Genetic background of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae in German shepherd dogs.

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 ²  = 0.27. Trait definitions reflecting the different types of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae revealed positive additive genetic correlations of r _g  > 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.
(© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Small Animal Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Small Animal Veterinary Association.)