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Simple Summary: Among its role within the commensal bacterial flora, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is known as a cause of intestinal or extraintestinal diseases in pets and their owners. In order to reveal factors associated with the carriage of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in dogs, rectal swabs from 1000 dogs visiting a pet animal clinic in northern Germany within one year were tested. Additional data were sampled regarding, on the one hand, the dog's health and husbandry conditions and, on the other hand, information about the owner´s medical history. Thus, we were able to define seven factors associated with extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli carriage. The high number of dogs tested and the exceptional data volume concerning the dog and owner itself, as well as those habits and interactions, underline the importance of our study to avoid the carriage and spread of pathogens, especially regarding the One Health aspect. Extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are an emerging problem in veterinary and human medicine. Our study concentrated on the estimation of the prevalence and factors associated with the carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli in dogs who visited a veterinary clinic in northern Germany in 2017. For this reason, 1000 patients (healthy and sick dogs) were tested, resulting in 1000 samples originating from rectal swabs. Additional data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire that was completed by the dog owner. Factors associated with ESBL carriage were considered for further modeling if p < 0.05 using a two-sided Fisher test. Using a backward elimination procedure, the variables for the final multivariable logistic regression model were identified. In total, 8.9% of the dogs tested were positive for carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli. Seven factors were associated with the colonization of dogs with ESBL-E. coli within the multivariable model, namely husbandry system (p = 0.0019, OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.50–6.00), contact with puppies (p = 0.0044, OR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.32–4.46), feeding of raw meat (p = 0.011, OR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.21–4.31), food residues (p = 0.0151, OR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.18–4.53) and food supplements (p = 0.0487, OR = 0.426; 95% CI: 0.18–0.96), and antibiotic treatments of dogs (p = 0.0005, OR = 3.030; 95% CI: 1.62–5.68) or owners (p = 0.041, OR = 2.74; 95% CI: 1.04–7.19) prior to the study. These factors refer to the animals themselves as well as to the owners and their habits or medical treatments. Although the causality and direction of transmission from owners to their dogs cannot be proven, the factor of antibiotic treatment of the owner is clearly associated with the dog's status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Feeding raw meat is becoming increasingly common among dog owners. This feeding practice can pose a hygienic risk and can lead to health risks for dogs and their owners. Hygienically sound food rations, that are balanced in terms of all nutrients and energy, must be feed to breeding dogs. The aim of this study was to record the influence of raw feeding on the occurrence of mastitis, metritis and the survival of puppies. An online questionnaire was sent to kennel club registered dog breeders in Germany and Switzerland. A total of 531 litters were recorded and evaluated. Mastitis and/or metritis were present in 9,2 % and 2,8 % (n = 49 and n = 15, respectively) of the breeding bitches. 29 % (n = 154) of the breeders reported loss of puppies in the litter. The most common cause were stillbirths (n = 105 litters with 187 stillborn puppies), and/or early mortality (n = 50 litters with 73 puppies that died in the first 48 hours). The occurrence of puppy losses in the litter and/or a higher proportion of puppy losses in the litter was favored by increased body weight of the bitch in larger dog breeds, existing previous illnesses, previously reported gestation or postpartum problems, increasing length of the parturition phase and/or a cesarean section. A higher total number of surviving puppies was associated with increased weight and anamnestic reported health of the bitch and the use of milk powder instead of other milk substitutes. A relationship between raw feeding and the occurrence of mastitis, metritis, the total number of surviving puppies and/or the occurrence or proportion of pup losses in the litter and was not found in this study. However very few breeders in this cohort fed their bitches raw, which in turn was due to the random selection of breeders. Many years of breeding experience and the increasing parity of the bitch had a clearly positive influence on the health of the bitch.

• Dermoid sinus is a complex genetic condition in Rhodesian Ridgebacks. • Phenotypic selection decreases prevalence of dermoid sinus. • Ridgeless Rhodesian Ridgebacks can also be affected by dermoid sinus. • A joint dermoid sinus and ridge locus appears unlikely. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are dogs with a characteristic dorsal hair ridge with backward-growing hair. Dermoid sinus was reported as a prevalent congenital condition in ridged dogs and as a sporadic finding in other dog breeds. This condition presents as a tubular skin indentation to variable degree into underlying tissues on the dorsal midline or cranial or caudal to the ridge. In the present study, data from 12,700 puppies born to 1622 litter from Rhodesian Ridgebacks in 2001–2019 in Germany were analysed for the prevalence of dermoid sinus and ridgless animals. Data from litters with dogs segregating for dermoid sinus were used to test compatibility with an autosomal recessive Mendelian trait. Overall prevalence of dermoid sinus in 12,700 puppies was 2.53%. In 1269 litter with only ridged animals, prevalence was 2.81%. In 46 litters, segregation of ridgeless dogs was observed, and two ridgeless animals had dermoid sinus. The overall trend for dermoid sinus prevalence significantly decreased by −0.099% per birth year, whereas a significant trend for ridgelessness was not found. A more complex genetic determination for dermoid sinus seems likely, due to the insufficient fit of a monogenic autosomal recessive model of inheritance and a heritability estimate of 0.78 ± 0.11. Genetic correlation with ridgelessness was −0.11. In conclusion, our data revealed a decreasing trend for the prevalence of dermoid sinus and a complex genetic basis for this condition. The ridge locus was unlikely to determine the expression of dermoid sinus, given the low segregation ratio for dermoid sinus in a population selected for the ridge allele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]