German Shepherd Research Articles

Assessment of New Radiographic Traits in Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD)

Abstract Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a polygenic, multifactorial developmental disorder of the hip joint. Hip laxity, an early characteristic of CHD, leads to degeneration within the joint due to mechanical injury. Definitive diagnosis can be achieved by x-ray examination. The aim of our study is to refine CHD assessments using a quantitative planimetry method. The measurement of the Norberg angle (NA) was found subjective and insufficient to measure hip laxity on the standard ventrodorsal projection, because extension of the pelvic limbs stretches the joint capsule and supports joint congruence. Therefore, we have decided to verify other methods of detecting CHD, which include measurement of femoral head coverage (linear and area coverage) and congruence angle (AoC). These parameters could provide us with relevant information about how well the head of the femur fits into the acetabulum and thus might help to assess CHD better, and identify affected individuals better. In our study, we included 122 x-ray images of 3 breeds of dogs of both sexes and at different ages 5.6 ± 1.8 years. The highest correlation was between both femoral head linear and both area overlap for Bavarian hounds. For Bernese mountain dogs it was between right NA and linear and area femoral overlap, between both femoral head linear and both area overlap. For German shepherd dogs it was found between both NA, between right NA and right AoC, between both AoC, between both NA with both femoral overlap and between both AoC and both femoral overlap on the same side.

Concurrent Torsion of the Caudate Liver Lobe and Spleen in a German Shepherd Dog

Concurrent Torsion of the Caudate Liver Lobe and Spleen in a German Shepherd Dog

Factors related to longevity and mortality of dogs in Italy

Besides its translational value, an improved understanding of dog longevity and mortality is necessary to guide health management decisions, breed selection, and improve dog welfare. In order to analyse the lifespan of dogs in Italy, identify the most common causes of death, and evaluate possible risk factors, anonymised medical records were collected from 9 veterinary teaching hospitals and 2 public health institutions. Data regarding breed, sex, neuter status, age, diagnosis, and mechanism of death were retrieved. Cause of death (COD) was classified by pathophysiologic process (PP) and organ system (OS). Of the 4957 dogs that died between 2004 and 2020 included in the study, 2920 (59.0%) were purebred, 2293 (46.2%) were female, 3005 (60.6%) were intact, 2883 (58.2%) were euthanised. Overall median longevity was 10.0 years. Median longevity was significantly longer for crossbreds, females, neutered dogs, and small-sized breeds. The breeds with the highest median age at death were the Yorkshire terrier, English cocker spaniel, West Highland white terrier, Italian volpino, and Shih Tzu, whilst the American bulldog, English bulldog, American pit bull terrier, Bernese mountain dog and the Maremma and the Abruzzes sheepdog had the lowest median age at death. The most frequent COD by PP was neoplasia (34.0%), which occurred more frequently in large breeds, namely German shepherd, Labrador retriever and Boxer. Degenerative diseases mostly affected small-sized dogs like Miniature pinscher and Dachshund. Regarding the OS involved, diseases of the renal/urinary system were most frequently responsible for COD (15.0%), prevalently degenerative and inflammatory/infectious. Substantial variation in median longevity according to causes of death by PP and OS was observed. These data are relevant for breeders, veterinary practitioners, and owners, to assist breed selection, facilitate early diagnosis, guide choice when purchasing a purebred dog and making health management decisions, and ultimately improve dog welfare.

Ventricular arrhythmias during anesthesia in a juvenile German Shepherd Dog.

Ventricular arrhythmias during anesthesia in a juvenile German Shepherd Dog.

Features of statistical accounting of service dogs of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia: in search of a universal service dog.

