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Leonardi RJ, Vick SJ, Buchanan-Smith HM. Participation in a Prison-Based Training Programme Is Beneficial for Rescue Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1530. [PMID: 38891576 PMCID: PMC11171100 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Dogs are often relinquished because of behavioural issues which may be exacerbated in rehoming centres. Prison-based dog training programmes (DTPs) may enhance outcomes for rescue dogs by providing socialisation and training opportunities to improve behaviour, welfare and likelihood of rehoming. We assessed whether dogs benefitted from participation, 1-3 times per week, in a prison-based DTP in which male young offenders learn how to train and care for dogs waiting to be rehomed. Within DTP sessions, there was significant improvement on a range of training tasks (n = 42 dogs). Analyses of videos (n = 17 dogs) in the kennels and a training barn pre- and post-DTP participation showed improvement in some positive behaviours, but no significant change in other behaviours. Subjective ratings by staff of the dogs' behaviour were made (n = 20 dogs). Desirable behaviours (e.g., playful/friendly) increased, and most undesirable behaviours (e.g., frustrated and noisy) decreased. Participation in the DTP did not mitigate all negative behaviours. However, improvements are consistent with enhanced welfare and likelihood of successful rehoming. Prison-based DTPs can be effective in supporting the work of animal rescue organisations to improve outcomes for dogs, while offering people in custody an opportunity to engage in purposeful activity and provide a community service.
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2
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Babington S, Tilbrook AJ, Maloney SK, Fernandes JN, Crowley TM, Ding L, Fox AH, Zhang S, Kho EA, Cozzolino D, Mahony TJ, Blache D. Finding biomarkers of experience in animals. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2024; 15:28. [PMID: 38374201 PMCID: PMC10877933 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
At a time when there is a growing public interest in animal welfare, it is critical to have objective means to assess the way that an animal experiences a situation. Objectivity is critical to ensure appropriate animal welfare outcomes. Existing behavioural, physiological, and neurobiological indicators that are used to assess animal welfare can verify the absence of extremely negative outcomes. But welfare is more than an absence of negative outcomes and an appropriate indicator should reflect the full spectrum of experience of an animal, from negative to positive. In this review, we draw from the knowledge of human biomedical science to propose a list of candidate biological markers (biomarkers) that should reflect the experiential state of non-human animals. The proposed biomarkers can be classified on their main function as endocrine, oxidative stress, non-coding molecular, and thermobiological markers. We also discuss practical challenges that must be addressed before any of these biomarkers can become useful to assess the experience of an animal in real-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Babington
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Alan J Tilbrook
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Shane K Maloney
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jill N Fernandes
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Tamsyn M Crowley
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3217, Australia
- Poultry Hub Australia, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia
| | - Luoyang Ding
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Archa H Fox
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Song Zhang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Elise A Kho
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel Cozzolino
- Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Timothy J Mahony
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Dominique Blache
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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3
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Travain T, Lazebnik T, Zamansky A, Cafazzo S, Valsecchi P, Natoli E. Environmental enrichments and data-driven welfare indicators for sheltered dogs using telemetric physiological measures and signal processing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3346. [PMID: 38336994 PMCID: PMC10858038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53932-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Shelters are stressful environments for domestic dogs which are known to negatively impact their welfare. The introduction of outside stimuli for dogs in this environment can improve their welfare and life conditions. However, our current understanding of the influence of different stimuli on shelter dogs' welfare is limited and the data is still insufficient to draw conclusions. In this study, we collected 28 days (four weeks) of telemetry data from eight male dogs housed in an Italian shelter for a long period of time. During this period, three types of enrichment were introduced into the dogs' pens for one week each: entertaining objects, intraspecific, and interspecific social enrichment, by means of the presence of female conspecifics and the presence of a human. To quantify their impact, we introduce novel metrics as indicators of sheltered dogs' welfare based on telemetry data: the variation of heart rate, muscle activity, and body temperature from an average baseline day, quality of sleep, and the regularity for cyclicity of the aforementioned parameters, based on the day-night cycle. Using these metrics, we show that while all three stimuli statistically improve the dogs' welfare, the variance between individual dogs is large. Moreover, our findings indicate that the presence of female conspecific is the best stimulus among the three explored options which improves both the quality of sleep and the parameters' cyclicity. Our results are consistent with previous research findings while providing novel data-driven welfare indicators that promote objectivity. Thus, this research provides some useful guidelines for managing shelters and improving dogs' welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziano Travain
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Teddy Lazebnik
- Department of Mathematics, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Paola Valsecchi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Eugenia Natoli
- Canile Sovrazonale, ASL Roma 3 (Local Health Unit Rome 3), Rome, Italy
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4
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Cococcetta C, Coutant T, Phouratsamay A, Zoller G, Bagur S, Huynh M. Effect of Hooding on Physiological Parameters During Manual Restraint in Rhode Island Red Hybrid Hens ( Gallus gallus domesticus). J Avian Med Surg 2023; 37:155-164. [PMID: 37733454 DOI: 10.1647/21-00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Manual handling of chickens is required for many veterinary, research, and breeding procedures. This study aimed to assess the changes in physiological parameters over time during manual restraint of chickens, as well as the effect of hooding on these parameters. Heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and body temperature were measured every 3 minutes for 15 minutes during manual restraint in 13 adult laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Heart rate variability was significantly higher in hooded hens than in nonhooded hens (P= 0.003) but was not significant over time. Hooded hens were also found to have significantly lower heart rate (P = 0.043) and respiratory rate (P = 0.042) compared to nonhooded hens. Heart rate and respiratory rate significantly decreased over time, independent of the use of the hood (P = 0.008; P = 0.01, respectively). Temperature was found to increase significantly (P = 0.001) over time for both groups. Overall, hooding increased heart rate variability, a factor associated with a lower stress level, and decreased heart rate and respiratory rate. In conclusion, these data suggest that the use of the hood reduces stress levels in birds during manual restraint. Therefore, the use of the hood is encouraged for short (less than 15 minutes) painless procedures, such as physical examination or radiographic acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Cococcetta
- Service des Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie, Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire Frégis, 94110 Arcueil, France,
| | - Thomas Coutant
- Service des Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie, Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire Frégis, 94110 Arcueil, France
| | - Albert Phouratsamay
- Service des Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie, Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire Frégis, 94110 Arcueil, France
| | - Graham Zoller
- Unité des Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie, Clinique Vétérinaire Only Vet, 69800 Saint-Priest, France
| | - Sophie Bagur
- Institut de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Minh Huynh
- Service des Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie, Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire Frégis, 94110 Arcueil, France
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5
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Griffin KE, Arndt SS, Vinke CM. The Adaptation of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to the Hierarchy of Dogs' Needs Using a Consensus Building Approach. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2620. [PMID: 37627411 PMCID: PMC10451230 DOI: 10.3390/ani13162620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
It is crucial for good dog welfare that humans be able to accurately and adequately recognize and meet dogs' needs. However, humans may do a poor job of recognizing dogs' needs due to their tendency to anthropomorphize. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for dogs' needs that would help humans to recognize and meet their actual needs, thereby improving dogs' quality of life. Using the Delphi method, to reach as close to a consensus as possible from an expert panel, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs was adapted to become the Dogs' Hierarchy of Needs. To do so, the relevant scientific literature was reviewed to identify 37 specific dog needs, which were group into seven need groups. Those groups were then organized onto five need levels, which were as analogous to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as possible. The expert panel was asked to assess various aspects of the adapted hierarchy in comparison to the original, including face validity, whether they agreed with how the need levels were ordered in terms of importance/priority, and whether they felt that any need groups should be more or less prioritized for any specific dog categories (e.g., senior dogs). After three rounds of expert feedback, there was sufficient consensus for all aspects except items pertaining to the prioritization of any need groups for specific dog categories. That aspect of the adapted hierarchy will need to be readdressed in the next phase of this project: the development of a tool to assess the quality of life of dogs that reside in shelters/rescue organizations and post-adoption once they have been rehomed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E. Griffin
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Division Animals in Science & Society, Animal Behaviour, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (S.S.A.); (C.M.V.)
