PREVALENCE AND INHERITANCE OF AND SELECTION FOR ELBOW ARTHROSIS IN BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS AND ROTTWEILERS IN SWEDEN AND BENEFIT-COST-ANALYSIS OF A SCREENING AND CONTROL PROGRAM
L. Swenson et al., PREVALENCE AND INHERITANCE OF AND SELECTION FOR ELBOW ARTHROSIS IN BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS AND ROTTWEILERS IN SWEDEN AND BENEFIT-COST-ANALYSIS OF A SCREENING AND CONTROL PROGRAM, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 210(2), 1997, pp. 215
Objective-To determine the prevalence and changes over time in the pre
valence of elbow arthrosis in Bernese Mountain Dogs and Rottweilers, t
o ascertain whether prevalence or severity of elbow arthrosis was asso
ciated with sex of the dogs, age at the time of elbow joint examinatio
n, or ancestral background, to determine the effects of selective bree
ding, and to conduct an economic evaluation of the elbow arthrosis pro
gram operated by the Swedish Kennel Club. Design-Analysis of radiograp
hic evaluations of elbow joint conformity. Animals-4,515 dogs from 2 b
reeds registered by the Swedish Kennel Club. Procedure-All radiographs
were scrutinized by a single radiologist (LA), and elbow joint confor
mation was classified as normal or arthrotic, with the degree of arthr
osis classified as 1, 2, or 3. Results-Decreasing prevalence of elbow
arthrosis corresponding to selection of breeding stock and high herita
bilities was found. Sex differences were documented in both breeds, bu
t with contradictory directions. This was interpreted as breed differe
nces in the distribution of genes related to elbow arthrosis, Economic
analyses showed that costs of screening and registration of elbow joi
nts was less than the value of dogs estimated to have been saved from
moderate and severe elbow arthrosis in both breeds. Clinical Implicati
ons-Documented effects of age suggest that all dogs should be screened
at the same age, rather than screening a few dogs at an older, more r
evealing age. In screening and control programs based on an open regis
try with access to family records, decreasing prevalence of elbow arth
rosis can be expected, and related to selection of breeding stock.