This SALT_KittenNeuterGrowthDataset_Readme.txt file was generated on 2021-09-13 by ALEXANDER GERMAN ------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ------------------- 1. Title of Dataset: Comparison of growth in neutered Domestic Shorthair kittens with growth in sexually-intact cats - SUPPORTING DATA 2. Author Information A. Principal Investigator Contact Information Name: Alexander J German Institution: University of Liverpool, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences Address: Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK Email: ajgerman@liverpool.ac.uk B. Associate or 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: Richard Butterwick Institution: WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition Address: Mars Petcare, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Email: richard.butterwick@effem.com 3. Date of data collection: 1994 to 2016 4. Geographic location of data collection Data were derived from a research population and Veterinary Client Records... i. Veterinary Client Records Data were collected from the electronic patient medical records of Banfield Pet Hospitals, a network of over 900 primary care veterinary hospitals located mainly in the USA. ii. Research colony data were derived from DSH cats housed at the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute (WALTHAM) in the UK. 5. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute / 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 this dataset: -------------------- DATA & FILE OVERVIEW -------------------- 1. File List: Dataset_for_Publication_Banfield.csv Data from neutered healthy domestic shorthair cats that had at least one bodyweight recorded between the ages of 0.10 years (~5 weeks) and 1.75 years (1 year 9 months). Dataset_for_Publication_Waltham.csv Data from 12 pairs of 11-week-old female DSH littermates housed at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute (WALTHAM) in the UK. 2. Relationship between files, if important: 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: For "Dataset_for_Publication_Banfield.csv", the BANFIELD medical records database was searched for weight measurements from DSH cats under 2.5y age, calculated from measurement date and date of birth. For any individual recorded as having been neutered, the date for the procedure was required. Given that neuter dates were only available for cats that were castrated or spayed at a BANFIELD hospital, those that were neutered elsewhere were excluded from the dataset. Data were only included from cats attending routine preventative healthcare visits, or visits where the diagnosis was recorded as ‘healthy pet’. Measurements were excluded from the dataset if the recorded bodyweight had been rolled over from a previous visit (which occasionally happens when weigh scales were unavailable at the time the kitten is checked in for their appointment), or if the medical records indicated that the cat had been weighed whilst still in a pet carrier. Also excluded, were all observations from cats where the recorded sex was unclear (e.g., a cat recorded as male, but who had undergone an ovariohysterectomy), and data from cats diagnosed with a health condition before 4y of age associated that might either have affected their growth or might have caused weight loss or gain after skeletal maturity. Examples included diabetes mellitus and dwarfism. Finally, only data points were included from cats that had received a body condition rating of ‘normal’ or ‘ideal’ at one or more visits between the ages of 1.5y and 2.5y (taken as an indicator of having optimal body condition in young adulthood), and had never received an abnormal body condition rating (e.g., very thin, thin, heavy, overweight, markedly obese) at any point up to the age of 2.5y. The restriction to healthy kittens of good body condition score ensured that the study was examining patterns of healthy growth, on the same basis as the kitten growth curves were constructed. The dataset was then restricted to kittens with at least one recorded bodyweight remaining between the ages of 0.10y (~5 weeks) and 1.75y (1y 9mo). For "Dataset_for_Publication_Waltham.csv", all available data on the 11 cat pairs in Study 2 was used, meaning that no special extraction or eligibility criteria were needed. This included information on bodyweight, body composition and various zoo metric measurements as outlined below. 2. Methods for processing the data: To create the current file, the raw study data have been exported as a ".csv" file. Datasets have 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) ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Dataset_for_Publication_Banfield.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 5 2. Number of rows: 52,416 rows / 8,361 cats 3. Variable List: A. Name: Sex Description: sex of the cat Value labels: M – male, F – female B. Name: Neuter_Group Description: Neuter Age Group Value labels: 1 - neutered up to 20 weeks, 2 - neutered between 20 and 23 weeks, 3 - neutered between 23 and 28 weeks, 4 - neutered after 28 weeks C. Name: Cat_ID Description: Anonymised individual identifier (comprising sex and a sequential number) D. Name: Visit_Age_Yrs Description: Age at weight measurement (yrs) E. Name: Weight_KG Description: Weight measurement (kg) 4. Missing data codes: None 5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: N/A ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Dataset_for_Publication_Waltham.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 15 2. Number of rows: 88 rows / 959 unique measurements / 22 cats / 4 measurement ages 3. Variable List: A. Name: Litter Description: Litter ID Value labels: 1 to 22 B. Name: Cat_ID Description: Anonymised individual identifier (comprising sex and a sequential number) Value labels: 1 to 22 C. Name: Group Description: Trial group Value labels: N = Neutered, E = Entire / Sexually Intact D. Name: Week Description: Age in weeks at which measurements were taken E. Name: Girth Description: Girth around the narrowest point of the waist (cm) F. Name: Ribcage Description: Ribcage at the deepest part of the thorax (cm) G. Name: Height Description: Height as measured at the points of the scapula (cm) H. Name: Chest Depth Description: Chest depth at mid-thorax, from spine to the deepest part (cm) I. Name: Length Description: Length from manubrium of the sternum to a parallel point below the anus (cm) J. Name: Elbow Description: Elbow width across the condyle of the humerus (cm) K. Name: Forelimb Description: Forelimb length measured from olecranon to carpus (cm) L. Name: Hindlimb Description: Hindlimb length measured from patella to tarsal (cm) M. Name: Fat Description: Fat mass in kg, measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry N. Name: Lean Description: Lean mass in kg, measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry O. Name: Weight Description: Body weight in kg 4. Missing data codes: None 5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: N/A