- The Dog Rehoming Project, Irvine, CA 92604, USA
| | - Saskia S. Arndt
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Division Animals in Science & Society, Animal Behaviour, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (S.S.A.); (C.M.V.)
| | - Claudia M. Vinke
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Division Animals in Science & Society, Animal Behaviour, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (S.S.A.); (C.M.V.)
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6
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McGuire B, Song A. Influence of Sex of Stranger on Responses of Shelter Dogs during Canine Behavioral Evaluations. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2461. [PMID: 37570270 PMCID: PMC10416897 DOI: 10.3390/ani13152461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In many situations, domestic dogs display greater uneasiness with unfamiliar men than unfamiliar women. However, little is known about whether the sex of an unfamiliar person is a risk factor for stranger-directed aggression, especially with respect to behaviors less intense than biting. We analyzed data collected by behavioral staff over a 27-month period (n = 283 dogs) at a New York shelter to determine whether the sex of an unfamiliar person influenced behaviors assessed during the Stranger test of the canine behavioral evaluation. Scores ranged from 1 (calm and friendly) to 5 (will not approach stranger or unsafe to allow an approach). No concerning behaviors (scores 1-3) were assessed for 19.2% of 26 undersocialized dogs from one home and 89.9% of the remaining 257 dogs. Within the group of 257, those tested with a male stranger had significantly higher scores than those tested with a female stranger; the effect size was small to moderate. Thus, we found that dogs responded differently to male and female strangers during this testing situation, but from a practical standpoint, our findings do not warrant adjustments in how shelters conduct or interpret tests for stranger-directed aggression. Our findings also highlight the importance of early exposure to different people and situations for dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty McGuire
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew Song
- Department of Information Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
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7
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De la Fuente-Moreno E, Paredes-Ramos P, Carrasco-García A, Hernandez-Cruz B, Alvarado M, Edwards C. Salivary Cortisol in Guide Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1981. [PMID: 37370493 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Guide dogs work for extended periods and are exposed to multiple environmental stimuli that could lead to higher stress compared with companion dogs. Cortisol is the main hormone associated with stress in most mammals. This study included seven guide dogs and seven same-breed dogs that were trained as guide dogs but became companion dogs to compare their salivary cortisol levels before, during, and after a period of social isolation and exposure to a 110-decibel gunshot sound. Each dog was left alone in an empty room for 60 min. After 15 min, the dogs were exposed to the sound. We collected four saliva samples from each dog. The first one was taken 5 min before starting the social isolation period, and the following ones at 15, 30, and 45 min after the test started. A two-way ANOVA was used to compare the group effect and the time effect during isolation and noise exposure. The results showed higher levels of cortisol in the guide dogs compared with the companion dogs throughout the test. No differences were found in time or in the interaction between time and group. This suggests that being a guide dog increases levels of basal cortisol when compared with dogs that live as companion animals and family members.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pedro Paredes-Ramos
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91190, Mexico
| | - Apolo Carrasco-García
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91190, Mexico
| | - Bertha Hernandez-Cruz
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91190, Mexico
| | - Mayvi Alvarado
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Xalapa Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa 91190, Mexico
| | - Claudia Edwards
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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McDowall S, Hazel SJ, Cobb M, Hamilton-Bruce A. Understanding the Role of Therapy Dogs in Human Health Promotion. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20105801. [PMID: 37239529 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20105801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Dogs may provide humans with a range of physical, mental and social benefits. Whilst there is growing scientific evidence of benefits to humans, there has been less focus on the impact to canine health, welfare and ethical considerations for the dogs. The importance of animal welfare is increasingly acknowledged, indicating that the Ottawa Charter should be extended to include the welfare of non-human animals supporting the promotion of human health. Therapy dog programmes are delivered across a variety of settings including hospitals, aged care facilities and mental health services, highlighting the important role they play in human health outcomes. Research has shown that that there are biomarkers for stress in humans and other animals engaged in human-animal interactions. This review aims to assess the impact of human-animal interactions on therapy dogs engaged in providing support to human health. While challenging, it is paramount to ensure that, within the framework of One Welfare, the welfare of therapy dogs is included, as it is a key factor for future sustainability. We identified a range of concerns due to the lack of guidelines and standards to protect the wellbeing of the dogs engaged in these programmes. Extension of the Ottawa Charter to include the welfare of non-human animals with leveraging through a One Welfare approach would promote animal and human health beyond current boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya McDowall
- School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
| | - Susan J Hazel
- School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
| | - Mia Cobb
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Anne Hamilton-Bruce
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Baqueiro-Espinosa U, Lo TH, Hunter R, Donnelly P, McEvoy V, Crump A, Arnott G. Positive human interaction improves welfare in commercial breeding dogs: Evidence from attention bias and human sociability tests. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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10
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Dam (Canis familiaris) Welfare throughout the Peri-Parturient Period in Commercial Breeding Kennels. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202820. [PMID: 36290206 PMCID: PMC9597717 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Welfare problems experienced during gestation and lactation may negatively affect dams and their puppies. However, the welfare states of dams in commercial breeding (CB) kennels during this period have not been well examined. Therefore, we examined a range of behavioral, physical, and physiological metrics throughout the period around parturition to identify if changes indicative of impaired welfare were present. We tested 74 dams from eight CB kennels at 6 and 1 week prepartum, and 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. At each time point we measured their responses to a stranger approaching, their physical health, and indicators of their stress response, immune function, and parasite burden. Findings did not reveal major changes in dam welfare. Most changes observed were likely because of natural biological changes resulting from pregnancy, lactation, and weaning. However, as some changes in metrics deviated from what was expected and there were changes in environmental and management factors during this time, future research should identify how they affect dam welfare. Abstract Poor dam welfare throughout the peri-parturient period can also negatively affect that of their offspring. This study aimed to identify changes in physical, physiological, and behavioral metrics indicative of dam welfare throughout the peri-parturient period. Dams (n = 74) from eight U.S. Midwest commercial breeding (CB) kennels were tested at 6 and 1 week prepartum, and 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. At each time point dams underwent a stranger approach test, physical health assessment, hair collection for hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and fecal collection for fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), fecal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and parasite detection. Linear mixed-effects models indicated dams exhibited more affiliative behaviors towards the stranger at 4 weeks postpartum than 6 weeks prepartum (p = 0.03), increased HCC from 4-weeks to 8 weeks postpartum (p = 0.02), and increased FGM from 1 week prepartum to 8 weeks postpartum (p = 0.04). At each respective time point, the percentage of dams with intestinal parasites was 11%, 4%, 23%, and 15%. Most changes are likely due to increased energy requirements and hormonal variations. However, deviations from expected changes may have resulted from changes in environment and/ or management, which should be explored in future studies.
