Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Genetic causes of lumbosacral vertebra problems in German shepherd
By Gluding, D et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2021·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Genetic background of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae in German shepherd dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the genetic background of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae, a spinal condition, in German shepherd dogs. Researchers analyzed data from over 27,000 dogs and found that this condition has a moderate genetic influence. This means that certain dogs may be more likely to develop these spinal issues based on their genetics. The findings can help breeders make informed decisions to reduce the occurrence of this condition and related health problems in future generations of German shepherds.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Estimation of genetic parameters of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae based on data derived from radiographic screening of 27,597 German shepherd dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Results of radiographic screening for lumbosacral transitional vertebrae classified according to a published scheme were collected. Obtained data were used for estimating variance components in single and multiple trait linear animal models to obtain heritabilities and additive genetic correlations for different types of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. RESULTS: Estimations indicated a moderate heritability of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae of h = 0.27. Trait definitions reflecting the different types of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae revealed positive additive genetic correlations of r > 0.5 between those types usually categorised as pathologic. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results of comprehensive genetic analyses enable the development of breeding measures against lumbosacral transitional vertebrae to reduce their prevalence and support management of potentially correlated diseases in German shepherd dogs.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34155659/