Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Joint-related diseases including hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow arthritis (ED) can in advance cases lead to that the dog has to be put down, and these diseases are also the cause to expensive veterinary treatments of many large breeds, including Labrador Retrievers. The aim of this study was to make a follow-up study on the 271 Labradors, who previously participated in a study on the effect of nutrition and exercise on hip and elbow status in a birth cohort born year 2000. That study investigated the relationship between nutrition, exercise, and HD and ED. A follow up study on the same dogs at 5-6 years of age investigated the clinical effects of the radiological hip and elbow status at 1 years of age and if was effected by body condition score. This study took place in 2011-2012 and 187 Labrador retrievers participated. The dogs were now between 11-12 years old.

This follow-up was like the two previous studies, based on a survey by a combined mail and telephone interviews with a response rate of 68% (187/271). The questionnaire contained 13 questions regarding demographic data, disease and health. The HD and ED status at one year of age were already available from the Swedish Kennel Club registers.
This study showed:

that 86 dogs had died since the study started in 2000 and of these 6% (19/292) dogs died as a result of joint or bone-related disease.

that even though the study included many dogs with confirmed severe dysplasia in one or both hips and elbows at the age of 10-11 years of age, relatively few dogs (n=18) had died due to clinical symptoms of these diseases.
Significantly more dogs (n=30) were put down due different forms of cancers.

that at the age of 5-6 years many dogs had clinical problems that may be associated with HD and/or ED. In these cases, the degree of HD and ED at the radiographic examination at 1-2 years was of major importance, although many dogs with non-affected status also had clinical problems, particularly at the age of 10-11 years.

that a higher proportion of dogs were reported to suffer from symptoms of skeletal disease already at the age of 5-6 years but also at 10-11 years of age if they had HD (grade C, D or E) in comparison if they were free (ua) of the hips ( 48 or 29%, P = 0.055).

that this study did not demonstrate any significant effect of weight for the development of clinical symptoms in dogs that were still alive at 11-12 years of age. Contrary to the significant effect of weight at the age of 1 years old were increased weight was associated with radiological detectable HD and ED.