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Marcato M, Kenny J, O’Riordan R, O’Mahony C, O’Flynn B, Galvin P. Assistance dog selection and performance assessment methods using behavioural and physiological tools and devices. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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12
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Collins K, Miller K, Zverina L, Patterson-Kane E, Cussen V, Reid P. Behavioral rehabilitation of extremely fearful dogs: Report on the efficacy of a treatment protocol. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Grigg EK, Liu S, Dempsey DG, Wong K, Bain M, Sollers JJ, Haddock R, Kogan LR, Barnhard JA, Tringali AA, Thigpen AP, Hart LA. Assessing the Relationship Between Emotional States of Dogs and Their Human Handlers, Using Simultaneous Behavioral and Cardiac Measures. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:897287. [PMID: 35898554 PMCID: PMC9310693 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.897287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative stress due to human handling has been reported for a number of domestic animals, including dogs. Many companion dogs display significant stress during routine care in the veterinary clinic, risking injury to staff and potentially compromising the quality of care that these dogs receive. On the other hand, positive interactions with humans can have a beneficial effect on dogs, particularly in stressful situations such as animal shelters. Research has shown that dogs can detect human emotions through visual, auditory, and chemical channels, and that dogs will exhibit emotional contagion, particularly with familiar humans. This study investigated relationships between emotional states of dogs and unfamiliar human handlers, using simultaneous measures of cardiac activity and behavior, during two sessions of three consecutive routine handling sets. Measures of cardiac activity included mean heart rate (HRmean), and two measures of heart rate variability (HRV): the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD); and the high frequency absolute power component of HRV, log transformed (HFlog). We also assessed human handlers' emotional state during handling sessions following an intervention designed to reduce stress, compared with sessions conducted on a different day and following a control activity. Polar H10 cardiac sensors were used to simultaneously record cardiac activity for both canine and human participants, and behavioral data were collected via digital video. The strongest influence on the dogs' stress levels in our study was found to be increasing familiarity with the setting and the handler; HRmean and SI decreased, and HRV (as RMSSD) increased, significantly from the first to the third handling set. Canine HRV (as HFlog) was also highest in set 3, although the difference was not statistically significant. There were no strong patterns found in the human cardiac data across handling set, session, or by pre-handling activity. We did not find consistent support for emotional contagion between the dogs and their handlers in this study, perhaps due to the brief time that the dogs spent with the handlers. Recommendations for application to dog handling, and limitations of our methods, are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K. Grigg
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Emma K. Grigg
| | - Serene Liu
- Graduate Group in Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Kylee Wong
- Animal Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Melissa Bain
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - John J. Sollers
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Rani Haddock
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Lori R. Kogan
- Clinical Sciences Department, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Barnhard
- Bergin University of Canine Studies, Penngrove, CA, United States
- Equine Medical Emergency, Critical Care and Neonatology Service, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ashley A. Tringali
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Abigail P. Thigpen
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Lynette A. Hart
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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14
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Are Hair Cortisol Levels of Humans, Cats, and Dogs from the Same Household Correlated? Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111472. [PMID: 35681936 PMCID: PMC9179579 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Dogs and cats are animals that have been accompanying humans for many years. There is no doubt that they are emotionally connected with people, although each of them in their own way. The study attempts to assess the emotional relationship between humans, dogs, and cats living in one household on the basis of the correlations between the hair cortisol level. The study involved 25 women who had at least one dog and at least one cat at home. Based on the study conducted, no significant correlation was found between the level of cortisol in the hair of the owners and their pets. There were, however, some interesting differences depending on the degree of emotional connection and the frequency of interactions. Abstract Human–animal interactions and the emotional relationship of the owner with the pet are the subjects of many scientific studies and the constant interest of not only scientists but also pet owners. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the hair cortisol levels of dogs, cats, and their owners living in the same household. The owners were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning the frequency of their interactions with pets and emotional relationship with each of their cats and each of their dogs. The study involved 25 women who owned at least one dog and at least one cat. In total, 45 dogs and 55 cats from 25 households participated in the study. The average level of hair cortisol of the owners was 4.62 ng/mL, of the dogs 0.26 ng/mL, and in the hair of cats 0.45 ng/mL. There was no significant correlation between the hair cortisol level of the owner and dog or the owner and the cat and between dogs and cats living together. A significant positive correlation was observed between the hair cortisol level in the owner and the pet, for dogs in which the owner performs grooming treatments once a week and for cats which are never kissed. Although our study did not find many significant correlations, studies using other stress markers might have yielded different results.
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15
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Chronic Stress Indicators in Canines. FOLIA VETERINARIA 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/fv-2022-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
With a growing number of dogs abandoned, living in shelters, and being rehomed, it is important to distinguish behavioural responses due to stress in our domestic companions. Cortisol is involved in the stress responses in animals which generally enters the individual’s body into a “state of emergency”. Prolonged stress can lead to exhaustion, disease, and death. Chronic stress can be detected by evaluating cortisol concentration in hair. Most domesticated dogs respond well to hair collection, thus avoiding further stressors. The method is simple, relatively inexpensive, and non-invasive. Our experiment focused on assessing multiple parameters using a modified Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire to evaluate their significance with cortisol in hair samples from a diverse range of dogs. Each stress parameter was tested against cortisol concentration using a t-Test, i. e., the Paired Two Sample for Means. The effect of weight on cortisol levels was statistically significant (P = 0.03). This fact revealed that an increase in body weight correlated with an increase in cortisol levels.
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16
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Bidoli EM, Erhard MH, Döring D. Heart rate and heart rate variability in school dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Lamon TK, Slater MR, Moberly HK, Budke CM. Welfare and quality of life assessments for shelter dogs: A scoping review. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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18
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Salivary stress markers in dogs: Potential markers of acute stress. Res Vet Sci 2021; 141:48-55. [PMID: 34673347 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Along with the growing awareness of psychological stress in companion animals, several treatments have become available to address fear- and anxiety-related behaviors in dogs. To detect vulnerable individuals and apply effective treatments, reliable evaluations that can quantify individual stress responses are in high demand. To develop measurable variables that have clinical applications, more investigations are needed to increase our knowledge. When stress responses are activated by the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes, the immune system is also activated. Although the peripheral cortisol level is commonly used as a stress biomarker, it primarily reflects the HPA axis response and does not sufficiently reflect the complexity of the stress response. Thus, this review primarily focuses on the available salivary biomarkers that mainly reflect the acute stress response through the activity of the SAM axis and the immune system in dogs. We hope that this review will promote the validation of these biomarkers in dogs and aid in the development of future studies to evaluate stress responses in dogs.
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Shih HY, Paterson MBA, Pachana NA, Phillips CJC. Volunteers' Demographics That Affect the Human-Dog Interaction During Walks in a Shelter. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:699332. [PMID: 34557538 PMCID: PMC8452965 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.699332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Different people relate to dogs in different ways. We investigated differences between volunteers in their behavioural interactions with shelter dogs when they were walked on a leash. Cameras were used to record and quantify the behaviour of volunteers and a leash tension metre was used to measure pulling by both volunteers and shelter dogs. Effects of volunteers' age, body height, educational level, marital status, and experiences of living and working with dogs, and living with children, were examined. Older volunteers talked to the dogs more often during the walk than younger ones. Taller volunteers had reduced physical contact with dogs, and dogs pulled more frequently on the leash while walking with them. Volunteers with a postgraduate degree more frequently praised dogs and rewarded dogs with food and used more body language in the form of hand gestures and physical contact. Married and partnered volunteers more often praised dogs, while separated/divorced or widowed volunteers initiated more frequent physical contacts. Dogs pulled less when walking with volunteers who had experience of living with dogs, and these volunteers interacted with dogs using fewer verbal and body languages. Finally, those living with children more frequently communicated with dogs using body language (e.g., hand gestures and physical contact). We conclude that shelters should carefully consider volunteers' demographics when selecting them to walk dogs with various behavioural characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Shih
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | - Mandy B A Paterson
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.,Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nancy A Pachana
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Clive J C Phillips
- Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Bentley, WA, Australia
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20
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Dog welfare using the Shelter Quality Protocol in long-term shelters in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. J Vet Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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21
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Changes in the health and behaviour of pet dogs during the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by the owners. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 241:105395. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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22
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Like Mother Like Child: Do Fearful Sows Have Fearful Piglets? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051232. [PMID: 33923259 PMCID: PMC8146394 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gestational and early life experiences affect subsequent behavioural and physical development. The objective of the current study was to investigate associations between gilts' fear of humans, gestational stress level, and feeding and maternal behaviour, as well as how these related to aspects of the personality and growth of their offspring. A total of 37 gilts were used. Four human approach tests were performed between d 104 and d 111 of gestation to classify gilts as fearful or friendly. Gilt feeding behaviour and salivary cortisol concentration was measured between d 90 and d 108 of gestation, and gilt nursing behaviour assessed at d 13 of lactation. Piglets were subject to a back test at d 13 of age, to an open field test and a human approach test at d 20 of age, and growth was monitored to weaning (d 26 of age). Gilts classified as having a fearful behavioural profile had higher cortisol levels than friendly gilts (p < 0.05). Human fear level did not affect reproductive performance or the growth of offspring (p > 0.05). The offspring of friendly gilts tended to have a more active response to the back test (p = 0.09), less freezing response in the open field test (p < 0.05), and received human contact more than piglets from fearful gilts (p < 0.05). The present study shows that gilt human fear level is linked to their stress levels, which can affect the personality of their piglets.
