![]() Of these, data on the cause of death was available for 196 dogs. Of a total of 1290 dogs, owners of 402 dogs (31.2 %) had participated in a previous study evaluating disease prevalence in BMDs, based on questionnaires completed by veterinarians and owners. The aim of this study was to investigate life expectancy and causes of death of BMDs born in Switzerland.ĭata of purebred BMDs, born in Switzerland in 20 and registered with the Swiss Bernese Mountain Dog Club, were collected. ![]() In consequence, the Swiss Bernese Mountain Dog Club launched an appeal to investigate the current state of the breed’s health in Switzerland and establish a survey system to prospectively gather epidemiologic health data. This new administrative order also obliges breed organisations to systematically monitor their breed’s health and take measures to reduce or prevent breeding of traits that may have a negative impact on breed health. Recent new regulations have been introduced by the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) to restrict breeding of animals with inherited defects, which are associated with pain or suffering. In 1 study, examining the cause of death in a BMD population in Denmark in 2010, neoplasia (42.1 %) was the most frequently reported cause followed by old age (10.3 %), kidney disease (6.9 %), infection (5.9 %), skeletal disorders (5.2 %), heart disease (3.8 %) and behavioural disorders (3.5 %). Although previous studies have shown inheritance of HS in BMDs, the exact mode of inheritance is unclear and an oligogenic transmission mode has been proposed. In particular, BMDs are predisposed to histiocytic sarcoma (HS), which is highly aggressive and associated with a very poor prognosis. Indeed, previous studies reported neoplasia as the cause of death in 28.1–55.1 % of BMDs compared to 14.5–16.5 % in the overall dog population. Several authors explain the low life expectancy in the BMD by the high incidence of neoplastic diseases. Moreover, several studies have shown disparate longevity in dogs of all breeds based on sex and neutering, including greater longevity for neutered females compared to males or intact females, and shortest longevity for intact females compared to males or neutered females. In addition, some previous studies indicate a lower life expectancy of male BMDs compared to females. Although larger breeds have been shown to have a lower average age at death than smaller breeds, the life expectancy of BMDs remains low when compared with breeds of similar size, such as flat coated retrievers (mean, 9.5 years) or German shepherd dogs (mean, 10.3 years). ![]() More recent studies reported mean and median life expectancies of 7.1 and 7.0–8.0 years, respectively, compared with a calculated mean and median expectancy for all breeds of 10 and 11 years, respectively. Indeed, the BMD was the most short-lived breed in 1 study, with a mean life expectancy of 6.8 years. Previous studies have demonstrated a relatively low life expectancy and high incidence of neoplasia in the Bernese mountain dog (BMD). The results underline a need for more widespread precise diagnostics and further research on malignant tumours in this breed to improve overall breed health. Conclusionsįindings of this study confirm a high prevalence of neoplasia and associated low life expectancy in BMDs. The shortest median survival (6.8 years) was found for dogs with renal injury. Dogs with neoplasms had a shorter median survival than dogs with other disorders. However, large numbers of dogs were diagnosed with neoplasia without histopathologic or cytologic confirmation. The cause of death was unknown in 89/381 dogs (23.4 %). Female dogs had a significantly longer median survival (8.8 years IQR, 7.1–10.3) than male dogs (7.7 years IQR, 6.6–9.3) ( P < 0.00). The median life expectancy of all dogs was 8.4 years (IQR, 6.9–9.7). By the end of the study, 381/389 dogs (97.9 %) had died. Of a total of 1290 Bernese mountain dogs (BMDs) born in 20 in Switzerland, data was collected from owners and veterinarians using a questionnaire designed for this study from 389 dogs (30.2 %). In collaboration with the Swiss Bernese Mountain Dog Club, the purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of death in purebred dogs registered by the club and born in 20. New regulations by the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office provide for the monitoring of breed health by Swiss breeding clubs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |