Development of an evidence-based welfare approach for cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) under human care

Societal concern for animals under human care has influenced our approaches to advance animal welfare in a variety of contexts. The Animal Programs Department at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium sought partnership with the Center for Human-Animal Interactions Research & Education (CHAIRE) at The Ohio State University to develop a holistic welfare approach for the animals within their department using a focal species, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). A one-year project using the Five Domains Animal Welfare Model collected data over six 60-day periods to evaluate long-term cortisol production and behavioural observations of cheetahs under changing environmental factors. Species and individual histories were incorporated with behavioural observations and hair cortisol production, giving a holistic view of welfare. Cortisol and behavioural data were analysed using linear models to compare cheetahs at population and individual levels. Participation in a cheetah run activity, housing occupancy, and 60-day period were found to influence all behaviours within the population and stereotypic behaviour also differed within individual cheetahs. No differences in hair cortisol concentrations were found for the group, but further analysis revealed differences within individuals throughout the study. No correlation of stereotypic behaviour and cortisol levels were found. This study created a welfare assessment protocol that can be used within zoological institutes and was the first to measure cortisol concentrations in hair in cheetahs.

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French Bulldogs differ to other dogs in the UK in propensity for many common disorders: a VetCompass study

Canine Medicine and Genetics ◽

10.1186/s40575-021-00112-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dan G. O’Neill ◽

Rowena M.A. Packer ◽

Peter Francis ◽

David B. Church ◽

Dave C. Brodbelt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Issues ◽

Specific Level ◽

Holistic View ◽

Skin Fold ◽

Cohort Study Design ◽

One Year ◽

The One ◽

The Uk ◽

Modelling Methods ◽

French Bulldog

Abstract Background The French Bulldog is a highly popular dog breed but is linked with many serious health issues. A holistic view of breed health in French Bulldogs would assist efforts to appreciate the overall health strengths and weaknesses in the French Bulldog and to take appropriate steps to mitigate these. Based on random sampling of French Bulldogs and non-French Bulldogs under primary veterinary care during 2016 within the VetCompass Programme, a cohort study design was used to estimate the one-year (2016) period prevalence of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in each group. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling methods. Results The analysis included 2,781 French Bulldogs and 21,850 non-French Bulldogs. French Bulldogs were younger (1.51 years, IQR 0.86 – 2.77 vs. 4.48 years, IQR 1.94 – 8.14) (p < 0.001) and lighter (12.45 kg, IQR 11.00 – 14.03 versus 13.80 kg, IQR 8.10 – 25.12) (p < 0.001) than non-French Bulldogs. Of 43 common specific-level disorders across both groups, French Bulldogs had significantly increased adjusted odds of 20/43 (46.5 %) disorders and significantly reduced adjusted odds of 11/43 (25.6 %) disorders compared to non-French Bulldogs. Highly predisposed disorders in French Bulldogs included stenotic nares (OR 42.14; 95 % CI 18.50 to 95.99; p < 0.001), Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (OR 30.89; 95 % CI 20.91 to 45.64; p < 0.001), aural discharge (OR 14.40; 95 % CI 9.08 to 22.86; p < 0.001), skin fold dermatitis (OR 11.18; 95 % CI 7.19 to 17.40; p < 0.001) and dystocia (OR 9.13; 95 % CI 5.17 to 16.13; p < 0.001). At a grouped-level of diagnostic precision, French Bulldogs had increased adjusted odds of 12/32 (37.5 %) disorders and reduced adjusted odds of 6/32 (18.8 %) disorders compared to non-French Bulldogs. Conclusions These results identified ultra-predispositions with worryingly higher odds in French Bulldogs for several disorders, suggesting that the health of French Bulldogs has diverged substantially from, and may be lower than, the health of the wider non-French Bulldog population. Many of these predispositions are closely associated with the conformational extremes that define the French Bulldog breed. Shifting the typical conformation of the French Bulldog population towards a more moderate phenotype is proposed as a logical opportunity to reduce the serious health issues endemic in the French Bulldog breed.

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One year daily changes in fecal sexual steroids of two captive female cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) in Italy

Animal Reproduction Science ◽

10.1016/j.anireprosci.2018.01.016 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 191 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Valentina Vernocchi ◽

Maria Giorgia Morselli ◽

Massimo Faustini ◽

Gianfranco Gabai ◽

Laura Da Dalt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acinonyx Jubatus ◽

Sexual Steroids ◽

One Year ◽

Daily Changes

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Living the ‘Best Life’ or ‘One Size Fits All’—Stakeholder Perceptions of Racehorse Welfare

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9040134 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 134 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Deborah Butler ◽

Mathilde Valenchon ◽

Rachel Annan ◽

Helen Whay ◽

Siobhan Mullan

Keyword(s):

Focus Groups ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Human Relationship ◽

Welfare Assessment ◽

Assessment Protocol ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Main Challenge ◽

Animal Welfare Science ◽

The Uk

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions held by British racing industry stakeholders of factors influencing racehorse welfare. Ten focus groups were held across the UK with a total of 42 stakeholders from a range of roles within racehorse care including trainers, stable staff and veterinarians. Participants took part in three exercises. Firstly, to describe the scenarios of a ‘best life’ and the minimum welfare standards a horse in training could be living under. Secondly, to identify the main challenges for racehorse welfare and thirdly, to recall any innovative or uncommon practices to improve welfare they had witnessed. Using thematic analysis, eight themes emerged from the first exercise. Two strands, factors that contribute to maintaining health and the horse-human relationship ran through all eight themes. Across all themes horses living the ‘best life’ were perceived as being treated as individuals rather than being part of a ‘one size fits all’ life when kept under minimum welfare standards. Health was both perceived as the main challenge to welfare as well as one open to innovative practices such as improved veterinary treatments. Data obtained, informed by the knowledge and expertise of experienced stakeholders, combined with practical animal welfare science will be used to develop the first British racehorse welfare assessment protocol.

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Test−Retest Reliability of the ‘Welfare Quality® Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Sows and Piglets’. Part 1. Assessment of the Welfare Principle of ‘Appropriate Behavior’

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9070398 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 398 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Friedrich ◽

Krieter ◽

Kemper ◽

Czycholl

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Welfare Assessment ◽

Appropriate Behavior ◽

Assessment Protocol ◽

Smallest Detectable Change ◽

Welfare Quality ◽

Animal Welfare Assessment ◽

Test Retest Reliability

The present study’s aim was to assess the test−retest reliability (TRR) of the ‘Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets’ focusing on the welfare principle ‘appropriate behavior’. TRR was calculated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (RS), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), smallest detectable change (SDC), and limits of agreement (LoA). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for deeper analysis of the Qualitative Behavior Assessment (QBA). The study was conducted on thirteen farms in Northern Germany, which were visited five times by the same observer. Farm visits 1 (F1; day 0) were compared to farm visits 2 to 5 (F2–F5). The QBA indicated no TRR when applying the statistical parameters introduced above (e.g., ‘playful‘ (F1–F4) RS 0.08 ICC 0.00 SDC 0.50 LoA [−0.62, 0.38]). The PCA detected contradictory TRR. Acceptable TRR could be found for parts of the instantaneous scan sampling (e.g., negative social behavior (F1–F3) RS 0.45 ICC 0.37 SDC 0.02 LoA [−0.03, 0.02]). The human−animal relationship test solely achieved poor TRR, whereas scans for stereotypies showed sufficient TRR (e.g., floor licking (F1–F4) RS 0.63 ICC 0.52 SDC 0.05 LoA [−0.08, 0.04]). Concluding, the principle ‘appropriate behavior’ does not represent TRR and further investigation is needed before implementation on-farm.

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Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow–Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 1: Assessing the Feasibility of Identified Animal Welfare Assessment Measures

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10091597 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1597 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Y. Baby Kaurivi ◽

Richard Laven ◽

Rebecca Hickson ◽

Tim Parkinson ◽

Kevin Stafford

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Welfare Assessment ◽

Assessment Protocol ◽

Beef Cow ◽

Cattle Management ◽

Assessment Measures ◽

Animal Welfare Assessment ◽

Cow Calf ◽

On Farm

Potential measures suitable for assessing welfare in pasture-based beef cow–calf systems in New Zealand were identified from Welfare Quality and UC Davis Cow-Calf protocols. These were trialled on a single farm and a potential protocol of 50 measures created. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of the measures included in this protocol on multiple farms in order, to develop a credible animal welfare assessment protocol for pasture-based cow–calf farms systems in New Zealand. The assessment protocol was trialled on 25 farms over two visits and took a total of 2.5 h over both visits for a 100-cow herd. The first visit in autumn included an animal welfare assessment of 3366 cows during pregnancy scanning, while the second visit in winter included a questionnaire-guided interview to assess cattle management and health, and a farm resource evaluation. Through a process of eliminating unsuitable measures, adjustments of modifiable measures and retaining feasible measures, a protocol with 32 measures was created. The application of the protocol on the farms showed that not all measures are feasible for on-farm assessment, and categorisation of identified animal welfare measures into scores that indicate a threshold of acceptable and non-acceptable welfare standards is necessary.

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Seasonal Pattern of Epileptic Seizures: A Single-Center Experience

Neurology and Neurobiology ◽

10.31487/j.nnb.2020.02.03 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ioanna Alexandratou ◽

A. Verentzioti ◽

A. Siatouni ◽

A. Alexoudi ◽

D. Gkougka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Goodness Of Fit ◽

Linear Models ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Seasonal Fluctuation ◽

Epileptic Seizures ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Limited Attention ◽

One Year

Purpose: To evaluate the seasonal fluctuation of epileptic seizures during one year. Methods: This was a single centre retrospective observational study. Demographic data, number and type of epileptic seizures were collected and analyzed using a dataset from the outpatient epilepsy clinic of a tertiary hospital, during one year. The statistical tools included descriptive statistics, contingency tables, Chi-square of goodness-of-fit tests, and general linear models. Results: In total, 143 consecutive patients were included in the study. Among the patients, 72 were women and 71 men. In total, 1,351 epileptic seizures were recorded during one year. A significantly higher rate of epileptic seizures during spring and summer was revealed. An association between the type of epileptic seizure and the month of the year was recorded. Specifically, focal seizures with impairment of awareness fluctuate throughout the year, with a sudden peak during June. Significance: Epidemiologic data regarding epilepsy seasonality have so far received only limited attention. In our study, a seasonal pattern was recorded on the occurrence of epileptic seizures. Further research combining different weather conditions and environments is needed to fully characterize the seasonality of epilepsy.

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Septoplasty in children: Results of 250 cases

Bangladesh Journal of Otorhinolaryngology ◽

10.3329/bjo.v21i2.27650 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 110-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

MA Matin ◽

Md Nurul Islam ◽

Md Rawshan Ali ◽

Abul Kalam Azad

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Septal Deviation ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Facial Growth ◽

Nasal Blockage ◽

X Ray ◽

Septal Surgery ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Human Care ◽

One Year

Backround: Septoplasty in children is still a matter of debate, because it is thought that a surgical procedure on a developing structure might produce some adverse effects on normal nasal and facial growth.On the other hand septal deviation in children may alter the early physiological process of breathing, causing obligatory mouth breathing and consequently changing craniofacial development and even intellect.Objectives: The goal of this retrospective study is to indicate the importance of septoplasty in children,to evaluate the effects of paediatric nasal septal surgery on normal nasal and facial growth, improvement of symptoms and any complications of surgery.Methods: This is a retrospective study of 250 children in the age group of 7-14 years done at Maleka nursing Home , Bogra, Human care hospital, Rajshahi and Khidma hospital Dhaka,from January 1999 to December 2014.All patients were selected from history, clinical examination and selected investigations. All patients had X-ray soft tissue nasopharynx done to see adenoid enlargement.Some patients had done PTA and tympanometry to confirm OME. All patients had septoplasty done with left hemitranfixional incision with elevation of left mucoperichondrial flap and elevation of both mucoperiosteal flaps. In addition adenoidectomy was done for adenoid enlargement and myringotomy with grommet insertion for OME. Patients were followed up on day 8, day 15, 1 mothh, 6 month and one year after operation.Results: Out of 250 children there were 163 male(65.2%)and 87 female(34.8%).Age ranged from 7 to 14 years,lowest number of patients were between 7 and 8 years old-64(25.6%),between 9 and 11 years-73(29.2) and 113(45.2%) between 12 and 14 years.210 patients had septal deviation to left side(84%) Patient felt improvement in nose breathing in 85% of cases.The most often complication was nasal blockage due to insufficient removal of deviated septum in 9.2 % of cases.We had synechia in 8 cases and septal haematoma in 2 cases.There were no asthetic deformities.Conclusion: Effective septal correction by septoplasty in children not only relieves nasal blockage but also controls the associated symptoms.Septolasty in early childhood does not produce any untoward events in terms of the growth and development of the nose and face.Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol; October 2015; 21(2): 110-114

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Distinguishing personal belief from scientific knowledge for the betterment of killer whale welfare – a commentary

International Journal of Comparative Psychology ◽

10.46867/ijcp.2020.33.00.01 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

Author(s):

Kathleen M. Dudzinski ◽

Heather M. Hill ◽

Annalisa Zaccaroni ◽

Radhika Makecha ◽

Malin Lilley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Behavioral Science ◽

Killer Whale ◽

Comparative Psychology ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

Emotional Needs ◽

Killer Whales ◽

Personal Belief ◽

Scientific Opinion ◽

Human Care

We contest publication of Marino et al. regarding captive killer whale (Orcinus orca) welfare because of misrepresentations of available data and the use of citations that do not support assertions. Marino et al. misrepresent stress response concepts and erroneously cite studies, which appear to support Marino et al.’s philosophical beliefs regarding the cetacean hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. To be clear, these misrepresentations are not differences of scientific opinion, as the authors’ conclusions lack any scientific basis. More extensive review of Marino et al.’s citations reveal a dearth of empirical evidence to support their assertions. Further, Marino et al.’s approach to animal welfare is not consistent with conventional veterinary approaches to animal welfare, including their apparent opposition to use of preventative and therapeutic veterinary interventions. While Marino et al. argue that killer whales’ cognitive and spatial needs preclude management of this species under human care, misrepresentation of the citations used to support this opinion invalidates their arguments. Misleading interpretations of data relative to killer whales’ cognitive and emotional needs and specious and unsubstantiated comparisons with states experienced by humans with posttraumatic stress disorder and other conditions, represent a number of strategies used to misrepresent knowledge regarding killer whale welfare. These misrepresentations and fallacies are inconsistent with scientific ethical standards for credible, peer-reviewed journals (ICMJE, 2018), and are barriers to rigorous discourse and identification of strategies for optimizing killer whale welfare. Assertions in the paper amount to nothing more than a compilation of conclusory, philosophical statements. We would also like to mention that manuscripts such as Marino et al.’s do great damage to the fields of comparative psychology and to behavioral science as a whole.

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Metabolic impact of weight variations in Icelandic horses

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.10764 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e10764

Author(s):

Julien Delarocque ◽

Florian Frers ◽

Korinna Huber ◽

Klaus Jung ◽

Karsten Feige ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Linear Models ◽

Metabolic Response ◽

Insulin Response ◽

Oral Glucose ◽

Insulin Dysregulation ◽

One Year ◽

Rotation Set ◽

The Relationship ◽

Icelandic Horses

Background Insulin dysregulation (ID) is an equine endocrine disorder, which is often accompanied by obesity and various metabolic perturbations. The relationship between weight variations and fluctuations of the insulin response to oral glucose tests (OGT) as well as the metabolic impact of ID have been described previously. The present study seeks to characterize the concomitant metabolic impact of variations in the insulin response and bodyweight during repeated OGTs using a metabolomics approach. Methods Nineteen Icelandic horses were subjected to five OGTs over one year and their bodyweight, insulin and metabolic response were monitored. Analysis of metabolite concentrations depending on time (during the OGT), relative bodyweight (rWeight; defined as the bodyweight at one OGT divided by the mean bodyweight across all OGTs) and relative insulin response (rAUCins; defined accordingly from the area under the insulin curve during OGT) was performed using linear models. Additionally, the pathways significantly associated with time, rWeight and rAUCins were identified by rotation set testing. Results The results suggested that weight gain and worsening of ID activate distinct metabolic pathways. The metabolic profile associated with weight gain indicated an increased activation of arginase, while the pathways associated with time and rAUCins were consistent with the expected effect of glucose and insulin, respectively. Overall, more metabolites were significantly associated with rWeight than with rAUCins.

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Integrated palliative homecare in advanced dementia: reduced healthcare utilisation and costs

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care ◽

10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-002145 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. bmjspcare-2019-002145

Author(s):

Michelle Jessica Pereira ◽

Ri Yin Tay ◽

Woan Shin Tan ◽

Joseph Antonio De Castro Molina ◽

Noorhazlina Binte Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Linear Models ◽

Tube Feeding ◽

Healthcare Utilisation ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Advanced Dementia ◽

Care Programme ◽

Home Based ◽

One Year ◽

Rate Ratios

ObjectivesTo determine the economic benefit of an integrated home-based palliative care programme for advanced dementia (Programme Dignity), evaluation is required. This study aimed to estimate Programme Dignity’s average monthly cost from a provider’s perspective; and compare healthcare utilisation and costs of programme patients with controls, accounting for enrolment duration.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. Home-dwelling patients with advanced dementia (stage 7 on the functional assessment staging in Alzheimer’s disease) with a history of pneumonia, albumin <35 g/L or tube-feeding and known to be deceased were analysed (Programme Dignity=184, controls=139). One-year programme operational costs were apportioned on a per patient-month basis. Cumulative healthcare utilisation and costs were examined at 1, 3 and 6 months look-back from death. Between-group comparisons used Poisson, zero-inflated Poisson regressions and generalised linear models.ResultsThe average monthly programme cost was SGD$1311 (SGD-Pounds exchange rate: 0.481) per patient. Fully enrolled programme patients were less likely to visit the emergency department (incidence rate ratios (IRRs): 1 month=0.56; 3 months=0.19; 6 months=0.10; all p<0.001), be admitted to hospital (IRRs: 1 month=0.60; 3 months=0.19; 6 months=0.15; all p<0.001), had a lower cumulative length of stay (IRRs: 1 month=0.78; 3 months=0.49; 6 months=0.24; all p<0.001) and incurred lesser healthcare utilisation costs (β-coefficients: 1 month=0.70; 3 months=0.40; 6 months=0.43; all p<0.01) at all time-points examined.ConclusionProgramme Dignity for advanced dementia reduces healthcare utilisation and costs. If scalable, it may benefit more patients wishing to remain at home at the end-of-life, allowing for a potentially sustainable care model to cope with rapid population ageing. It contributes to the evidence base of advanced dementia palliative care and informs healthcare policy making. Future studies should estimate informal caregiving costs for comprehensive economic evaluation.

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