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Shih HY, Paterson MBA, Georgiou F, Mitchell L, Pachana NA, Phillips CJC. Two Ends of the Leash: Relations Between Personality of Shelter Volunteers and On-leash Walking Behavior With Shelter Dogs. Front Psychol 2021; 12:619715. [PMID: 33935871 PMCID: PMC8079626 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.619715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human personality influences the way people interact with dogs. This study investigated the associations between the personality of animal shelter volunteers and behavior during on-leash walks with shelter dogs. Video recording and a canine leash tension meter were used to monitor the on-leash walking. Personality was measured in five dimensions (neurotic, extroverted, open, agreeable and conscientious) with the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Neurotic volunteers pulled the leash harder and tended to interact with dogs using more body language; dogs being walked by neurotic volunteers in turn displayed more lip-licking and body shaking and were more likely to be rated as well-behaved. Extroverted volunteers were associated with stronger maximal leash tension at both the human and dog ends of the leash, and they praised the dog more, often in a high pitched voice. These volunteers eliciting more tail-wagging and body shaking by the dog. Extroverted volunteers were also more tolerant of different dog behaviors. Volunteers with personalities characterized by “openness to experiences” were less likely to verbally attract the attention of dogs, praise dogs and talk to them in a high-pitched voice; however, dogs walked by these volunteers were more likely to pull on the leash, and engaged in more lip-licking but less sniffing. “Agreeable” volunteers liked to verbally attract the attention of the dogs and more commonly initiated hand gestures and physical contact, causing the dogs to pull less frequently; dogs in these dyads displayed more gazing and lip-licking behaviors. Conscientious volunteers were less likely to pull the leash and tended to have more physical contact with the dogs but did not favor verbal communication and did not use a high pitched voice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Shih
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | - Mandy B A Paterson
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.,Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Fillipe Georgiou
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Leander Mitchell
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nancy A Pachana
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Clive J C Phillips
- Curtin University Sustainable Policy (CUSP) Institute, Bentley, WA, Australia
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Fife-Cook I, Franks B. Koi ( Cyprinus rubrofuscus) Seek Out Tactile Interaction with Humans: General Patterns and Individual Differences. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:706. [PMID: 33807873 PMCID: PMC7998956 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of human-animal interactions has provided insights into the welfare of many species. To date, however, research has largely focused on human relationships with captive mammals, with relatively little exploration of interactions between humans and other vertebrates, despite non-mammals constituting the vast majority of animals currently living under human management. With this study, we aimed to address this gap in knowledge by investigating human-fish interactions at a community garden/aquaponics learning-center that is home to approximately 150 goldfish (Carassius auratus) and seven adult and two juvenile koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscus). After a habituation period (July-September 2019) during which time the fish were regularly provided with the opportunity to engage with the researcher's submerged hand, but were not forced to interact with the researcher, we collected video data on 10 non-consecutive study days during the month of October. This procedure produced 18~20-min interaction sessions, 10 during T1 (when the experimenter first arrived and the fish had not been fed) and eight during T2 (20-30 min after the fish had been fed to satiation; two sessions of which were lost due equipment malfunction). Interactions between the researcher and the seven adult koi were coded from video based on location (within reach, on the periphery, or out of reach from the researcher) and instances of physical, tactile interaction. Analyses revealed that overall, koi spent more time than expected within reach of the researcher during both T1 (p < 0.02) and T2 (p < 0.03). There were also substantial differences between individuals' overall propensity for being within-reach and engaging in physical interaction. These results show that koi will voluntarily interact with humans and that individual koi display unique and consistent patterns of interaction. By providing quantitative data to support anecdotal claims that such relationships exist around the world, this research contributes to the ongoing discoveries highlighting the profound dissonance between how humans think about and treat fish and who fish actually are, thereby emphasizing the necessity of stronger moral and legal protections for fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Becca Franks
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA;
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25
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Gunter LM, Gilchrist RJ, Blade EM, Barber RT, Feuerbacher EN, Platzer JM, Wynne CDL. Investigating the Impact of Brief Outings on the Welfare of Dogs Living in US Shelters. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:548. [PMID: 33669874 PMCID: PMC7923296 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Social isolation likely contributes to reduced welfare for shelter-living dogs. Several studies have established that time out of the kennel with a person can improve dogs' behavior and reduce physiological measures of stress. This study assessed the effects of two-and-a-half-hour outings on the urinary cortisol levels and activity of dogs as they awaited adoption at four animal shelters. Dogs' urine was collected before and after outings for cortisol:creatinine analysis, and accelerometer devices were used to measure dogs' physical activity. In total, 164 dogs participated in this study, with 793 cortisol values and 3750 activity measures used in the statistical analyses. We found that dogs' cortisol:creatinine ratios were significantly higher during the afternoon of the intervention but returned to pre-field trip levels the following day. Dogs' minutes of low activity were significantly reduced, and high activity significantly increased during the outing. Although dogs' cortisol and activity returned to baseline after the intervention, our findings suggest that short-term outings do not confer the same stress reduction benefits as previously shown with temporary fostering. Nevertheless, it is possible that these types of outing programs are beneficial to adoptions by increasing the visibility of dogs and should be further investigated to elucidate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Gunter
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (R.J.G.); (E.M.B.); (C.D.L.W.)
| | - Rachel J. Gilchrist
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (R.J.G.); (E.M.B.); (C.D.L.W.)
| | - Emily M. Blade
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (R.J.G.); (E.M.B.); (C.D.L.W.)
| | - Rebecca T. Barber
- Division of Education Leadership and Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
| | - Erica N. Feuerbacher
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (E.N.F.); (J.M.P.)
| | - JoAnna M. Platzer
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (E.N.F.); (J.M.P.)
| | - Clive D. L. Wynne
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (R.J.G.); (E.M.B.); (C.D.L.W.)
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26
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Csoltova E, Mehinagic E. Where Do We Stand in the Domestic Dog ( Canis familiaris ) Positive-Emotion Assessment: A State-of-the-Art Review and Future Directions. Front Psychol 2020; 11:2131. [PMID: 33013543 PMCID: PMC7506079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there have been a growing number of studies focusing on dog welfare, the research field concerning dog positive-emotion assessment remains mostly unexplored. This paper aims to provide a state-of-the-art review and summary of the scattered and disperse research on dog positive-emotion assessment. The review notably details the current advancement in dog positive-emotion research, what approaches, measures, methods, and techniques have been implemented so far in emotion perception, processing, and response assessment. Moreover, we propose possible future research directions for short-term emotion as well as longer-term emotional states assessment in dogs. The review ends by identifying and addressing some methodological limitations and by pointing out further methodological research needs.
