TeamMate research: reading the working farm dog cohort

Key facts

Thesis record

Katja Elisabeth Isaksen, Massey University, 2021 [source]

Example analysis population

323 eligible dogs in the 2020 musculoskeletal paper [source]

Find the original research record

Massey University’s repository identifies Katja Elisabeth Isaksen’s 2021 doctoral thesis and provides the research document. The abstract describes 641 working farm dogs and 1,930 examinations, with owners and veterinary clinics contributing information. Those counts represent different units: a dog can be examined more than once. They should not be added together or presented as the number of farms in the study.

A paper can analyse a smaller group

The 2020 musculoskeletal paper reports an analysis of 323 dogs. Its eligibility required no recorded musculoskeletal abnormality at enrolment and at least one follow-up examination. The methods describe convenience sampling and data collection beginning in May 2014. A reader comparing this paper with the thesis should record those criteria beside the count; the smaller number is not, by itself, evidence of an inconsistent dataset.

Build a useful evidence note

For a research folder, create separate fields for the publication, recruitment setting, analysis population, outcome definition and observation period. Copy a statistical result only with its denominator, uncertainty and time unit. Distinguish a dog-level count from a count of examinations or recorded findings. Keep a direct link to the relevant methods and table so another reader can reconstruct how the statement was made.

Keep the interpretation within its scope

A research cohort describes the animals and circumstances studied. It does not automatically provide a current national census or a prediction for an individual dog. Before using a finding in a care guide, have an appropriate veterinary professional assess the original study, its limitations and the proposed wording. This source guide provides a route to the evidence; it does not turn a published finding into a diagnosis, treatment plan or explanation for a particular dog’s performance.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• Massey Research Online — TeamMate doctoral thesis (opens in a new tab)
• Isaksen and colleagues — TeamMate II, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2020) (opens in a new tab)

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