Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population
| Signalment | Study population (N=50) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age (min-max), years | 4.5 (1.0-12.1) | |
| Sex, n (%) | Male | 25 (50) |
| Female | 25 (50) | |
| Hair color, n (%) | Lighta | 29 (58) |
| Darkb | 19 (38) | |
| Mixedc | 2 (4) | |
| Diet, n (%) | Rawd | 21 (42.9) |
| Dryd | 19 (38.8) | |
| Mixede | 9 (18.4) |
a70-100 % of hair sample was white, cream, red, or gray
b70-100 % of hair sample was black or brown
c50 % of hair sample was black and 50 % red (excluded from statistical analyses involving hair color)
d80 % or more of total diet for a minimum of six months
eMix of dry, raw, home-cooked and/or canned food for a minimum of six months (one dog had only eaten the current diet for 1.4 months and was therefore excluded)