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Harvey ND, Moesta A, Wongsaengchan C, Harris H, Craigon PJ, Fureix C. Investigating putative depression-like states in the domestic dog: Does greater time spent displaying waking inactivity in the home kennel co-vary with negative judgment of ambiguity? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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28
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Whitham JC, Bryant JL, Miller LJ. Beyond Glucocorticoids: Integrating Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) into Animal Welfare Research. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1381. [PMID: 32784884 PMCID: PMC7459918 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare researchers are committed to identifying novel measures for enhancing the quality of life of individual animals. Recently, welfare scientists have emphasized the need for tracking multiple indicators of an animal's behavioral, emotional and mental health. Researchers are currently focused on integrating non-invasive physiological biomarkers to gain insight into an individual's welfare status. Most commonly, the animal welfare community has analyzed glucocorticoid hormones and their metabolites as a measure of stress. While glucocorticoids provide valuable information about hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, there are limitations to utilizing these hormones as the sole measure of long-term stress and welfare. Other biomarkers, such as dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate ester-collectively referred to as DHEA(S)-help provide a more complete picture of HPA activity. DHEA(S) counteracts the effects glucocorticoids by having anti-aging, immune-enhancing and neuroprotective properties. Recent studies have examined the ratio of glucocorticoids to DHEA(S) as a way to better understand how the HPA axis is functioning. There is evidence that this ratio serves as an indicator of immune function, mental health, cognitive performance and overall welfare. We review studies that employed the glucocorticoid:DHEA(S) ratio, outline methodological considerations and discuss how researchers can integrate glucocorticoids, DHEA(S) and the glucocorticoid:DHEA(S) ratio into welfare assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Whitham
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA;
| | | | - Lance J. Miller
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA;
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McGuire B, Fry K, Orantes D, Underkofler L, Parry S. Sex of Walker Influences Scent-marking Behavior of Shelter Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040632. [PMID: 32272557 PMCID: PMC7222742 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In diverse settings, human presence and handling influence the behavior and physiology of other animals, often causing increased vigilance and stress, especially if the human is unfamiliar. Domestic dogs are unusual in that human interaction often reduces stress and behavioral signs of stress. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that the sex of an unfamiliar person can influence canine behavior. To determine whether sex of an unfamiliar walker might influence the behavior of dogs at an animal shelter, we observed 100 dogs during leash walks and recorded all occurrences of scent-marking behaviors. Male dogs urinated at higher rates when walked by unfamiliar women than when walked by unfamiliar men. Female dogs urinated at similar rates when walked by unfamiliar men and unfamiliar women. Sex of walker also influenced urinary posture in male dogs. Both male and female dogs were more likely to defecate when walked by unfamiliar women than when walked by unfamiliar men. Based on our findings, and those of others, we suggest that the sex of all observers and handlers be reported in behavioral studies of dogs and considered in behavioral evaluations at animal shelters, where results can impact whether or not a dog is made available for adoption. Abstract Interactions with humans influence the behavior and physiology of other animals, and the response can vary with sex and familiarity. Dogs in animal shelters face challenging conditions and although contact with humans typically reduces stress and behaviors associated with stress, evidence indicates that shelter dogs react differently to unfamiliar men and women. Given that some aspects of canine scent-marking behavior change under fearful conditions, we examined whether sex of an unfamiliar walker would influence scent-marking behavior of 100 shelter dogs during leash walks. Male dogs urinated at higher rates when walked by unfamiliar women than when walked by unfamiliar men; female dogs urinated at similar rates when walked by unfamiliar women and unfamiliar men. Sex of walker influenced urinary posture in male dogs, but not in female dogs. Both male and female dogs were more likely to defecate when walked by unfamiliar women than by unfamiliar men. Based on our findings that shelter dogs behave differently in the presence of unfamiliar men and women, we suggest that researchers conducting behavioral studies of dogs record, consider in analyses, and report the sex of observers and handlers as standard practice. We also recommend recording the sex of shelter staff present at behavioral evaluations because the results of these evaluations can impact dog welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty McGuire
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; (K.F.); (D.O.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kentner Fry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; (K.F.); (D.O.)
| | - Destiny Orantes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; (K.F.); (D.O.)
| | | | - Stephen Parry
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
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30
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The combined use of salivary cortisol concentrations, heart rate, and respiratory rate for the welfare assessment of dogs involved in AAI programs. J Vet Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2019.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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31
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Thielke LE, Udell MA. Characterizing Human-Dog Attachment Relationships in Foster and Shelter Environments as a Potential Mechanism for Achieving Mutual Wellbeing and Success. Animals (Basel) 2019; 10:E67. [PMID: 31905973 PMCID: PMC7023214 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to characterize attachment relationships between humans and dogs living in animal shelters or foster homes, and to contextualize these relationships in the broader canine attachment literature. In this study, 21 pairs of foster dogs and foster volunteers and 31 pairs of shelter dogs and shelter volunteers participated. Each volunteer-dog dyad participated in a secure base test and a paired attachment test. All volunteers completed the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), a survey designed to measure strength of attachment bonds as reported by humans. Although no significant differences were present in terms of proportions of insecure and secure attachments between foster and shelter populations, proportions in the shelter population were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the proportions of attachment styles that would be expected in a population of pet dogs based on the published literature on pet dog attachment styles. Additionally, findings are presented in relation to data from a paired attachment test that demonstrate foster and shelter dogs spend more time in proximity to humans when the human is actively attending to the dog and encouraging interaction, as would be expected based on previous studies. We also present findings related to the presence of disinhibited attachment (previously reported in children who spent a significant portion of time living in institutionalized settings) which is characterized by a lack of preferential proximity seeking with a familiar caregiver and excessive friendliness towards strangers in foster and shelter dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Thielke
- Department of Animal & Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
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32
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Duran LM, Taylor EW, Sanches PVW, Cruz AL, Tavares D, Sartori MR, Abe AS, Leite CAC. Heart rate variability in the tegu lizard, Salvator merianae, its neuroanatomical basis and role in the assessment of recovery from experimental manipulation. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2019; 240:110607. [PMID: 31707060 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.110607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Using long-term, remote recordings of heart rate (fH) on fully recovered, undisturbed lizards, we identified several components of heart rate variability (HRV) associated with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA): 1.) A peak in the spectral representation of HRV at the frequency range of ventilation. 2.) These cardiorespiratory interactions were shown to be dependent on the parasympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system. 3.) Vagal preganglionic neurons are located in discrete groups located in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and also, in a ventro-lateral group, homologous to the nucleus ambiguus of mammals. 4.) Myelinated nerve fibers in the cardiac vagus enabling rapid communication between the central nervous system and the heart. Furthermore, the study of the progressive recovery of fH in tegu following anesthesia and instrumentation revealed that 'resting' levels of mean fH and reestablishment of HRV occurred over different time courses. Accordingly, we suggest that, when an experiment is designed to study a physiological variable reliant on autonomic modulation at its normal, resting level, then postsurgical reestablishment of HRV should be considered as the index of full recovery, rather than mean fH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia M Duran
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13.565-905, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Edwin W Taylor
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13.565-905, SP, Brazil
| | - Pollyana V W Sanches
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13.565-905, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - André L Cruz
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador 40.140-310, BA, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Driele Tavares
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13.565-905, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina R Sartori
- Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Augusto S Abe
- Department of Zoology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Cleo A C Leite
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13.565-905, SP, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Comparative Physiology, INCT, FISC, FAPESP/CNPq, Rio Claro 13.506-900, SP, Brazil.
