This DATSETNAMEreadme.txt file was generated on 2017-07-28 by [ALEXANDER JAMES GERMAN] ------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ------------------- 1. Title of Dataset: Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes - SUPPORTING DATA 2. Author Information: Principal Investigator Contact Information Name: Alexander J German Institution: University of Liverpool, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease Address: Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK Email: ajgerman@liverpool.ac.uk Co-investigator Contact Information Name: Carina Salt Institution: WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition Address: Mars Petcare, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Email: carina.salt@effem.com Name: Derek Wilson Institution: WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition Address: Mars Petcare, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Email: Derek.Wilson@effem.com Name: Richard Butterwick Institution: WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition Address: Mars Petcare, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Email: richard.butterwick@effem.com 3. Dates of data collection: 1994 to 2013 4. Geographic location of data collection: Data from electronic patient medical records from Banfield Pet Hospitals, a network of over 900 primary care veterinary hospitals located mainly in the USA. 5. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: WALTHAM CENTRE FOR PET NUTRITION / MARS PETCARE -------------------------- SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: The dataset has been fully anonymised by removing any client and animal details that might enable the client to be identified. 2. Links to publications that cite or use the data: 3. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: N/A 4. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: N/A 5. Was data derived from another source? No 6. Recommended citation for the data: --------------------- DATA & FILE OVERVIEW --------------------- 1. File List A. Filename: Final_Data_PLOS.csv Short description: Spreadsheet of all data supporting the associated publication 2. Relationship between files: N/A 3. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: N/A 4. Are there multiple versions of the dataset No -------------------------- METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The proprietary database of electronic patient medical records from Banfield Pet Hospitals was used, henceforth referred to as the 'patient record database'. Records were available, in Oracle format, for registered canine patients from 2013 back to 1994. The database was searched for purebred dogs under 3 years of age and additionally either presenting for preventative healthcare reasons or receiving a ‘healthy’ diagnosis. The database queries extracted relevant visit information (patient ID, visit date, visit type, diagnoses received and also age, weight and body condition (if available) of the patient at the time of the visit), together with patient information (patient ID, breed, date of birth and date of neutering [if available]) for all visits by purebred dogs (as evidenced by a species field and the absence of a mixed breed ‘flag’) where the age at visit was under 3 years. Neutering dates had been previously calculated for all dogs neutered at a Banfield Pet Hospital, using details contained in the clinical records, and stored in an additional table. Neutering dates were not available for dogs neutered elsewhere. Given that all variables used for database searching were primary fields, simple search terms were used and no validation of search algorithms were required. At the time of initial registration for a puppy, owners supplied signalment data (date of birth, breed [including whether purebred] and sex) which were routinely recorded in the electronic medical records. If a puppy was neutered using a routine surgical procedure (i.e. an elective procedure and not undertaken for health reasons, such as to treat pyometra), this was recorded in the records. Bodyweight was routinely recorded at all visits using 'walk-on' electronic scales. Most Banfield Pet Hospitals use the Weigh South V-2501 large animal veterinary weighing scales (Weigh South Inc, Asheville, North Carolina, USA) after modification by Northwest Scale Systems (Tualatin, OR, USA), with a minority using the VSSI Way™ Platform Scale (VSSI Inc, Carthage, Missouri, USA). Body condition was examined as part of the eligibility criteria. Historically, body condition was graded using a subjective 3-category body condition assessment (‘thin’, ‘normal’, or ‘heavy’). However, a 5-category body condition score (BCS) scale was introduced in 2010, which was equivalent to the 5-point system used in previous studies. Veterinarians were required to choose one of five categories (e.g. ‘very thin’, ‘thin’, ‘ideal weight’, ‘overweight’, and ‘markedly obese’) after their clinical assessment and with reference to guidance diagrams. However, since the majority of the data extracted used the old 3-category assessment, this information was favoured for analysis. In order to utilise post-2010 data, all 5-category BCS measurements were converted into equivalent 3-category body condition assessments by merging ‘very thin’ and 'thin', and 'overweight' and 'markedly obese'. 2. Methods for processing the data: To create the current file, the raw study data have been exported as a CSV file from the Oracle database. The dataset has been fully anonymised by removing any client and animal details that might enable the client to be identified. 3. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: CSV is a common data exchange format that is widely supported by consumer, business, and scientific applications including Excel (Microsoft) and Numbers (Apple). 4. Standards and calibration information, if appropriate: N/A 5. Environmental/experimental conditions: N/A 6. Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: The raw study data have been provided. 7. People involved with sample collection, processing, analysis and/or submission: Carina Salt (WALTHAM) and Derek Wilson (WALTHAM) ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Final_Data_PLOS.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 12 2. Number of cases/rows: 14,957,947 rows 3. Variable List A. Name: BREED ID Description: Breed code (disguised) B. Name: PET ID Description: Dog identifier (disguised) C. Name: GENDER Description: Last known gender Value labels: MN – male neutered, FS – female spayed, M – male entire, F – female entire Note that this is not necessarily the gender at the time of visit D. Name: NEUTER_DATE Description: Date of neutering (if applicable and known) Set to ‘Unknown’ if no neutering date is recorded or dog is recorded as still being entire at last known visit E. Name: VISIT_DATE Description: Date of visit F. Name: VISIT_AGE Description: Age at visit (in years) G. Name: WEIGHT Description: Bodyweight (in kg) measured at visit H. Name: BCS_RECORDED Description: An amalgamation of recorded body condition score and body condition diagnoses, on a 3 point scale Value labels: ‘Thin’, ‘Normal’ or ‘Heavy’ Set to ‘None’ if not available I. Name: BCS_PREDICTED Description: Our prediction of body condition where available no Recorded Body Condition Score, on a 3 point scale Value labels: ‘Thin’, ‘Normal’ or ‘Heavy’ Set to ‘None’ if not available J. Name: PREVENTIVE_CARE_VISIT Description: Indicates if the appointment was set to ‘Preventive Care’ Value labels: Y/N field K. Name: HEALTHY_PET_DIAGNOSIS Description: describing if the dog received a ‘Healthy Pet’ diagnosis at this visit Value labels: Y/N field L. Name: AV_BREED-WEIGHT Description: Average bodyweight (kg) of adults of that breed (2-15 years old) in the database 4. Missing data codes: None: Data not available for that parameter (Body condition score) Unknown: Data not available for that parameter (Date) Empty cell: Data not available (Numerical data) 5. Specialized formats of other abbreviations used: N/A