Abstract
Thank you, Dr Gelberg, for drawing attention to the importance of grammar and style in veterinary publications. There is, surprisingly, considerable controversy over the capitalization of canine breed names, with some writers taking your stance and with others claiming that breed names are proper nouns, so each word should be capitalized. The rules of grammar aside, one good reason to capitalize each word in a breed name (eg, Estrela Mountain Dog) is to convey (in as few words as possible) that said dog belongs to a recognized breed, rather than merely being a member of a less-defined type of dog (eg, shepherd, bird dog, sled dog, or mixed-breed dog). Just by the capitalization of each word, Estrela Mountain Dog implies a purebred dog, as opposed to a more generic shepherd or guard dog from the Estrela Mountains of Portugal. The fact that the breed Estrela Mountain Dog is also known as Portuguese Shepherd or Cão da Serra da Estrela brings up another problem: Breed names vary from country to country (even among English-speaking countries). Therefore, American Kennel Club breed names (and capitalization style) are used in Vet Pathology if the breed is recognized by the club (in which case, your “German shepherd” would be “German Shepherd Dog”). Standardization is key to clarity (and brevity).