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Platto S, Serres A, Normando S, Wang Y, Turner DC. Changes in the Dog's and Cat's Behaviors, as Reported by the Owners, before and during the Lockdown in China. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192596. [PMID: 36230338 PMCID: PMC9559505 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had and still has on human psychological health, it is expected that it might also affect household dogs’ and cats’ welfare. The current study explores the behavioral changes in dogs and cats before (BL) and during the lockdown (DL), as reported by their owners in China. Besides demographic parameters, variables related to the daily management of dogs and cats were analyzed in relation to behavioral problems, stress-related behaviors, and anxiety-related behaviors before and during the lockdown. A total of 261 questionnaires were collected. In general, behavioral problems and stress-related behaviors in dogs (p < 0.001) and cats (p < 0.001) decreased DL compared to BL, while anxiety-related behaviors in cats did not show any differences between the two periods considered. On the other hand, anxiety-related behaviors were more frequent in dogs DL (36.3%) compared to BL (35%), which were associated with reduced frequency of play activities with the owners (p = 0.016) and altered sleeping habits (p < 0.01). During the lockdown, dogs’ and cats’ daily routines and management (feeding and sleeping habits, dogs’ walks, dogs’ and cats’ play activities, litter box management, and cats’ lifestyle) experienced changes, but they were not associated with any behavioral issues. On the other hand, the behavioral issues considered for dogs and cats were more frequent BL, which were influenced by the daily management of the pets. The current study showed how critical the attention the owners can provide to the pets could be, to improve their companion animals’ welfare. Therefore, it is important to provide pet owners with behavioral management support both during particularly difficult periods such as a lockdown and during regular daily routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Platto
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Agathe Serres
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 28 Luhuitou Road, Jiyang District, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Simona Normando
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, 35020 Padua, Italy
| | - Yanqing Wang
- China Conservation and Green Development Foundation, Beijing 110108, China
| | - Dennis C. Turner
- Institute for applied Ethology and Animal Psychology, I.E.A.P./I.E.T., 8810 Horgen, Switzerland
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2
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Diurnal activity patterns of equally socialized and kept wolves, Canis lupus, and dogs, Canis lupus familiaris. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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3
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Lee H, Collins D, Creevy KE, Promislow DEL. Age and Physical Activity Levels in Companion Dogs: Results From the Dog Aging Project. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2022; 77:1986-1993. [PMID: 35486978 PMCID: PMC9536450 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glac099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
While there has been an abundance of studies on the important relationship between physical activity and age in both dogs and humans, studies on dogs have primarily focused on how a dog's biological characteristics, such as their weight, affect the age-activity relationship. To date, there is little knowledge about how this relationship may be associated with contextual- and owner-level characteristics. We leveraged a large and novel data set from the Dog Aging Project (DAP) to investigate the extent to which the age-activity relationship is associated with certain dog and owner characteristics, namely dog size, owner age, and the environment in which they live. Dogs are a unique model for aging research as they are exposed to similar social and environmental elements as humans but have a shorter life span, allowing researchers to observe their entire life course. We find that older dogs are less active than younger dogs; rural dogs are more active than suburban and urban dogs, especially at younger ages; and larger dogs are more active than smaller dogs. These findings are generally consistent with previous studies. However, a surprising finding is that older owners have more active dogs than younger owners. As one of the first studies to utilize the large survey data from the DAP, this study lays the foundation for future investigations to further understand and identify the biological, social, and environmental causes, as well as consequences, of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kate E Creevy
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Address correspondence to: Daniel E. L. Promislow, DPhil, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 357705, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98915, USA. E-mail:
| | - Dog Aging Project Consortium
AkeyJoshua MLewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USABentonBrookeDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USABorensteinElhananDepartment of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelBlavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelSanta Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USACastelhanoMarta GCornell Veterinary Biobank, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USAColemanAmanda EDepartment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USACreevyKate EDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USACrowderKyleDepartment of Sociology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USACenter for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADunbarMatthew DCenter for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAFajtVirginia RDepartment of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAFitzpatrickAnnette LDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAJefferyUnityDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAJonlinErica CDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAInstitute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAKaeberleinMattDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAKarlssonElinor KBioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USABroad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USAKerrKathleen FDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USALevineJonathan MDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAMaJingDivision of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USAMcClellandRobyn LDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAPromislowDaniel E LDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USARupleAudreyDepartment of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USASchwartzStephen MEpidemiology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USAShragerSandiCollaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USASnyder-MacklerNoahSchool of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USACenter for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USASchool for Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USATolbertKatherineDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, USAUrferSilvan RDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAWilfondBenjamin STreuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Bioethics and Palliative Care, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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4
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Schork IG, Manzo IA, De Oliveira MRB, da Costa FV, Young RJ, de Azevedo CS. The cyclic interaction between daytime behavior and the sleep behavior of laboratory dogs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:478. [PMID: 35013533 PMCID: PMC8748904 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04502-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep deprivation has been found to negatively affect an individual´s physical and psychological health. Sleep loss affects activity patterns, increases anxiety-like behaviors, decreases cognitive performance and is associated with depressive states. The activity/rest cycle of dogs has been investigated before, but little is known about the effects of sleep loss on the behavior of the species. Dogs are polyphasic sleepers, meaning the behavior is most observed at night, but bouts are also present during the day. However, sleep can vary with ecological and biological factors, such as age, sex, fitness, and even human presence. In this study, kennelled laboratory adult dogs' sleep and diurnal behavior were recorded during 24-h, five-day assessment periods to investigate sleep quality and its effect on daily behavior. In total, 1560 h of data were analyzed, and sleep metrics and diurnal behavior were quantified. The relationship between sleeping patterns and behavior and the effect of age and sex were evaluated using non-parametric statistical tests and GLMM modelling. Dogs in our study slept substantially less than previously reported and presented a modified sleep architecture with fewer awakenings during the night and almost no sleep during the day. Sleep loss increased inactivity, decreased play and alert behaviors, while increased time spent eating during the day. Males appeared to be more affected by sleep fragmentation than females. Different age groups also experienced different effects of sleep loss. Overall, dogs appear to compensate for the lack of sleep during the night by remaining inactive during the day. With further investigations, the relationship between sleep loss and behavior has the potential to be used as a measure of animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Gabriela Schork
- School of Sciences, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford Manchester, Salford, UK
| | - Isabele Aparecida Manzo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Marcos Roberto Beiral De Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Fernanda Vieira da Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Robert John Young
- School of Sciences, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford Manchester, Salford, UK
| | - Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
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5
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If they could choose: How would dogs spend their days? Activity patterns in four populations of domestic dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Libonate ST, Suchak M. Predictors of the Use of Enrichment Items in Colony Housed Shelter Cats. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2021:1-13. [PMID: 34096427 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1934840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Colony rooms provide cats with many opportunities to use enrichment, but animal shelters usually have finite resources to provision items. This study examined how cats select enrichment items when given a variety of options. Our goal was to identify whether certain enrichment might be particularly beneficial for different cats. Enrichment was categorized into three categories based on function (soft surfaces for resting, enclosed spaces for security, and vertical surfaces for vantage points). Demographic (sex, source of intake) and non-demographic (length of stay, floor space per cat, people present) features of the cats were entered into models as predictors. For all enrichment categories, the presence of people in the room significantly decreased item use, males used vertical surfaces more, all cats used vertical surfaces more the longer they were at the shelter, and cats that were seized or signed over from hoarding or cruelty cases used enclosed spaces more. Identifying patterns of enrichment use can allow shelters to more effectively distribute limited resources and maximize the welfare of individual cats during their stay at the shelter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha T Libonate
- Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation Department, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Malini Suchak
- Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation Department, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Cerutti RD, Giannetto C, Scaglione MC, Sciabarrasi A, Fazio F, Piccione G. Interspecies comparison of daily total locomotor activity between maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) maintained in captivity. J Vet Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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8
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Woods HJ, Li MF, Patel UA, Lascelles BDX, Samson DR, Gruen ME. A functional linear modeling approach to sleep-wake cycles in dogs. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22233. [PMID: 33335259 PMCID: PMC7747556 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79274-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of companion (pet) dogs is an area of great translational potential, as they share a risk for many conditions that afflict humans. Among these are conditions that affect sleep, including chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction. Significant advancements have occurred in the ability to study sleep in dogs, including development of non-invasive polysomnography; however, basic understanding of dog sleep patterns remains poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to establish baseline sleep-wake cycle and activity patterns using actigraphy and functional linear modeling (FLM), for healthy, adult companion dogs. Forty-two dogs were enrolled and wore activity monitors for 14 days. FLM demonstrated a bimodal pattern of activity with significant effects of sex, body mass, and age; the effect of age was particularly evident during the times of peak activity. This study demonstrated that FLM can be used to describe normal sleep-wake cycles of healthy adult dogs and the effects of physiologic traits on these patterns of activity. This foundation makes it possible to characterize deviations from normal patterns, including those associated with chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction syndrome. This can improve detection of these conditions in dogs, benefitting them and their potential as models for human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope J Woods
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ming Fei Li
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ujas A Patel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - B Duncan X Lascelles
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Translational Research in Pain (TRiP) Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Comparative Pain Research and Education Centre, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Comparative Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27612, USA.,Thurston Arthritis Centre, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Anaesthesiology, Center for Translational Pain Research, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David R Samson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Margaret E Gruen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Comparative Pain Research and Education Centre, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. .,Comparative Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27612, USA.
