Table 1.
Defining characteristics of datasets available for health research using dog populations.
| Dataset Name | Dataset Initiated (Year) | Information about Dataset and Population | Examples of Health Outcomes Investigated Using These Data | Accessibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banfield Pet Hospital | 1955 | Includes medical records from animals seen at over 1000 general practice clinics located in 42 US states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Mexico | Obesity [40]; Zoonotic infections [18] | Data are accessible through permission gained through direct request |
| The Veterinary Medical Databases (VMDB) | 1964 | Over 7 million coded medical records from patients admitted to 1 of 27 university teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada | Aging [41]; Cancer [42] | Data are accessible upon request for a fee; fee is waived for researchers at participating institutions |
| Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) | 2008 | Includes medical records from over 500 veterinary clinics in the UK, laboratory data from 12 veterinary clinical laboratories, climate, and environment data | Zoonotic infections [43,44] | Data access must be approved through a two-step application process; there is a data access fee |
| The Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass) | 2009 | Includes electronic medical records from more than 15 million animals seen at over 1800 veterinary clinics in the UK | Aging [41]; Cancer [45]; Zoonotic infections [46] | Data used for published research are available through open access, unpublished data are accessible through direct request |
| Pet Protect Pet Insurance Company (UK) | 1985 | Insurance claims data from insured dogs in the UK | Cancer [29] | Data are accessible through permission gained through direct request |
| Agria Pet Insurance Company (Sweden) | 1995 | Insurance claims data from insured dogs in Sweden. | Diabetes [47]; Kidney disease [48] | Data are accessible through permission gained through direct request |
| Golden Retriever Lifetime Study (GRLS) | 2012 | Medical records and questionnaire data for a cohort of more than 3000 Golden retriever dogs in the US | Fertility [49], Obesity [50] | Data are accessible through a formal proposal process |
| Dogslife | 2010 | Questionnaire data from owners of over 8000 Labrador retriever dogs in the UK | Gastrointestinal illness [51] | Data are accessible to researchers at participating institutions |
| Dog Aging Project (DAP) | 2019 | Medical records and questionnaire data for a cohort of more than 30,000 dogs in the US; genomic, metabolomic, and microbiome data available for some participants | In progress | Curated datasets are available on an annual basis |