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Arena L, Wemelsfelder F, Messori S, Ferri N, Barnard S. Development of a fixed list of terms for the Qualitative Behavioural Assessment of shelter dogs. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212652. [PMID: 31584954 PMCID: PMC6777901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The shelter environment may have a severe impact on the dogs’ quality of life, and there is thus a need to develop valid tools to assess their welfare. These tools should be sensitive not only to the animals’ physical health but also to their mental health, including the assessment of positive and negative emotions. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a ‘whole animal’ measure that captures the expressive quality of an animal’s demeanour, using descriptive terms such as ‘relaxed’, ‘anxious’, and ‘playful’. In this study, for the first time, we developed and tested a fixed-list of qualitative QBA terms for application to kennelled dogs. A list of 20 QBA terms was developed based on literature search and an expert opinion survey. Inter-observer reliability was investigated by asking 11 observers to use these terms to score 13 video clips of kennelled dogs. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to extract four main dimensions explaining 70.9% of the total variation between clips. PC1 characterised curious/playful/excitable/sociable demeanour, PC2 ranged from comfortable/relaxed to anxious/nervous/stressed expression, PC3 described fearful demeanour, and PC4 characterised bored/depressed demeanour. Observers’ agreement on the ranking of video clips on these four expressive dimensions was good (Kendall’s W: 0.60–0.80). ANOVA showed a significant effect of observer on mean clip score on all PCs (p<0.05), due to few observers scoring differently from the rest of the group. Results indicate the potential of the proposed list of QBA terms for sheltered dogs to serve, in alignment with other measures, as a non-invasive assessment tool. However, the observer effect on mean PC scores points towards the need for adequate observer training, particularly in live scoring conditions. The QBA scoring tool can be integrated with existing welfare assessment protocols for shelter dogs and strengthen the power of those protocols to evaluate the animals’ experience in shelters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Arena
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
- Università di Teramo, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Piano d'Accio, Teramo, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Franҫoise Wemelsfelder
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Scotland’s Rural College, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Scotalnd, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Messori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
| | - Shanis Barnard
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America
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Ryan MG, Storey AE, Anderson RE, Walsh CJ. Physiological Indicators of Attachment in Domestic Dogs ( Canis familiaris) and Their Owners in the Strange Situation Test. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:162. [PMID: 31396061 PMCID: PMC6664005 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Behaviorally, attachment is demonstrated when one individual maintains close proximity to another individual and shows distress upon separation. For 29 owner-dog dyads, we employed a modified Ainsworth's Strange Situation Test (SST) to investigate whether both members would show a physiological reaction to separation. Dogs experienced a series of separation from and reuniting events with their owners and were introduced to a stranger. Before and after the SST, saliva samples were taken from each dyad to measure stress-related analytes: cortisol (CORT) and chromogranin A (CgA). Dogs exhibited attachment behaviors toward owners as evidenced by more time spent in close proximity, more contact initiated and less time spent near the door, compared to episodes with the stranger. Dogs that initiated more contact with their owners in re-uniting episodes had lower CgA than dogs that initiated less contact, but their owners had higher CgA levels. Also during re-uniting episodes, dogs and owners spent more time near each other when owner CgA levels were low, owner CORT levels were high, and the dog had owner-reported separation anxiety. During the episodes alone with the stranger, dogs with higher CORT spent more time with the stranger. Finally, dogs' initial CgA levels were correlated with their owner's initial CORT levels, and dog final CORT levels were correlated with their owners' final CORT levels, suggesting some hormonal synchrony within the dyad. As all owner-dog dyads were assessed as securely attached, attachment style differences could not explain variation in hormonal or behavioral results. These results suggest that dogs may respond to owner hormonal state and/or behavior and demonstrate that individual differences in responses to a behavioral challenge reflect the stress physiology of both dogs and their owners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morag G. Ryan
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Anne E. Storey
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Rita E. Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Carolyn J. Walsh
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
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Polgár Z, Blackwell EJ, Rooney NJ. Assessing the welfare of kennelled dogs-A review of animal-based measures. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019; 213:1-13. [PMID: 32287573 PMCID: PMC7126575 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hundreds of thousands of dogs are housed in kennels worldwide, yet there are no standard protocols for assessing the welfare of dogs in these environments. Animal science is focusing increasingly on the importance of animal-based measures for determining welfare states, and those measures that have been used with kennelled dogs are reviewed in this paper with particular focus on their validity and practicality. From a physiological standpoint, studies using cortisol, heart rate and heart rate variability, temperature changes, and immune function are discussed. Behavioural measures are also of great relevance when addressing canine welfare, thus studies on fear and anxiety behaviours, abnormal behaviours like stereotypies, as well as responses to strangers and novel objects are reviewed. Finally, a limited number of studies attempting to use cognitive bias and learning ability are also mentioned as cognitive measures. The literature to date provides a strong background for which measures may be useful in determining the welfare of kennelled canines, however more research is needed to further assess the value of using these methods, particularly in regard to the large degree of individual differences that exist between dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Polgár
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, University of Bristol, Langford, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J Blackwell
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, University of Bristol, Langford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Rooney
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, University of Bristol, Langford, United Kingdom
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Köster LS, Sithole F, Gilbert GE, Artemiou E. The potential beneficial effect of classical music on heart rate variability in dogs used in veterinary training. J Vet Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Combining Actigraph Link and PetPace Collar Data to Measure Activity, Proximity, and Physiological Responses in Freely Moving Dogs in a Natural Environment. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8120230. [PMID: 30518086 PMCID: PMC6316215 DOI: 10.3390/ani8120230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Actigraph accelerometry monitors, the most widely used and extensively validated devices for measuring physical activity in humans, have also been validated for use in dogs. The ActiGraph GT9X Link monitor has Bluetooth Smart technology and a proximity-tagging feature that potentially allows for the measurement of distance between subjects, e.g., between human caretakers and their dog(s). The PetPace Smart-collar is a non-invasive wireless collar that collects important health markers, including heart beats, variation in the intervals between heartbeats, breaths per minute, and position data (lying, sitting, standing), in addition to activity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether combining data from the Actigraph monitor and PetPace collar would provide reliable pulse, respiration, and heart rate variability results during various activity levels in dogs, and whether these variables were affected by the absence or presence of their caretakers. Abstract Although several studies have examined the effects of an owner’s absence and presence on a dog’s physiological responses under experimental conditions over short periods of time (minutes), little is known about the effects of proximity between humans and freely moving dogs under natural conditions over longer periods of time (days). The first aim of our study was to determine whether the combined data generated from the PetPace Collar and Actigraph Link accelerometer provide reliable pulse, respiration, and heart rate variability results during sedentary, light-moderate, and vigorous bouts in 11 freely moving dogs in a foster caretaker environment over 10–15 days. The second aim was to determine the effects of proximity (absence and presence of caretaker) and distance (caretaker and dog within 0–2 m) on the dogs’ physiological responses. Aim 1 results: Pulse and respiration were higher during light-moderate bouts compared to sedentary bouts, and higher at rest while the dogs were standing and sitting vs. lying. Heart rate variability (HRV) was not different between activity levels or position. Aim 2 results: During sedentary bouts, pulse and respiration were higher, and HRV lower, when there was a proximity signal (caretaker present) compared to no proximity signal (caretaker absent). Using multiple regression models, we found that activity, position, distance, and signal presence were predictors of physiological response in individual dogs during sedentary bouts. Our results suggest that combining data collected from Actigraph GT9X and PetPace monitors will provide useful information, both collectively and individually, on dogs’ physiological responses during activity, in various positions, and in proximity to their human caretaker.
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Epidemiological Evaluation of Dogs Rescued in the Fukushima Prefecture Following the Great East Japan Earthquakes of 2011. Prehosp Disaster Med 2018; 33:478-483. [PMID: 30379126 DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x18000894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
IntroductionDogs left behind in the restricted area by the Great East Japan Earthquakes of 2011 (Fukushima Prefecture, Japan) were initially rescued at a temporary first response shelter under chaotic conditions: poor housing and husbandry was maintained by unfamiliar/untrained staff, and lack of exercise was associated with deterioration of the mental and physical health of the impounded dogs. The objectives of this study were to report characteristics, disposition, and health status of dogs rescued in the Fukushima Prefecture, and to perform a retrospective epidemiological evaluation of factors associated with disposition and disease incidence at shelters.ProblemsThe problems addressed in this study were shelter-related health issues at the first response shelter and reasons for retained adoption at the secondary shelter that caused delayed closure of the shelter. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed with all dogs that were rescued from the restricted area in the Fukushima Prefecture. Kaplan-Meier time-to-event analysis was performed to estimate the median days to outcomes. A chi-square test of homogeneity was used to determine whether ownership status was associated with breed. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association between time-to-adoption with ownership status, age, sex, and breed, the association between time to onset of diarrhea with age and breed, and between duration of diarrheic symptoms with the number of antibiotics and the number of medications. RESULTS Five-hundred and twenty-nine dogs were admitted to the Ihno and Miharu shelters (Fukushima Prefecture), including 179 that had detailed medical records. Seventy-six percent of dogs were mixed breed. Twenty-six percent of dogs had verified ownership, and almost 16% of dogs were reclaimed by their owners. Sixty-six percent of dogs developed diarrhea, and 17 different antibiotics were used to treat it. Using three or more different antibiotics was associated with prolonged signs of diarrhea. Dogs with verified ownership took longer for adoption than those without verified ownership. Breed and sex were not significantly associated with time to adoption. Age was associated with prolonged time to adoption. CONCLUSION To improve the welfare of dogs in disasters, responsible owner education, a well-organized registered volunteer training program for care of animals at shelters, proper disease management protocols, and enrichment strategies to prevent stress and disease in shelter setting are essential. TanakaA, Martinez-LopezB, KassP. Epidemiological evaluation of dogs rescued in the Fukushima Prefecture following the Great East Japan Earthquakes of 2011. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(5):478-583.
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Melco AL, Goldman L, Fine AH, Peralta JM. Investigation of Physiological and Behavioral Responses in Dogs Participating in Animal-Assisted Therapy with Children Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2018; 23:10-28. [PMID: 30376724 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2018.1536979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact that participation in sessions with children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has on therapy dogs. Nine certified therapy dogs were paired for 6 sessions with groups of 3-4 children. Sessions consisted of 5 different activities. Activities 1 and 5 involved interactions solely with each dog and their owner, as a control. Activities 2-4 consisted of interactions with the dogs and the children which included social skills training, dog training, and reading in the company of dogs. One-zero interval sampling of stress-associated behaviors was conducted at 20-second intervals for a 10-minute duration during each of the 5 activities. At the end of each activity, heart rate was monitored, and a saliva sample was obtained for cortisol analysis. Dogs demonstrated only occasional behavioral responses and no significant findings related to cortisol or heart rate when the different activities were compared. The results indicate that with proper supervision and well-trained therapy staff, including suitable therapy dogs and their handlers, canine stress can be minimal in a therapy setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Melco
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Larry Goldman
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Aubrey H Fine
- Department of Education, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Jose M Peralta
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
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Use of behavioural and physiological responses for scoring sound sensitivity in dogs. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200618. [PMID: 30067767 PMCID: PMC6070191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound sensitive dogs have exaggerated responses to sound stimuli that can negatively impact the welfare of the dog. Behavioural reactions combined with the response to sound involve a marked autonomic imbalance towards sympathetic predominance and release of cortisol. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate, in the laboratory, the cardiac autonomic modulation using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, serum cortisol levels and behavioural parameters in response to sounds of fireworks in dogs with a history of sensitivity to fireworks. Based on these data, and combining qualitative measures and categorical measures, we propose one short and one full index of sound sensitivity in dogs. Six privately owned dogs with no history and another twelve dogs with a history of sound sensitivity to fireworks were used. The sound stimulus consisted of a standardised recording of fireworks (180-seconds long) with a peak intensity of 103–104 dB. The cardiac intervals were recorded using a frequency meter (Polar® RS800CX model) to evaluate the HRV, and the acquired data were processed using CardioSeries 2.4.1 software. Twenty-one behavioural parameters were analysed quantitatively by time, frequency or categorically by scores and were grouped in behavioural categories of arousal, fear, relaxation and “other”. Sound sensitive dogs had exacerbated autonomic responses to the sound stimulus in the laboratory compared to non-sensitive dogs, with higher LF/HF ratios suggesting autonomic imbalance towards sympathetic predominance, but the cortisol levels were similar between the sensitive and non-sensitive dogs. Sound sensitive dogs showed pronounced responses for the parameters: alert and attention, search sound, startle, trembling, hiding, run away and less intense responses for the parameters rest and wink/sleep. Furthermore, the behavioural categories of arousal, fear, relaxation (lack of) and LF/HF were correlated to the caregiver’s perception of the sound sensitivity of the dogs. Not only the short index for sound sensitivity (behavioural categories arousal, fear and relaxation, and LF/HF ratio) but also the full index for sound sensitivity (all behavioural categories, LF/HF and cortisol levels) was highly correlated to sound fear response at home. These indexes can contribute to the development of strategies to treat sound sensitive dogs.
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Stomp M, Leroux M, Cellier M, Henry S, Lemasson A, Hausberger M. An unexpected acoustic indicator of positive emotions in horses. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197898. [PMID: 29995876 PMCID: PMC6040684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Indicators of positive emotions are still scarce and many proposed behavioural markers have proven ambiguous. Studies established a link between acoustic signals and emitter’s internal state, but few related to positive emotions and still fewer considered non-vocal sounds. One of them, the snort, is shared by several perrisodactyls and has been associated to positive contexts in these species. We hypothesized that this could be also the case in horses. In this species, there is a clear need for a thorough description of non-vocal acoustic signals (snorts, snores or blows are often used interchangeably) but overall this sound produced by nostrils during expiration has up to now been mostly considered as having a hygienic function. However, observations revealed that snorts were produced more in some individuals than in others, without relationship with air conditions. We observed 48 horses living in two “extreme” conditions: restricted conditions (single stall, low roughage diet) and naturalistic conditions (stable groups in pasture). The immediate place (e.g. stall/pasture) and the behavioural/postural (behaviour performed/ears positions) contexts of snort production were observed. We additionally performed an evaluation of the welfare state, using validated behavioural (e.g. stereotypies) and postural (e.g. overall ears positions) welfare indicators. The results show that 1) snort production was significantly associated with situations known to be positive for horses (e.g. feeding in pasture) and with a positive internal state (ears in forward or sidewards positions), 2) the riding school horses produced twice as many snorts when in pasture than in stall, 3) the naturalistic population emitted significantly more snorts than riding school ones in comparable contexts, 4) the frequency of snorts was negatively correlated with the composite total chronic stress score (TCSS, reflecting compromised welfare based on the horse’s rank on the different indicators): the lower the TCSS, the higher the snort rate. Snorts therefore appear as reliable indicators of positive emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Stomp
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR 6552 CNRS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Caen-Normandie, Station Biologique de Paimpont, Paimpont, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Maël Leroux
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR 6552 CNRS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Caen-Normandie, Station Biologique de Paimpont, Paimpont, France
| | - Marjorie Cellier
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR 6552 CNRS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Caen-Normandie, Station Biologique de Paimpont, Paimpont, France
| | - Séverine Henry
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR 6552 CNRS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Caen-Normandie, Station Biologique de Paimpont, Paimpont, France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR 6552 CNRS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Caen-Normandie, Station Biologique de Paimpont, Paimpont, France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS, UMR 6552 Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Université de Caen-Normandie, Rennes, France
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Varga B, Gergely A, Galambos Á, Kis A. Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability during Sleep in Family Dogs ( Canis familiaris). Moderate Effect of Pre-Sleep Emotions. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8070107. [PMID: 30004461 PMCID: PMC6071078 DOI: 10.3390/ani8070107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary It is common knowledge that negative emotions in humans are accompanied by both impaired subjective experience as well as maladaptive changes in behavior and physiology. The present paper investigates heart rate—one of the most commonly used emotion-related physiology measures—in the family dog, with the aim of uncovering its potential relationship with emotions. Sleep recordings were conducted following a positive versus a negative social interaction, as sleep alternations are one of the most conspicuous changes in response to negative affect. We observed differences in heart rate following the positive versus negative interactions, however these were only apparent during wakefulness, but not during sleep. Abstract The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) has been shown to both excel in recognising human emotions and produce emotion-related vocalisations and postures that humans can easily recognise. However, little is known about the effect of emotional experiences on subsequent sleep physiology, a set of phenomena heavily interrelated with emotions in the case of humans. The present paper examines heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) during dogs’ sleep, measures that are influenced by both positive and negative emotions in awake dogs. In Study I, descriptive HR and HRV data is provided on N = 12 dogs about the different sleep stages (wake, drowsiness, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM), REM; scoring based on electroencephalogram (EEG) data). We conclude that wakefulness is characterised by higher HR and lower HRV compared to all sleep stages. Furthermore, drowsiness is characterised by higher HR and lower HRV than non-REM and REM, but only if the electrocardiogram (ECG) samples are taken from the first occurrence of a given sleep stage, not when the longest periods of each sleep stage are analysed. Non-REM and REM sleep were not found to be different from each other in either HR or HRV parameters. In Study II, sleep HR and HRV measures are compared in N = 16 dogs after a positive versus negative social interaction (within-subject design). The positive social interaction consisted of petting and ball play, while the negative social interaction was a mixture of separation, threatening approach and still face test. Results are consistent with the two-dimensional emotion hypothesis in that following the intense positive interaction more elevated HR and decreased HRV is found compared to the mildly negative (lower intensity) interaction. However, although this trend can be observed in all sleep stages except for REM, the results only reach significance in the wake stage. In sum, the present findings suggest that HR and HRV are possible to measure during dogs’ sleep, and can potentially be used to study the effect of emotions not only during but also after such interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bence Varga
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Anna Gergely
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Ágoston Galambos
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1053 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Anna Kis
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
