will provide a home for the pet.     

Long-term EKG in dogs: comparison between a computerized system and visual arrhythmia analysis]

Based on results of holter ecg recordings taken from 38 dogs the computerized analyses system turned out as method not exactly valuing the frequency and sensitivity of arrhythmias. Despite there was a significant correlation between the computerized and visual arrhythmia analysis for ventricular respectively supraventricular premature beats, in individual cases there was an important aberration between the particular values.     

Breed incidence of lymphoma in a UK population of insured dogs

Canine lymphoma is one of the commonest forms of spontaneous canine neoplasia. Improved understanding of the genetic and environmental risk factors for canine lymphoma, including breed differences, may have comparative benefits for the study of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in humans. In this study, data from a pet insurance company were used to estimate the incidences of canine lymphoma for pedigree breeds in the UK. Out of a total of 130 684 insured dogs, 103 had a diagnosis of lymphoma recorded. A significant breed effect was found with the boxer, bulldog and bull mastiff breeds, all having a high incidence of lymphoma. The small number of lymphoma cases recorded may have limited our ability to detect other breeds with an elevated risk. Incidence of lymphoma was found to increase with age, peaking at 10 years of age.     

Mechanical comparison of median sternotomy closure in dogs using polydioxanone and wire sutures

Objectives : To compare the mechanical properties of two different materials for canine median sternotomy closure . Study Design : In vitro biomechanical study. Sample Population : Twelve canine cadaveric entire sternum and portion of associated ribs and musculature. Methods : Median sternotomy leaving the manubrium intact was closed using polydioxanone and stainless steel wire in a figure of eight pattern. Constructs were loaded in a servohydraulic material testing system and displacement was compared at loads of 125, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 N, and at failure. Results : Displacement at loads up to 400 N and failure did not show any statistical difference between the polydioxanone and the stainless steel wire. However, the loading forces to create failure of the construct were superior for the stainless steel. Polydioxanone and stainless steel wire had the same response to distractive forces for loads applied up to 400 N. Clinical Significance : This study cannot recommend the use of polydioxanone over wires but suggests that polydioxanone can potentially be an alternative for primary median sternotomy closure in selected patients.     

Spatial and temporal comparison of selected cancers in dogs and humans, Michigan, USA, 1964-1994

Our aim was to investigate the geographic and time distributions of some biologically similar neoplasms in dogs and humans living in Michigan, USA, between 1964 and 1994. Our objective was to describe and compare the patterns of cancer in the two species while assessing the strength and dependence of those patterns. In this retrospective, registry-based study, histologically confirmed incident human and canine cancer cases were mapped, and second-order (K function) spatial analysis and one-dimensional nearest neighbor temporal analysis were performed on residence addresses and dates of hospital discharge/diagnosis. Included in the study were all 528 incident cases of canine lymphosarcoma, mammary adenocarcinoma, melanoma and spindle-cell sarcomas diagnosed at a veterinary teaching hospital between 1964 and 1994 having residence addresses in Ingham, Oakland, and Wayne Counties; and a stratified random sample of 913 incident human cases of comparable cancers diagnosed during the same time period from the same counties. Results suggest that processes determining spatial aggregation of cases in dogs and humans were not independent of each other, did not act uniformly over different geographic areas, operated at spatial scales <2000 m regardless of species, and tend to act upon dogs more strongly at shorter distances than on humans. Little evidence of interspecies concurrence of temporal clustering was found.     

Intestinal permeability testing using lactulose and rhamnose: a comparison between clinically normal cats and dogs and between dogs of different breeds

In the experiment reported here, the lactulose/rhamnose urinary excretion test was used to compare intestinal permeability between four breeds of healthy adult dogs and a group of healthy adult cats. A significant difference in permeability was found between dogs and cats (P <0.001) and between different breeds of dogs (P <0.005). The range of urinary lactulose/rhamnose ratios in the dogs in this study (0.07-0.61) was wider than previously reported (0.03-0.12). The mean value for dogs was 0.19. The range in cats was 0.41-1.25 and the mean 0.52. The results of this study suggest that breed or some other factor such as environment, diet or sexual status as well as species should be taken into account when assessing intestinal permeability using the lactulose/rhamnose urinary excretion test.     

Using the correct regression analysis technique in method comparison studies

Regression analysis frequently is used to evaluate a new clinical laboratory method. Results from the new method are compared to results from an existing more established method. If measurement error exists in the established method, then least squares may not be an appropriate statistical method to use for the regression analysis. An errors variable regression analysis model was used to evaluate data from five method comparison studies. Results were compared to least squares analyses performed on the same data. When significant measurement error existed in the "reference" method, the errors variable analysis provided a less biased estimate of the regression statistics, which differed markedly from the least squares results. Inappropriate use of least squares in method comparison studies can lead to erroneous conclusions about the relationship of a new analytical method to an existing method.