The Correlation of Canine Elbow Dysplasia and Serving Time in Guide Dog Labrador Retrievers in New Zealand

Abstract

Canine elbow dysplasia (CED) is a degenerative disorder of the cubital joint leading to pain and lameness. In order to minimize the amount of guide dog Labrador Retrievers suffering from CED, the Blind Foundation Guide dogs in New Zealand uses the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) Elbow Dysplasia scheme to select dogs for training. In this retrospective study the serving time of different elbow grades were compared to see if a higher NZVA Elbow grade correlates to a shorter service time. When comparing the Kaplan-Meier Curved for the highest NZVA Elbow grade per dog, no significant different could be found. However, dogs with a clinical diagnosis of CED were found to have a significantly shorter mean service time of 3,3 years. In conclusion, this study shows no significant difference in serving time for guide dogs based on the NZVA grade at one year of age.