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Can you spare 15 min? The measurable positive impact of a 15-min petting session on shelter dog well-being. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Colussi A, Stefanon B, Adorini C, Sandri M. Variations of salivary cortisol in dogs exposed to different cognitive and physical activities. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2018.1453756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Colussi
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali – DI4A, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Bruno Stefanon
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali – DI4A, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Chiara Adorini
- DVM, Ambulatorio Veterinario ‘Chiara Adorini’, Udine, Italy
| | - Misa Sandri
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali – DI4A, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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Maccariello CEM, Franzini de Souza CC, Morena L, Dias DPM, Medeiros MAD. Effects of acupuncture on the heart rate variability, cortisol levels and behavioural response induced by thunder sound in beagles. Physiol Behav 2018; 186:37-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Protopopova A, Hauser H, Goldman KJ, Wynne CDL. The effects of exercise and calm interactions on in-kennel behavior of shelter dogs. Behav Processes 2017; 146:54-60. [PMID: 29158026 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Over-activity, or excessive locomotion and barking in the kennel, may be unattractive to adopters and an indicator of poor welfare of kenneled dogs. The study assessed the efficacy of two common enrichment strategies, providing calm interaction and additional exercise, on in-kennel behavior in 16 shelter dogs. Both interventions resulted in appropriate behavior just prior to the sessions (t=2.10, df=7, p=0.03 and F [2216]=7.58, p=0.0007, respectively), but both also resulted in an increase of some undesirable behaviors immediately after the dogs were taken back to their kennels (F [3216]=7.77, p=0.0001 and F (5216)=10.1, p<0.0001 respectively). Right after receiving additional exercise, the dogs spent more time in back and forth motion in the kennel. Right after receiving the calm interaction, the dogs spent less time in the front of the kennel, less time facing forward, and more time engaging in back and forth motion. However, dogs also spent less time barking and jumping on the kennel door right after the calm interaction. The results suggest that both interventions may be useful, but shelter administrators and volunteers must take all of the behavioral changes into account when administering these interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hagar Hauser
- College of Veterinary Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kissel J Goldman
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Clive D L Wynne
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Hudson R, Chacha J, Bánszegi O, Szenczi P, Rödel HG. Highly stable individual differences in the emission of separation calls during early development in the domestic cat. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:367-374. [PMID: 28323347 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Study of the development of individuality is often hampered by rapidly changing behavioral repertoires and the need for minimally intrusive tests. We individually tested 33 kittens from eight litters of the domestic cat in an arena for 3 min once a week for the first 3 postnatal weeks, recording the number of separation calls and the duration of locomotor activity. Kittens showed consistent and stable individual differences on both measures across and within trials. Stable individual differences in the emission of separation calls across trials emerged already within the first 10 s of testing, and in locomotor activity within the first 30 s. Furthermore, individual kittens' emission of separation calls, but not their locomotor activity, was highly stable within trials. We conclude that separation calls provide an efficient, minimally intrusive and reliable measure of individual differences in behavior during development in the cat, and possibly in other species emitting such calls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jimena Chacha
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Oxána Bánszegi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Péter Szenczi
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Heiko G Rödel
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimental et Comparée EA4443, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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Carreras R, Arroyo L, Mainau E, Valent D, Bassols A, Dalmau A, Faucitano L, Manteca X, Velarde A. Can the way pigs are handled alter behavioural and physiological measures of affective state? Behav Processes 2017. [PMID: 28642165 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research on human-animal relationship in animal production has been mainly focused on its effect on stress, productivity and meat quality. Only few studies have assessed its effects on the animals' affective state. In the present study, the influence of positive and negative handling (pH and NH, respectively) on affective state and fear as assessed by the cognitive bias test, the novel object test and the defence cascade test was studied in 56 pigs. Serum, saliva and hair were sampled during the study for the analysis of cortisol concentration. Results showed no differences between pH and NH pigs in the behavioural tests, which may be either due to the lack of previous handling effect on the test results, the lack of validity or the low sensitivity of these tests or a combination of them. Moreover, no differences were found in cortisol concentrations between handling groups. However, correlations between tests were found (p<0.05) suggesting that there are individual factors such as the fear level, the motivation or the coping style, that have a similar effect on the response to these tests. Moreover, pigs who were more fearful had higher (r=0.37; p=0.014) levels of serum cortisol at slaughter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricard Carreras
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Spain
| | - Laura Arroyo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Eva Mainau
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Spain; Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Daniel Valent
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Anna Bassols
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Antoni Dalmau
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Spain
| | - Luigi Faucitano
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke J1 M 0C8, Canada
| | - Xavier Manteca
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Antonio Velarde
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, 17121 Monells, Spain.
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Shin YJ, Shin NS. Relationship between sociability toward humans and physiological stress in dogs. J Vet Med Sci 2017; 79:1278-1283. [PMID: 28539532 PMCID: PMC5559377 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.16-0403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociability is an essential trait for dogs to successfully interact with humans. In this study, the relationship between sociability and physiological stress was examined. Additionally, whether differences exist between companion
dogs (C group) and shelter dogs (S group) was examined. Overall, healthy 37 dogs (C group=21 and S group=16) were examined. After 5 min of walking, the dog and the owner (or the chief manager) rested freely in the experimental
location for 5 min. The behavioral test with 6 categories was conducted to evaluate sociability over 4 min. The establishment of two groups (H group=dogs with high sociability; L group=dogs with low sociability) was supported by
the statistical results of the behavioral tests. Saliva was collected before (P1) and after the test period (P2), and salivary cortisol levels were determined and statistically analyzed. The cortisol concentrations at P2 and the
differences in concentrations between P1 and P2 (P2–P1) in the groups with high sociability were significantly lower than those in the groups with low sociability. These results may demonstrate that sociable dogs adapt more
comfortably to strangers and unfamiliar situations. Meanwhile, there were significant differences in hormonal results between the C and S groups. For this reason, their sociability should be evaluated using behavioral and
physiological assessments before re-adoption to ensure their successful adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Joo Shin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea
| | - Nam-Shik Shin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea
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Csoltova E, Martineau M, Boissy A, Gilbert C. Behavioral and physiological reactions in dogs to a veterinary examination: Owner-dog interactions improve canine well-being. Physiol Behav 2017; 177:270-281. [PMID: 28501556 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In order to improve well-being of dogs during veterinary visits, we aimed to investigate the effect of human social interactions on behavior and physiology during routine examination. Firstly, we assessed the impact of a standardized veterinary examination on behavioral and physiological indicators of stress in dogs. Secondly, we examined whether the owner's tactile and verbal interactions with the dog influenced behavioral and physiological stress-associated parameters. A randomized within-subjects crossover design was used to examine behavior (n=33), rectal temperature (n=33), heart rate (HR) (n=18), maximal ocular surface temperature (max OST) (n=13) and salivary cortisol concentrations (n=10) in healthy privately owned pet dogs. The study consisted of two experimental conditions: a) "contact" - owner petting and talking to the dog during the examination; b) "non-contact" - owner present during the examination but not allowed to interact with the dog. Our findings showed that the veterinary examinations produced acute stress responses in dogs during both "contact" and "non-contact" conditions, with significant increases in lip licking, HR, and max OST. A significant decrease in attempts to jump off the examination table (p=0.002) was observed during the examination in the "contact" compared to the "non-contact" condition. In addition, interactions of owners showed an attenuating effect on HR (p=0.018) and max OST (p=0.011) in their dogs. The testing order (first vs. second visit) had no impact on behavioral and physiological parameters, suggesting that dogs did not habituate or sensitize to the examination procedure. Moreover, the duration of the owner-dog interactions had no significant impact on the behavioral and physiological responses of their dogs. This study demonstrates that owner-dog interactions improve the well-being of dogs during a veterinary examination. Future research may assist in further understanding the mechanisms associated with reducing stress in dogs in similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Csoltova
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort 94704, France.
| | - Michaël Martineau
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort 94704, France
| | - Alain Boissy
- INRA, UMRH 1213 Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle 63122, France
| | - Caroline Gilbert
- Université Paris-Est, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR 7179, Laboratoire Mecadev, CNRS/MNHN, 7 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort 94704, France
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