This publication completes the presentation of part of the results of a study conducted at the Research Institute of Information Technologies of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. The purpose of the study is to increase the effectiveness of departmental statistical surveillance in the field of organizing the work of the security service to ensure the security of institutions of the penal system. As a result of the study, it was decided to make significant changes to the composition and organization of statistical indicators, which are intended to inform the Department of Protection and Escort of the Federal Penitentiary Service about service dogs of institutions of the penal system. Problems in the field of breeding German Shepherds have aroused the interest of specialists in service dog breeding to dogs of other breeds that differ in the presence of universal abilities, in particular to Rottweilers and Belgian shepherds (Malinois). The article emphasizes the importance of collecting, processing and analyzing statistical information about the number of dogs of these breeds.

Incidence of canine reproductive cases presented to veterinary college Gadag, during 2021-2023

A study on the incidence of gynaecological cases in canines was presented between April 2021andMarch 2023 at the Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Veterinary College Gadag. A total of 374 gynaecological cases were presented. The highest incidence was found to be Exfoliative Vaginal Cytology (36.10%), followed by Pregnancy Diagnosis (26.74%), Birth control (7.49%), Tumour (7.22%), Assisted mating and AI (7.22%), Pyometra (6.15%), Anoestrous (4.28%), Mismating (2.41%), Dystocia (1.34%) and Retention of Fetal Membranes (1.07%). Breed-wisepredilection indicated that Labrador Retriever(32.89%), Golden Retriever (10.70%), German Shepherd (10.70%), Rottweiler (9.63%) and others(36.10%).The majority of cases were presented during Winter (29.94%), followed by Monsoon (25.94%), Autumn (22.73%) and Summer (21.39%).

Laparoscopic partial pancreatectomy through an advanced lateral approach as treatment for insulinoma in dogs: a case series.

A minimally invasive partial pancreatectomy was performed through a novel laparoscopic lateral flank approach in sternal-oblique recumbency in four clinical cases presented with an insulinoma. All four cases were female castrated dogs of older age (range 7-9 years) and different breeds (Wire haired dachshund, German shepherd, Jack Russel terrier, and Boxer), and all presented with episodic weakness, tremors, and/or seizures. The diagnosis was based on plasma glucose level below reference range with concomitant increased or normal insulin level. A laparoscopic approach was considered based on triple-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography findings of the abdomen, revealing a pancreatic mass situated in the right pancreatic limb or left pancreatic limb without suspicion of metastasis. Laparoscopic procedures were performed without any major complications, and peri-operative glycemia increased to (supra-)normal levels in all cases. Histopathologic reports qualified the masses as neuroendocrine carcinomas, and in conjunction with the clinical picture, this neoplasia was further defined as insulinoma. Post-operative care in an intensive care unit was of short duration, and all animals were discharged being clinically normal and normoglycemic in between 1.5 and 2.5-day post-surgery. At short-term follow-up, no dogs showed clinical abnormalities, all recovered well from the surgical procedure, and blood glucose levels remained in the normal range. During long-term follow-up, 2 cases remained clinically normal at the time of writing, 564 and 1,211 days after surgery, 1 dog had recurrence of hypoglycemic episodes after 246 days and was euthanized after 673 days of surgery due to progressing disease, and 1 dog was euthanized after 1,028 days of surgery due to reasons unrelated to the insulinoma. Survival times ranged from 599 to 1,232 days after diagnosis. Considering the highly metastatic nature and difficulty of full laparoscopic staging of insulinoma patients, thorough pre-operative disease staging is warranted when considering a laparoscopic approach. This case series shows the feasibility of a novel laparoscopic flank approach for right and left partial pancreatectomy in dogs. Furthermore, proper case selection resulted in favorable outcome in these insulinoma patients.

Outcome of eight working dogs with fibrotic myopathy following extracorporeal shockwave and rehabilitation therapy: a case series.

Fibrotic myopathy of the gracilis, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus is described primarily in working German Shepherd dogs. The purpose of this case series is to describe the rehabilitation modalities and treatments utilized in working dogs with fibrotic myopathy and the time frame they were able to continue working. Medical records of patients with hindlimb lameness that were presented to the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York City from 2012 to 2023 were retrospectively searched. Signalment, history, clinical evaluation, gait analysis, goniometry of stifles, and follow-up evaluation were compared among patients. Ten male working dogs met inclusion criteria. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ECSWT) was administered under sedation or general anesthesia. Rehabilitation therapy (RT), including massage, hamstring stretch, photobiomodulation, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, warm compress, therapeutic ultrasound, underwater treadmill, and therapeutic exercises, were performed once every one to 3 weeks with varying protocols according to patient assessments. Follow-up phone calls and emails were conducted to determine long-term outcome. On average, dogs were able to work full-time for 32.1 months (range 6-82; SD 23.6) from the time of diagnosis. No activity limitation was reported by the owners/handlers. This report is the first to describe non-invasive medical treatments that may extend the working ability of dogs diagnosed with fibrotic myopathy. Further prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to demonstrate the efficacy of ECSWT and RT for treating fibrotic myopathy. The results of this retrospective study suggest that the combination of ECSWT and RT may allow working dogs with fibrotic myopathy to continue their working capacity for an extended period of time.

Press X to Pet: A Critical Analysis of Dog-Petting Mechanics in High-Profile (MMO)RPGS

ABSTRACT Within high-profile RPGs, dogs (and other nonhuman animals) often cannot be petted. This state of affairs has been changing, though, in response to player demand. In this article, I argue that players want pet-type animals categorized as petable to maintain anthropocentric notions of the relationship between humans and animals. Pairing the idea of petability with that killability, I examine Alice, a German shepherd, from The Last of Us 2 (2020), Fortnite (2017) patch 8.40 (2019), and Patrick Lenton’s (2016) viral Twitter thread about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011). Each of these texts features very different reasons for dogs being present and very different ways the player can interact with these in-game dogs. Using the notion of killability to examine the role of pet-type animals, the implicit beliefs about the place and purpose of dogs are made explicit within game worlds. These examples of ‘pet-able’ dogs speak to cultural anxieties surrounding companionate human–animal relationships. Incapable of interacting with pet-type animals in friendly or familial ways, players either must acknowledge the arbitrariness of anthropocentric friend/object divides or reassert the (il)logics of contemporary American anthropocentrism and demand the ability to press X to pet.

Radical excision and histopathological diagnosis of Trichoblastoma in a German Shepherd dog

Radical excision and histopathological diagnosis of Trichoblastoma in a German Shepherd dog

Evaluation of one-shot vincristine sulfate combined with surgical excision as a new regimen for treatment of canine transmissible venereal tumor

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of surgical excision combined with a single shot of vincristine sulfate for treating transmissible venereal tumor (TVT) in dogs. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two dogs were divided randomly into two groups (n = 26). Dogs in Group I were treated surgically by debulking the tumorous mass, whereas dogs in Group II were subjected to a combination of surgery and a single injection of vincristine sulfate. Results: Female dogs showed a high prevalence of TVT compared to males (67.3%, n = 35 vs. 32.7%, n = 17), respectively. The German shepherd’s breed showed a high prevalence of TVT compared to other breeds. There was a positive association between sex and outcomes. Most occurrences of regret in Group II were reported in females (n = 16, 61.5%) compared to male dogs (n = 10, 38.5%). There was also a positive association between breed and outcome. Most occurrences of regret in Group II were reported in German shepherd dogs (n = 16) compared to Group I (n = 7). In Group I, 15 dogs (57.7%) showed a complete regression, and 11 (42.3%) underwent recurrence. However, in Group II, 21 dogs (80.7%) showed a complete regression, and 5 dogs (19.2 %) underwent recurrence. Conclusions: It appears therefore that the simultaneous use of surgery and administration of a single dose of vincristine sulfate could be considered a combination therapy for TVT as it reduces the risk of recurrence and has a reasonable cost. Recognizing potential risk factors associated with TVT in dogs may be helpful in constructing the best preventive measures.

Canine transmissible venereal tumour in Morocco: Clinical and pathological findings in 64 dogs – Insights from a descriptive epidemiological study (2020-2023)

Background: Canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) is a widely spread, contagious neoplasm commonly found in dogs. Mostly affects the external genitalia, however, it may also exhibit unusual clinical presentations. Aim: To describe the epidemiology, clinical appearance, cytologic and histopathologic features of dogs with TVT in Morocco. Methods: Within the realm of a nation-wide study on canine and feline tumours in Morocco between September 2020 and March 2023, dogs with histologically diagnosed TVT were identified and data on epidemiologic, clinical as well as cytologic and histologic features compiled and analyzed. Results: A total of 64 cases of canine TVT were diagnosed. 52 dogs were cross-breed (81.2%) while 4 Siberian Huskies (6.2%) and 3 German shepherds (4.7%) were the most affected pure-breed dogs. Median age of dogs at diagnosis was 3 years (range, 1-10years) and male gender was more common (male:female ratio; 1.3:1). Tumour was located exclusively in the genital area in 58 cases (90.6%), whereas 6 dogs (9.4%) had an atypical occurrence of TVT with locations including skin and nasal cavity. Cytology allowed for an early diagnosis in 2 cases. Histology revealed no differences between the genital and extragenital forms. Immunohistochemistry was necessary in 4 cases and revealed positive staining for vimentin and Alpha-1-antitrypsin, negative marking for CD3, CD20 and AE1/AE3, and low cytoplasmic labeling for lysozyme. Conclusion: CTVT is a widely distributed neoplasm in Morocco, mostly showing presence in young, cross-breed, and oftentimes stray dogs. Adequate understanding of this tumour's epidemiological features is necessary for its management and eradication.

Ectopia cordis torácica, agenesia esternal, ectopia hepática parcial y fisura abdominal en un cachorro de pastor alemán con pentalogía incompleta de Cantrell más leve. Caso clínico

A newborn German Shepherd breed male puppy was presented with the complaint that some organs were formed outside the chest and abdomen. The rhythmic movements of the swelling under the chest pointed out the heart and the swelling under the abdomen was covered with a membrane. On the lateral radiograph of body, sternal agenesis, extra–thoracic location of the heart, and normal diaphragmatic border were seen, while the swelling in the abdomen was thought to be liver. During the diagnostic steps, the puppy died, and necropsy was performed. At necropsy, it was observed that the heart wrapped with the pericardium was placed extra–thoracically (thoracic ectopia cordis) due to sternal agenesis, and the liver was partially located extra–abdominally (ectopia hepatica) due to fissura abdominalis, which was surrounded by the peritoneum. Both radiological and necropsy findings revealed that there was no rib structure after the costochondral joints. Diaphragm was present, and there was no abnormality in the other intrathoracic and intraabdominal organs. Here, it is aimed to report thoracic ectopia cordis, sternal agenesis, ectopia hepatica and fissura abdominalis in a German Shepherd puppy with milder incomplete pentalogy of Cantrell, and to present the radiological and necropsy findings of the anomaly.

Modeling the Effects of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Movement on Dogs

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is a tick‐borne infectious disease transmitted by Amblyomma americanum tick. This infectious disease was discovered in the 1970s when military dogs were returning from the Vietnam War. The disease was found to be extremely severe in German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Belgium Malinois, and Siberian Huskies. In this study, we developed a mathematical model for dogs and ticks infected with Ehrlichia chaffeensis with the aim of understanding the impact of movement on dogs as they move from one location to another. This could be a dog taken on a walk in an urban area or on a hike in the mountains. We carried out a global sensitivity analysis with and without movement between three locations using as response functions the sum of acutely and chronically infected ticks and the sum of infected ticks in all life stages. The parameters with the most significant impact on the response functions are dogs disease progression rate, dogs chronic infection progression rate, dogs recovery rate, dogs natural death rate, acutely and chronically infected dogs disease‐induced death rate, dogs birth rate, eggs maturation rates, tick biting rate, dogs and ticks transmission probabilities, ticks death rate, and the location carrying capacity. Our simulation results show that infection in dogs and ticks are localized in the absence of movement and spreads between locations with highest infection in locations with the highest rate movement. Also, the effect of the control measures which reduces infection trickles to other locations (trickling effect) when controls are implemented in a single location. The trickling effect is strongest when control is implemented in a location with the highest movement rate into it.

Stabilization with a String-of-Pearls Plate as Treatment for Degenerative Lumbosacral Disease in a Young German Shepherd Dog

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to report the use of a String-of-Pearls (SOP) plate for lumbosacral stabilization as treatment for a 1-year-old German Shepherd suffering from sacral osteochondritis and compressive myelopathy due to lumbosacral subluxation and causing a chronic right hindlimb lameness.Clinical, imaging, and surgical features are described. Study Design Case report. Results A dorsal laminectomy allowed for debridement and lumbosacral stabilization using an SOP plate which led to significant improvement of clinical signs and resolution of pain and discomfort. Conclusion Successful surgical management was achieved with good long-term results using an SOP plate to stabilize the lumbosacral junction.

Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia and Pyometra Complex in a Bitch

A 11 years old German Shepherd bitch with the history of abdominal distension, vomiting, and purulent vaginal dis charge was presented to Veterinary Clinical Complex, DUVASU, Mathura. Haematological examination revealed increase in total erythrocyte count and total leucocyte count while decrease in platelet count. The condition was treated with ovariohysterectomy and histopathological examination revealed the condition as cystic endometrial hyperplasia with pyometra complex.

Enhancement of dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drug florfenicol by using solid dispersion and effervescent disintegration technology

Objective Florfenicol(FF) is an excellent veterinary antibiotic, limited by poor solubility and poor bioavailability. Significance Here in, we aimed to explore the applicability of fast disintegrating tablets compressed from Florfenicol-loaded solid dispersions (FF-SD-FDTs) to improve the dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of Florfenicol. Methods Utilizing selecting appropriate preparation methods and carriers, the solid dispersions of Florfenicol (FF-SDs) were prepared by solvent evaporation and the fast disintegrating tablets (FF-SD-FDTs) were prepared by the direct compression (DC) method. Results The tablet properties including hardness, friability, disintegration time, weight variation, etc. all met the specifications of Chinese Veterinary Pharmacopeia(CVP). FF-SD-FDTs significantly improved drug dissolution and dispersion of FF in vitro compared to florfenicol conventional tablets (FF-CTs). A pharmacokinetics study in German shepherd dogs proved the AUC0-∞ and C max values of FF-SD-FDTs are 1.38 and 1.38 times more than FF-CTs, respectively. Conclusions Overall, it can be concluded that FF-SD-FDTs with excellent disintegration and dissolution properties were successfully produced, which greatly improved the oral bioavailability of the poorly soluble drug FF, and the study provided a new idea for a broader role of FF in pet clinics.

Canine panosteitis and preventive veterinary measures: insights from a case series

BackgroundCanine panosteitis is a self-limiting developmental orthopedic disease that, despite its name, causes bone marrow adipocyte degeneration and replacement by fibrous tissue. Pain-related lameness is the main clinical sign in young dogs from predisposed breeds such as German Shepherd. Etiology is unknown, and characteristic radiographic sign is increased medullary opacity of affected bone. This case series describes clinical course, radiographic findings, therapy and vaccination schemes adopted in four non-related German Shepherd dogs affected by panosteitis and attended sequentially at a private veterinary diagnostic center.Case presentationLameness was the unanimous clinical sign, accompanied by increased medullary radiopacity of the affected bone. Prescription medication included analgesic drugs and in two cases, nutraceuticals. Calcium supplement was prescribed for one of the dogs, but it was not administered by the owner. All dogs had full recovery from 2 to 14 days followed drug administration. Despite commonly described features, a high number of vaccine doses per patient, in the first months of age, were an intriguing observation, raising question about vaccination and the immune system influence in triggering such diseases in predisposed dogs.ConclusionsAlthough a common disease, panosteitis etiology remains undefined. Under this scenario and the presented cases, further research in order to revise vaccination protocols is advised for panosteitis predisposed breeds such as German Shepherd. Besides, local veterinary clinicians’ unawareness of the disease was evident in many aspects and affected therapeutic prescription although not compromising patient recovery.

