University Library
  • Login
A gateway to Melbourne's research publications
Minerva Access is the University's Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve, and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of the University of Melbourne for a global audience.
View Item 
  • Minerva Access
  • Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences
  • Melbourne Veterinary School
  • Veterinary Clinical Sciences
  • Veterinary Clinical Sciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
  • Minerva Access
  • Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences
  • Melbourne Veterinary School
  • Veterinary Clinical Sciences
  • Veterinary Clinical Sciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders.

    Thumbnail
    Download
    Published version (892.9Kb)

    Citations
    Altmetric
    Author
    McGreevy, PD; Wilson, BJ; Mansfield, CS; Brodbelt, DC; Church, DB; Dhand, N; Soares Magalhães, RJ; O'Neill, DG
    Date
    2018
    Source Title
    Canine Genetics and Epidemiology
    Publisher
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    University of Melbourne Author/s
    Mansfield, Caroline
    Affiliation
    Veterinary Clinical Sciences
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Document Type
    Journal Article
    Citations
    McGreevy, P. D., Wilson, B. J., Mansfield, C. S., Brodbelt, D. C., Church, D. B., Dhand, N., Soares Magalhães, R. J. & O'Neill, D. G. (2018). Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders.. Canine Genet Epidemiol, 5 (1), pp.8-. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-018-0064-x.
    Access Status
    Open Access
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11343/253241
    DOI
    10.1186/s40575-018-0064-x
    Open Access at PMC
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6196571
    Abstract
    Background: Labrador retrievers are reportedly predisposed to many disorders but accurate prevalence information relating to the general population are lacking. This study aimed to describe demography, mortality and commonly recorded diseases in Labrador retrievers under UK veterinary care. Methods: The VetCompass™ programme collects electronic patient record data on dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practices. Demographic analysis covered all33,320 Labrador retrievers in the VetCompass™ database under veterinary care during 2013 while disorder and mortality data were extracted from a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) of these dogs. Results: Of the Labrador retrievers with information available, 15,427 (46.4%) were female and 15,252 (53.6%) were male. Females were more likely to be neutered than males (59.7% versus 54.8%, P <  0.001). The overall mean adult bodyweight was 33.0 kg (SD 6.1). Adult males were heavier (35.2 kg, SD 5.9 kg) than adult females (30.4 kg, SD 5.2 kg) (P <  0.001). The median longevity of Labrador retrievers overall was 12.0 years (IQR 9.9-13.8, range 0.0-16.0). The most common recorded colours were black (44.6%), yellow (27.8%) and liver/chocolate (reported from hereon as chocolate) (23.8%). The median longevity of non-chocolate coloured dogs (n = 139, 12.1 years, IQR 10.2-13.9, range 0.0-16.0) was longer than for chocolate coloured animals (n = 34, 10.7 years, IQR 9.0-12.4, range 3.8-15.5) (P = 0.028).Of a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) Labrador retrievers under care in 2013 that had full disorder data extracted, 1277 (61.6%) had at least one disorder recorded. The total number of dogs who died at any date during the study was 176. The most prevalent disorders recorded were otitis externa (n = 215, prevalence 10.4%, 95% CI: 9.1-11.8), overweight/obesity (183, 8.8%, 95% CI: 7.6-10.1) and degenerative joint disease (115, 5.5%, 95% CI: 4.6-6.6). Overweight/obesity was not statistically significantly associated with neutering in females (8.3% of entire versus 12.5% of neutered, P = 0.065) but was associated with neutering in males (4.1% of entire versus 11.4% of neutered, P < 0.001). The prevalence of otitis externa in black dogs was 12.8%, in yellow dogs it was 17.0% but, in chocolate dogs, it rose to 23.4% (P < 0.001). Similarly, the prevalence of pyo-traumatic dermatitis in black dogs was 1.1%, in yellow dogs it was 1.6% but in chocolate dogs it rose to 4.0% (P = 0.011). Conclusions: The current study assists prioritisation of health issues within Labrador retrievers. The most common disorders were overweight/obesity, otitis externa and degenerative joint disease. Males were significantly heavier females. These results can alert prospective owners to potential health issues and inform breed-specific wellness checks.

    Export Reference in RIS Format     

    Endnote

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format" and choose "open with... Endnote".

    Refworks

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format". Login to Refworks, go to References => Import References


    Collections
    • Minerva Elements Records [53102]
    • Veterinary Clinical Sciences - Research Publications [118]
    Minerva AccessDepositing Your Work (for University of Melbourne Staff and Students)NewsFAQs

    BrowseCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects
    My AccountLoginRegister
    StatisticsMost Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors