Journal of Veterinary Behavior-clinical Applications and Research最新文献

A 2-year-old intact male German Shepherd dog was presented for aggressive behavior toward unfamiliar people. The aggressive behavior was limited to the yard and home of the owner. The dog was diagnosed with territorial aggression. The patient had not responded to two different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine, sertraline) before responding to a combination of venlafaxine extended release and clonidine.

Undesirable behaviors of dogs and cats may reduce their quality of life and may cause harm to their owners. Such behaviors have been treated with medications as well as behavioral training and environmental modifications. Finnish veterinarians answered a web-based questionnaire to characterize the treatment of undesirable behaviors in dogs and cats by medications. Fourteen indications related to undesirable behaviors were defined in the questionnaire. Most psychoactive medications authorized for veterinary or human use in Finland and allowed to be prescribed for animal use according to the national legislation were listed. In addition, some sedative and analgesic agents were included. Canine and feline undesirable behaviors were treated by the respondents with a wide variety of medications. In many cases, none of the remedies used could be demonstrated to be a clear favorite for a certain indication. Off-label use of psychoactive medications was common. Many medications were used without research-based evidence of their efficacy for the indication in those species in question. Treatment of dogs was more often associated with advice for behavioral training in addition to medications than treatment of cats. Both the common off-label use of medications and the wide variety of substances used for the particular behavioral problem reveal the need for further clinical evidence of the efficacy of medications to treat various canine and feline undesirable behaviors.

Dog bites in humans are a serious public health problem widely documented. Although some studies report a seasonal effect on dog bite incidence, the rationale for these findings is poor. This study aimed to describe the influence of season and photoperiod on the incidence of dog bite injury hospitalizations (DBIH) in Sicily, a Mediterranean climate region, over 10 years (2012-2021). Four hundred and forty-nine cases of severe dog bites that required hospitalization were analyzed. Patients were divided into two age groups: group 1 (0-19 years) and group 2 (≥20 years). A Poisson regression general linear model analysis was used to model incidence data across seasons and photoperiods (short photoperiod [SP] and long photoperiod [LP]). The results revealed that the relative risk for group 1 is higher during summer (2.03; 95%CI 1.30-2.17) and, in general, during LP (1.788; 95%CI 1.274-2.55) when compared with autumn and SP, respectively. Comparing group 2 with group 1, a lower relative risk is observed in both summer (0.42; 95%CI 0.28-0.63) and spring (0.32; 95%CI 0.22-0.45), and in LP (0.41; 95%CI 0.31-0.53). In group 2, results showed a significant increase of DBIH during winter and autumn (P < 0.05) and in both photoperiods with a positive trend over 10 years (P < 0.05). Results from this study suggest an influence of season on DBIH modulated by the age of patients. This aspect should be considered in developing preventive approaches for dog bite injuries.

This article presents findings from an assessment of owners' investments in the welfare of African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris), focusing on feeding, housing, enrichment, hygiene, and health practices. Participants were divided into three groups based on how they acquired information about hedgehog care: G1 consulted veterinarians, G2 consulted other owners and breeders, and G3 consulted the internet. Group G3 comprised the largest portion of participants (45%), while G1 had the fewest (22%). The majority of owners fed their hedgehogs commercial food (55%), supplemented with live worms, dry insects, or plants (79%). Most hedgehogs were housed in units smaller than 0.5 square meters (68%), and 84% lacked a hiding "house". Some owners did not provide a hedgehog wheel (17%). Owners consulting veterinarians (G1) were more likely to use commercial food (P < 0.05), spend time interacting with their pets (P < 0.01), wash the wheel daily (P < 0.01), seek veterinary check-ups upon acquisition (P < 0.01), schedule preventive examinations (P < 0.01), and consult veterinarians for health changes (P < 0.01) compared to internet consulters (G3). All G1 owners had hedgehog wheels, significantly more than G2 owners (P < 0.01), where 27% lacked them. Significant differences existed between G1 and G2 in wheel washing frequency, post-acquisition veterinary visits (P < 0.001), preventive check-ups (P < 0.001), and contacting veterinarians for health changes (P < 0.01). Overall, owners across all groups exhibited differences in care practices, including some errors such as inadequate housing.

