The epidemiology of osteochondrosis in an insured Swedish dog population.

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a focal disturbance of endochondral ossification due to a failure of blood supply to the epiphyseal growth cartilage. In dogs, OC most commonly affects the shoulder joint, followed by the elbow, tarsal, and stifle joints. The condition is associated with clinical signs such as lameness and pain and the prognosis varies depending on the affected joint.

The epidemiology of patellar luxation in an insured Swedish dog population.

Patellar luxation (PL) is a common orthopaedic condition in dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and cause-specific mortality rate, age at diagnosis, and risk factors for medial PL (MPL), lateral PL (LPL), and bidirectional PL (BPL). Other diagnoses in dogs with PL were also explored.

Correction: The genetic consequences of dog breed formation-Accumulation of deleterious genetic variation and fixation of mutations associated with myxomatous mitral valve disease in cavalier King Charles spaniels.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.

The genetic consequences of dog breed formation-Accumulation of deleterious genetic variation and fixation of mutations associated with myxomatous mitral valve disease in cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Selective breeding for desirable traits in strictly controlled populations has generated an extraordinary diversity in canine morphology and behaviour, but has also led to loss of genetic variation and random entrapment of disease alleles. As a consequence, specific diseases are now prevalent in certain breeds, but whether the recent breeding practice led to an overall increase in genetic load remains unclear. Here we generate whole genome sequencing (WGS) data from 20 dogs per breed from eight breeds and document a ~10% rise in the number of derived alleles per genome at evolutionarily conserved sites in the heavily bottlenecked cavalier King Charles spaniel breed (cKCs) relative to in most breeds studied here.

The epidemiology of cruciate ligament rupture in an insured Swedish dog population.

Cruciate ligament rupture (CLR) is a common orthopedic disorder in dogs. The study objectives were to evaluate incidence rate (IR), cause-specific mortality rate (CSMR) and risk factors for CLR in insured dogs. A single cohort study of dogs insured in Agria Pet Insurance in Sweden (2011-2016) was performed.

The epidemiology of stifle joint disease in an insured Swedish dog population.

Background: Stifle joint diseases (SJD) are common in dogs and include a variety of diagnoses. The objective of the study was to provide an overview of the epidemiology of SJD in insured dogs.

Methods: An historical single cohort study of dogs insured in Agria Pet Insurance (2011-2016) in Sweden was performed.

A novel canine reference genome resolves genomic architecture and uncovers transcript complexity.

We present GSD_1.0, a high-quality domestic dog reference genome with chromosome length scaffolds and contiguity increased 55-fold over CanFam3.1.

Professional dental cleaning in dogs: clinical routines among Swedish veterinarians and veterinary nurses.

Background: Dental disease is very common in dogs and veterinary professional dental cleaning and examination, together with daily dental home care, is the foundation for good dental health. To our knowledge, no previous study has investigated professional dental cleaning routines in small animal veterinary practice. A validated questionnaire survey was distributed to all veterinarians and veterinary nurses with registered e-mail addresses in the Swedish national registry (veterinarians; n = 3657, veterinary nurses; n = 1650).

Dog Owners' Perspectives on Canine Dental Health-A Questionnaire Study in Sweden.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases affecting dogs, with a reported prevalence of at least 80% in dogs over 3 years of age. However, there is a lack of studies regarding dog owners' assessment of their dog's dental health, and whether they perceive clinical signs often associated with periodontal disease, i.e.

Disease-related and overall survival in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease, a historical cohort study.

Objective: To analyse the effect of treatment method and other risk factors on survival in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD).

Methods: A historical cohort study of 333 dogs presenting with CCLD at two University Hospitals (2011-2016) was performed. Signalment, history, treatment and follow-up details were retrieved from medical records, dog owners and referring veterinarians.

Dental home care in dogs - a questionnaire study among Swedish dog owners, veterinarians and veterinary nurses.

Background: Periodontal disease remains one of the dog's most common health issues, even though it is largely preventable by tooth brushing. Implementation of daily tooth brushing would not only improve animal welfare, but also reduce veterinary costs for the owner. There is a paucity of studies investigating attitudes, opinions and practices of dog owners, veterinarians, and veterinary nurses regarding preventative dental home care in dogs.

Development and validation of two questionnaires: Dental home care and dental health in Swedish dogs.

Background: Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in dogs. However, no studies have investigated the attitudes, opinions and practices of dog owners, veterinarians and veterinary nurses regarding dental health and preventative dental home care in dogs. The objective of this study was therefore to develop and validate questionnaires for this purpose, in accordance with survey methodology guidelines.

Catestatin, vasostatin, cortisol, and pain assessments in dogs suffering from traumatic bone fractures.

Background: Traumatic bone fractures cause moderate to severe pain, which needs to be minimized for optimal recovery and animal welfare, illustrating the need for reliable objective pain biomarkers for use in a clinical setting. The objectives of this study were to investigate catestatin (CST) and vasostatin (VS) concentrations as two new potential biomarkers, and cortisol concentrations, scores of the short form of the Glasgow composite measure pain scale (CMPS-SF), and visual analog scale (VAS) in dogs suffering from traumatic bone fractures before and after morphine administration in comparison with healthy dogs.

Methods: Fourteen dogs with hind limb or pelvic fractures and thirty healthy dogs were included.

Stem cells in the canine pituitary gland and in pituitary adenomas.

Cushing's disease (CD) or pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism is a common endocrinopathy in dogs, with an estimated prevalence of 1 or 2 in 1000 dogs per year. It is caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting adenoma in the pars distalis or pars intermedia of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland located in the pituitary fossa.

Thorough investigation of a canine autoinflammatory disease (AID) confirms one main risk locus and suggests a modifier locus for amyloidosis.

Autoinflammatory disease (AID) manifests from the dysregulation of the innate immune system and is characterised by systemic and persistent inflammation. Clinical heterogeneity leads to patients presenting with one or a spectrum of phenotypic signs, leading to difficult diagnoses in the absence of a clear genetic cause. We used separate genome-wide SNP analyses to investigate five signs of AID (recurrent fever, arthritis, breed specific secondary dermatitis, otitis and systemic reactive amyloidosis) in a canine comparative model, the pure bred Chinese Shar-Pei.

Prognostic factors for outcome after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.

Object: The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors for outcome after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH).

Methods: One veterinary neurosurgeon performed transsphenoidal hypophysectomies in 181 dogs with PDH over a 12-year period. Survival analysis was performed with the Kaplan-Meier method.

Role of Brg1 and HDAC2 in GR trans-repression of the pituitary POMC gene and misexpression in Cushing disease.

Negative feedback regulation of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene by the glucocorticoid (Gc) receptor (GR) is a critical feature of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, and it is in part exerted by trans-repression between GR and the orphan nuclear receptors related to NGFI-B. We now show that Brg1, the ATPase subunit of the Swi/Snf complex, is essential for this trans-repression and that Brg1 is required in vivo to stabilize interactions between GR and NGFI-B as well as between GR and HDAC2. Whereas Brg1 is constitutively present at the POMC promoter, recruitment of GR and HDAC2 is ligand-dependent and results in histone H4 deacetylation of the POMC locus.

Efficacy of transsphenoidal hypophysectomy in treatment of dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.

The long-term survival, disease-free fractions, and the complications of hypophysectomy in 150 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) were examined in a prospective study. Long-term survival and disease-free fractions in relation to pituitary size were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meijer estimate procedure. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year estimated survival rates were 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76-89%), 76% (67-83%), 72% (62-79%), and 68% (55-77%), respectively.