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9
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Abstract
This article reviews the current knowledge regarding osteoarthritis-related pain in cats as a structure in which to discuss the assessment of chronic pain in the research and clinical settings. The scientific evidence available for current and emerging drug therapies is described. The importance of environmental enrichment and positive emotions to reduce pain, stress, and anxiety as means to promote feline welfare and human-pet bond is discussed.
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10
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Hoffman CL, Ladha C, Wilcox S. An actigraphy-based comparison of shelter dog and owned dog activity patterns. J Vet Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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11
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Gruen ME, Alfaro-Córdoba M, Thomson AE, Worth AC, Staicu AM, Lascelles BDX. The Use of Functional Data Analysis to Evaluate Activity in a Spontaneous Model of Degenerative Joint Disease Associated Pain in Cats. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169576. [PMID: 28099449 PMCID: PMC5242440 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction and objectives Accelerometry is used as an objective measure of physical activity in humans and veterinary species. In cats, one important use of accelerometry is in the study of therapeutics designed to treat degenerative joint disease (DJD) associated pain, where it serves as the most widely applied objective outcome measure. These analyses have commonly used summary measures, calculating the mean activity per-minute over days and comparing between treatment periods. While this technique has been effective, information about the pattern of activity in cats is lost. In this study, functional data analysis was applied to activity data from client-owned cats with (n = 83) and without (n = 15) DJD. Functional data analysis retains information about the pattern of activity over the 24-hour day, providing insight into activity over time. We hypothesized that 1) cats without DJD would have higher activity counts and intensity of activity than cats with DJD; 2) that activity counts and intensity of activity in cats with DJD would be inversely correlated with total radiographic DJD burden and total orthopedic pain score; and 3) that activity counts and intensity would have a different pattern on weekends versus weekdays. Results and conclusions Results showed marked inter-cat variability in activity. Cats exhibited a bimodal pattern of activity with a sharp peak in the morning and broader peak in the evening. Results further showed that this pattern was different on weekends than weekdays, with the morning peak being shifted to the right (later). Cats with DJD showed different patterns of activity from cats without DJD, though activity and intensity were not always lower; instead both the peaks and troughs of activity were less extreme than those of the cats without DJD. Functional data analysis provides insight into the pattern of activity in cats, and an alternative method for analyzing accelerometry data that incorporates fluctuations in activity across the day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E. Gruen
- Comparative Pain Research Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Marcela Alfaro-Córdoba
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrea E. Thomson
- Comparative Pain Research Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Alicia C. Worth
- Comparative Pain Research Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ana-Maria Staicu
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - B. Duncan X. Lascelles
- Comparative Pain Research Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Pain Research and Innovation, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Giannetto C, Fazio F, Assenza A, Alberghina D, Panzera M, Piccione G. Intrasubject and intersubject variabilities in the daily rhythm of total locomotor activity in horses. J Vet Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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13
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Giannetto C, Giudice E, Fazio F, Alberghina D, Assenza A, Panzera M, Piccione G. Different behavior of body temperature and total locomotor activity daily rhythms during light/dark cycle in stabledOryctolagus cuniculus. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2015.1073464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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14
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Fukuzawa M, Nakazato I. Influence of changes in luminous emittance before bedtime on sleep in companion dogs. J Vet Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2014.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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