Assistance and therapy dogs play a key role in providing support to humans. There have been limited studies of the health, ethics, and welfare of the dogs involved in these programs. This study sought to identify the current practices relating to the care and management of assistance and therapy dogs within Australia. Online surveys with a focus on dog welfare, behavior, training, and education standards were developed for Australian organizations that train or provide assistance dogs or have an allied health professional working with a therapy dog. Responses were received from 29 assistance dog organizations surveys and 28 therapy dogs in allied health organizations. While there were areas of strong practice, such as requiring health clearances from veterinarians, providing vaccinations, and training in understanding dog body language, there were inconsistencies in requirements for rest times and regular behavioral and health checks. Just over half of the respondent assistance dog organizations have a policy for dogs working in hot weather. Few organizations recommended the avoidance of raw meat diets, and most did not require a negative fecal parasite result. This study identified a range of gaps in the current service provision in relation to dog welfare and highlighted the lack of consistency in current practice. The identified gaps can be used to develop best practice guidelines to ensure the sustainability of the assistance and therapy dog industry.

Although extensive research has focused on the impact of maternal stress during pregnancy, there remains a significant gap in understanding the influence of pre-pregnancy stress experienced by each parent on the behavioral outcomes of their offspring. In this study, 36 adult rats were divided into control and stress groups. In stress groups, female and male rats were subjected to predatory stress (exposed to cat twice a day, 1 hour per session) for 15 and 50 consecutive days, respectively. After the stress procedure, the stressed and control rats were mated to create four groups of breeding pairs: control male/control female, stressed female/control male, control female/stressed male, and stressed male/stressed female. On post-natal days 30-31, the offspring underwent testing on elevated plus maze (EPM) for evaluating fear and exploratory behaviors, and blood samples were taken to measure their plasma corticosterone concentration. Before EPM test, half of the pups of each group were exposed to acute predatory stress. The results indicated that the disparity in corticosterone levels, fear, and exploratory behaviors between acute stressed offspring and their non-acute stressed counterparts was more pronounced in groups with maternal or paternal stress, whereas the difference was minimal in control groups. The combined effect of maternal and paternal stressors produced non-additive effects on corticosterone and behavioral responses. These findings suggest that pre-gestational stress can exacerbate the effect of acute stress on offspring ethological parameters and exposure to stressful conditions prior to pregnancy can exert important effects on physiology and behavior of the offspring later in life.

Cribbing is an oral stereotypic behavior in horses. Cribbing behavior (CB) has been associated with gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction and gastric ulceration. This randomized crossover study aimed to evaluate the hypotheses that there would be differences in GI microbiota between horses receiving a gastric health support supplement or a placebo, as well as differences between cribbing horses (CBH) and noncribbing horses (NCBH). Mature Quarter Horses with CB (n = 4) and sex-matched noncribbing controls (NCB; n = 4) were randomly assigned to receive either a GI support supplement (TRT) or a placebo for 21 days, followed by a 2-week washout period. Treatment groups were then switched, and horses were treated for an additional 21 days. Before and after each treatment period, feces and gastric fluid samples were collected for microbiome analysis. Horses were acclimated for 2 weeks before the start of the study, individually stalled for 16 h/d, fed bermudagrass hay (1.2% body weight [BW], dry matter [DM] basis), and concentrated (0.5% BW), and turned out in pairs in paddocks for 8 h/d throughout the study. Fecal microbiota differed between CBH and NCBH (P = 0.001), although microbiota remained unaffected by TRT. No differences were found in the gastric microbiota between CBH and NCBH or between TRT and placebo. Administration of the supplement did not alter the GI environment of NCBH or CBH; however, a link between cribbing and fecal microbiota was found, suggesting that CBH may have a disrupted gut microbiome.

Pet food manufacturers aim to balance the palatability with the nutritional value of their products. Ensuring that young canines receive the best nourishment is crucial, while also promoting long-lasting engagement and satisfaction during mealtime. The study aimed to investigate if the nutritional content of food can affect food preferences in 2-month-old Sharplanina shepherd dogs and the development of neophobia when introduced to a new diet. Three different dietary plans were tested, each with varying percentages of animal-derived proteins (97% in A, 77% in B, and 94% in C). Observations of behavior were documented on camera at the beginning and end of a 10-day feeding cycle. The observations were made during the scheduled feeding times of 7 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. According to the study, puppies showed neophobic behavior when a new diet was introduced. The puppies displayed a notable decrease in meal rate of consumption, heightened distraction during diet consumption, and increased hesitation on the first day of each new diet, specifically on day 9 and day 10. Post-consumption interest peaked significantly on day 9 and day 10, particularly when dogs consumed diet C. Through the study, it was observed that Diet C had an impact on the puppies' feed preferences, indicating a possible link between the diet's nutritional content and their food preferences. Based on the study results, it appears that puppies need at least 9 days to reduce neophobia and adapt to new food flavors and feeding schedules.