The results of a two year and ongoing project that is the first database related to a specific dog breed’s health was presented in the Jan, 18, 2013, issue of the open access journal BMC Veterinary Research.
The research is to date the first and largest long term (longitudinal) study of canine diseases that is aimed to quantify the health, illnesses, and veterinary care of dogs - specifically Labrador Retrievers. Labrador Retrievers were selected as the trial species because they are the most popular pedigreed dog in the United Kingdom.
In the first year of the study 1407 dogs were enrolled in the study with the assistance of the Kennel Club. All Labrador Retrievers born after Jan. 1, 2010, and registered with the Kennel Club were invited to be part of the project.
Early results to come out of this study show that four out of ten of all dogs were ill at some point. The researchers estimated that about 80% of dogs had been ill by the time they were one year old but only half were considered by their owners to be ill enough to need to visit the vet.
Dr. Dylan Clements from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, both part of the University of Edinburgh, was instrumental in developing and analyzing the Dogslife internet-based project.
The database is available here and all Labrador Retrievers born after Jan. 1, 2010, in the UK can still be added to the database. The information is available free to all Labrador Retriever owners in Alabama and elsewhere.
The research was reviewed at the Eureka Alert website the date of publication.
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