Degree of osteophyte formation seen on radiographs provides useful prognostic information for dogs with cruciate ligament disease.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent osteoarthritis is generally present in the stifle joints of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD), but it is not known if the degree of osteoarthritis-related changes affects the prognosis. Development of osteophytes is a key radiographic feature of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the degree of osteophyte formation seen on radiographs and CCLD-related euthanasia in dogs with CCLD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study including 226 dogs treated for CCLD at two university animal hospitals was performed. Clinical and follow-up information was retrieved, and stifle radiographs taken during the 31 days before treatment for the CCLD were graded for osteophyte formation by three veterinary radiologists. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was applied to assess the association between the degree of osteophyte formation and CCLD-related euthanasia. RESULTS: An association between the degree of osteophyte formation and CCLD-related euthanasia was found, with increased osteophyte formation associated with an increased hazard of CCLD-related euthanasia (hazard ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.11, p = 0.01). LIMITATIONS: No clinical assessment of the outcome was performed. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that evaluation of stifle radiographs for osteophyte formation could provide useful prognostic information for dogs with CCLD.

Perinatal exposure to a human relevant mixture of persistent organic pollutants: Effects on mammary gland development, ovarian folliculogenesis and liver in CD-1 mice.

The ability of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with endocrine disrupting properties to interfere with the developing reproductive system is of increasing concern. POPs are transferred from dams to offspring and the high sensitivity of neonates to endocrine disturbances may be caused by underdeveloped systems of metabolism and excretion. The present study aimed to characterize the effect of in utero and lactational exposure to a human relevant mixture of POPs on the female mammary gland, ovarian folliculogenesis and liver function in CD-1 offspring mice. Dams were exposed to the mixture through the diet at Control, Low or High doses (representing 0x, 5000x and 100 000x human estimated daily intake levels, respectively) from weaning and throughout mating, gestation, and lactation. Perinatally exposed female offspring exhibited altered mammary gland development and a suppressed ovarian follicle maturation. Increased hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymatic activities indirectly indicated activation of nuclear receptors and potential generation of reactive products. Hepatocellular hypertrophy was observed from weaning until 30 weeks of age and could potentially lead to hepatotoxicity. Further studies should investigate the effects of human relevant mixtures of POPs on several hormones combined with female reproductive ability and liver function.

Correction to: Breed susceptibility for common surgically treated orthopaedic diseases in 12 dog breeds.

After publication of our article [1] we were notified that due to an error in the excel formula used to summarise the control population, the ID-registry data from the Swedish county Gävleborg was not included in the calculations. When including Gävleborg, as intended, the numbers in the adjusted Swedish control population change slightly. It does not influence the Norwegian control population.

Breed susceptibility for common surgically treated orthopaedic diseases in 12 dog breeds.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to estimate breed predisposition for common orthopaedic conditions in 12 popular dog breeds in Norway and Sweden. Orthopaedic conditions investigated were elbow dysplasia (ED); cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD); medial patellar luxation (MPL); and fractures of the radius and ulna. Dogs surgically treated for the conditions above at the Swedish and Norwegian University Animal Hospitals between the years 2011 and 2015 were compared with a geographically adjusted control group calculated from the national ID-registries. Logistic regression analyses (stratified for clinic and combined) were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. Mixed breed dogs were used as reference. RESULTS: Breeds found at-risk for ED were the Labrador retriever (OR = 5.73), the Rottweiler (OR = 5.63), the German shepherd dog (OR = 3.31) and the Staffordshire bull terrier (OR = 3.08). The Chihuahua was the only breed where an increased risk for MPL (OR = 2.80) was identified. While the Rottweiler was the only breed predisposed for CCLD (OR = 3.96), the results were conflicting for the Labrador retriever (OR = 0.44 in Sweden, 2.85 in Norway); the overall risk was identical to mixed-breed dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Most results are in concordance with earlier studies. However, an increased risk of CCLD was not identified for the Labrador retriever, the Staffordshire bull terrier was found to have an increased risk of ED and some country-specific differences were noted. These results highlight the importance of utilising large caseloads and appropriate control groups when breed susceptibility is reported.