Diascopy and histopathological evaluation of nonblanching erythematous dermatoses in dogs.

Diascopy is a point-of-care diagnostic test used to differentiate skin erythema due to vascular dilation from haemorrhage. In the veterinary literature, only a handful of diseases have been described to be associated with a negative (nonblanching) diascopy result, and histological investigation of haemorrhage has been inconsistent. Retrospective study to undertake a histopathological investigation of canine, nonblanching erythematous dermatoses for the presence or absence of haemorrhage and vascular changes. Skin biopsies from dogs presented with moderate-to-severe nonblanching erythema were evaluated histologically. Additionally, clinical data about each patient were analysed. Twenty cases were identified with nonblanching erythema. Diagnoses included vasculopathy (n = 6), canine eosinophilic dermatitis (n = 3), cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (n = 2), and one case each of sterile granuloma and pyogranuloma syndrome, German shepherd dog pyoderma, multiple mast cell tumours, haemangiosarcoma, exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus, canine leishmaniosis with sebaceous adenitis, sebaceous adenitis with concurrent dermatophytosis, calcinosis cutis and canine atopic dermatitis with insect-bite reaction. One or more vascular changes were present in all 20 cases and included perivascular oedema, endothelial swelling and neutrophilic infiltration of vessel walls. Haemorrhage was identified in 17 of 20 cases (85%). Three cases without dermal haemorrhage were calcinosis cutis, sebaceous adenitis with dermatophytosis and canine atopic dermatitis with insect-bite reaction. Negative diascopy was associated with haemorrhage and vascular pathological findings in the majority of cases, yet not all. Haemorrhage was identified histologically in all diseases previously reported as nonblanching as well as in a few additional diseases.

Clinical outcome of idiopathic juvenile ventricular arrhythmias in 25 dogs

Introduction/ObjectivesJuvenile ventricular arrhythmias in the absence of structural heart disease have been characterized in a small number of canine breeds with limited long-term follow up. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical outcome of dogs with JVA presenting to a university teaching hospital. Animals, materials, methodsTwenty five dogs, less than two years old with idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias were retrospectively identified via a medical record search. Young dogs with ventricular arrhythmias were excluded if they had structural heart disease, systemic illness, or an abnormal troponin (if performed). Electrocardiographic and Holter monitor data was evaluated for arrhythmia frequency and complexity at the time of diagnosis and over time. Long-term follow up was achieved through client and primary veterinarian contact. ResultsBreeds included German Shepherd (eight), Boxer (four), Great Dane (three), mixed breed (two) and one each of the following: Anatolian Shepherd, French Bulldog, golden retriever, Great Pyrenees, Labrador retriever, Shiloh Shepherd, miniature Poodle and Siberian Husky. The average age at diagnosis was 7.9 months (range, 2–22 months). The overall median survival was 10.96 years (range, 1.75–15.66 years). There was an average reduction in the number of ventricular beats by 86.7 % per year (P value −0.0257) based on Holter data. ConclusionIn most cases, idiopathic juvenile ventricular arrhythmias had a favorable long-term prognosis with reduced ectopy over time in this case series. Juvenile ventricular arrhythmias remains a diagnosis of exclusion but can be considered in a broader range of dog breeds than previously described.