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

Given the relative scarcity of research focusing on non-rescue sighthound behavior, the present exploratory study aimed to investigate the presence of, and factors associated with, behavioral complaints and owner satisfaction in Italian greyhounds and whippets, using an online questionnaire. Some other behavioral characteristics (such as being challenging, gentle, or reliable), deemed likely to be important for satisfaction and/or cited in the breed standards, were likewise analyzed, and possible predictors of owner satisfaction with the dogs were investigated. The survey yielded answers for 326 dogs (164 whippets, 162 Italian greyhounds) given by a convenience sample of 268 caretakers. Compared to whippets, Italian greyhounds were reported more often to show aggressive behavior toward people (11.7% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.05), fear of people (13.6% vs. 6.1%, P < 0.05) and of dogs/other animals (10.5% vs. 2.4%, P < 0.001), separation distress (29.8% vs. 19.1%, P < 0.05) and house soiling (43.7% vs. 11.1%; P < 0.001) and less often to show predatory behavior (56.2% vs. 79.9%, P < 0.001). Age of the dog was the most often significant predictor among those studied, with older dogs being reported as showing less fear of people (P < 0.001), fear of dogs/other animals (P < 0.01), predatory behavior (P < 0.05), “disobedience/lack of cooperation” (P < 0.001), and “miscellaneous other issues” (P < 0.01). Intact females were reported as to be less challenging/demanding (P < 0.010), and to show stereotypies less often (P < 0.001) than other dogs. Dogs being scored the maximum score on satisfaction-related questions were associated with them being reliable, not challenging, and not being reported as showing out-of-context fear of other dogs and other animals (all P < 0.05).

This study investigated differences in behavior and cognition between rescue dogs and non-rescue dogs using a series of cognitive tests. These tests were simple enough that they could be performed by owners in their own homes. Therefore, citizen science was used to collect behavioral data on rescue dogs (n = 30) and non-rescue dogs (n = 20). Owners of the dogs also completed questionnaires to assess the dog-owner relationship and personality of the dog. Results revealed that rescue dogs maintained eye contact for a significantly shorter duration compared to non-rescue dogs (U = 162.5, P = 0.029). However, they performed significantly better than non-rescue dogs in a simple memory test (χ²(1, N = 40) = 4.40, P = 0.036). Rescue dogs were significantly more fearful than non-rescue dogs (P < 0.05), but the groups did not differ in their dog-owner relationship questionnaire scores. Hence, there may be some differences between rescue and non-rescue dogs, and citizen science could be a viable method to collect behavioral data on rescue dogs after they are rehomed.

Working canines often deploy into environments with unknown chemical and biological contaminants. Disaster canines may be deployed for lengthy periods and thus may experience longer periods of environmental exposure with greater possibility for contaminant contact. The skin functions as a protective barrier to prevent potential contaminants and pathogens from entering the system. To mitigate the effects of contaminant exposure to canine and handler, daily decontamination efforts are often required. However, little data exist on the effect of repeated decontamination to the canine skin. The objective of this study was to identify changes to the skin associated with a 14-day serial decontamination program. Labrador retrievers (n = 8) were decontaminated daily using a dish detergent solution (1:8, detergent:water). Skin measurements were collected weekly for pH, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum, and moisture. Additionally, visual assessments were recorded for skin health, coat condition, and dander scores (back and body). Statistical tests were conducted with SAS (version 9.4) with measured data analyzed using a PROC GLM two-way ANOVA and visual assessments analyzed using the PROC FREQ Chi-square test. Significance was set at 5% for all tests. Repeated decontamination significantly increased TEWL (P < 0.0001) through day 16 with values returning to baseline by day 49. Sebum was also affected by repeated, daily decontamination efforts (P = 0.0387). However, higher sebum values are seen later in the study, on day 42, and may be associated with recovery. In contrast, moisture content (P = 0.3842) and pH (P = 0.7462) were unaffected by repeated decontamination. Interestingly, dander scores assessed on the back were worsened by repeated decontamination (P = 0.0222), but dander scores assessed across the whole body were unaffected (P = 0.1804). Coat shine and softness were unaffected by decontamination (P = 0.1156 and P = 0.3418, respectively). Overall coat condition remained unchanged as a result of repeated decontamination efforts (P = 0.9466). These data demonstrate negative impacts to the skin barrier associated with daily decontamination, which may increase the risk of inflammation and skin damage (Ananthapadmanabhan et al., 2004; Vidémont et al., 2012). Future work should include investigations into safer methods of decontamination to mitigate these risks.

C-BARQ (Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire) is one of the effective and well-known tools to evaluate dog behavior by owners through a questionnaire. The C-BARQ has been translated into several languages and is used in many countries. The present study aimed to translate and adapt the English version of C-BARQ to the Thai version and validate it regarding the guidelines of cross-cultural adaptation. The C-BARQ was translated into the Thai language and translated back to English. The validation of the Thai C-BARQ was done by 40 dog owner volunteers before releasing the Thai C-BARQ online version via social media advertising for 3 months. According to demographic data, women were the majority of dog owners in Thailand (88.34%), and one-third of respondents (30.16%) lived in Bangkok, the capital city. Thai dogs mostly lived in detached houses (79.93%) and were fed conventional diet (66.83%). The majority (37.99%) of the dog owners were in the adult age group (31–40 years old). Male and female dog populations were almost equal (54.13%: 45.87%) and half of the dogs were neutered (50.63%). By factor analysis, 12 factors with 63 items were identified from the C-BARQ data of 1,827 dog owners. All factors of the Thai version of C-BARQ have acceptable reliability with the coefficient of Cronbach’s alpha values ranged between 0.697 and 0.938. Thus, the validation of Thai version of C-BARQ in the present study could be a dependable and applicable tool for assessing dog behavior in Thailand.

Melatonin is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and is implicated in seasonal reproduction in sheep. In several physiological mechanisms, it acts as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory molecule, regulating energy metabolism. This work investigated the effects of melatonin implants at 30 days of age on locomotor activity (LA), body temperature, and growth of fattening female and male lambs. Sixty lambs were divided into two groups: one of which received melatonin (MEL, 15 males, 16 females) and a control group (CTR, 16 males, 14 females). In the melatonin group, two 18 mg melatonin implants were placed at 30 days of age. Lambs were fattened for 6 weeks from weaning (45 days of age) to slaughter (85 days). The feed conversion rate (FCR) was calculated based on live weight and the amount of concentrate consumed. LA was measured weekly by actigraphy, and circadian rhythmicity was calculated. Rectal (Trec) and surface temperatures (Tsur) were recorded in the last week of fattening, and subcutaneous fat thickness (FT) over the longissimus dorsi muscle was measured by ultrasound scanning. Treatment did not affect FCR, although MEL female lambs consumed significantly (P < 0.001) less concentrate than CTR lambs. Treatment and sex had a significant (P < 0.05) interaction effect on FT; specifically, FT was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in female MEL lambs (3.22 ± 0.21 mm) than in female CTR lambs (2.57 ± 0.24 mm), but FT in males did not differ between MEL (2.77 ± 0.21) and CTR (2.94 ± 0.24 mm) lambs. Overall activity was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the MEL lambs (72.22 ± 0.10 counts/min) than in the CTR lambs (78.89 ± 0.12 counts/min). MEL lambs had a significantly (P < 0.01) lower Trec (CTR: 39.00 ± 0.07; MEL: 38.68 ± 0.10) and Tsur for all body regions evaluated than the CTR lambs. In conclusion, treatment with exogenous melatonin at 30 days of age increased food efficiency in fattening female lambs, probably, because of the lower metabolism in treated lambs, which was reflected by the lower body temperature and LA exhibited by these animals. In addition, the study has demonstrated the effect of exogenous melatonin in the growth performances of post-weaning lambs, and that its effects depend on animal sex, which suggests that treatments that target females might be most appropriate in the fattening period.

The present study investigated the effects of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) with therapy dogs on the school wellbeing of kindergarten to year 12 students, and important considerations and challenges for implementing therapy dog AAIs in school settings. Participants were 118 school leaders, teachers, school mental health professionals, and researchers with experience with therapy dog AAIs for school-aged students. Participants completed a survey with 16 open-ended items about the positive and negative effects of therapy dogs on students’ school wellbeing and important factors for implementing therapy dog AAIs in their school settings. Participants perceived that therapy dogs facilitate improvements in students’ social and learning engagement, and their emotional and behavioral wellbeing. However, participants raised concerns about potential safety risks for students and therapy dogs during their interactions. To address these challenges, participants perceived the importance of establishing expectations and rules for how students interact with therapy dogs and standardized regulations to ensure that therapy dog AAIs are implemented safely in kindergarten to year 12 school settings.

Social buffering occurs when a companion helps to reduce a subject’s stress response during a stressful event and/or to recover more quickly from a stressful event. The aim of this study was to determine if any social buffering function of a horse companion can occur in relation to a visual substitute (poster of a relaxed horse face) during two different stressful situations: a novel object test (a ball presented gradually) and an umbrella test (sudden opening of an umbrella). In order to evaluate the effect of a horse face poster on the subject’s stress responses, behavioral (reactivity score) and physiological (heart rate) measurements were taken. Each of the 28 study subjects completed four trials: two novel object tests and two umbrella tests—each with a relaxed horse face poster and a pixelated poster (control). Our results showed that the presence of a horse face poster might significantly reduce the behavioral response (reactivity) of subject horses in the novel object test but did not improve heart rate recovery (HRR) time. The horse face poster did not have a significant effect on the behavioral reaction or HRR in the umbrella test. Any effect of a horse face poster as a potential social buffer might potentially depend on the nature of the stressful event.