Inheritance of dermoid sinus in the Rhodesian ridgeback.

OBJECTIVES

TO define the mode of inheritance of dermoid sinus.

METHODS

A chi-squared analysis was performed on data from 46 litters produced between 1990 and 2001. Data were corrected to avoid bias in the segregation ratio.

RESULTS

In data from 57 litters (n=492), 82 dermoid sinus positive offspring were observed. The frequency of affected offspring in the Swedish Rhodesian ridgeback population is estimated to be between 8 and 10 per cent.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bias in heredity pattern may be caused by undetected dermoid sinus type V. Improved clinical diagnosis of all dermoid sinus types is therefore crucial.