2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Partial 26S rDNA sequences were obtained from all seven dogs and 10 rabbits. Only high quality sequences, excluding the primers, were used for analysis. For dogs, a trimmed 131 bp region of the PCR product was compared across all seven dogs and two additional C. guttulatus dog sequences deposited in Gen-Bank. Polymorphisms among all dog sequences ranged from 0 to 6 nucleotide substitutions resulting in a range of similarity from 95.4 to 100%. For rabbits, a trimmed 66 bp region of the PCR product was compared. The seven New Zealand White laboratory rabbit sequences shared 98.4-100% sequence identity and were similar to a previously reported Brazilian New Zealand White rabbit genotype deposited in Genbank. The 3 pet rabbits and an additional pet rabbit sequence in Genbank shared a homology of only 96.9% compared to laboratory rabbits. Alignment of all data for partial C. guttulatus 26S rDNA sequences obtained from the seven dogs and 10 rabbits examined in this study, in addition to sequences in Genbank, demonstrated 9 nucleotide positions wherein polymorphism between dog and rabbit C. guttulatus genotypes was identified. Among these, 4 nucleotide positions revealed a conserved difference between dog genotypes and laboratory rabbit genotypes. Pet rabbit genotypes were largely identical to that observed in dogs. The pet rabbits included in the study did not all share a history of exposure to dogs nor did the dogs in the study share a history of exposure to pet rabbits.