A survey of owners' perceptions of fear of fireworks in a sample of dogs and cats in New Zealand     

AR Dale  JK Walker  MJ Farnworth  SV Morrissey  NK Waran 《New Zealand veterinary journal》2013,61(6):286-291

Abstract

AIMS: To establish reliable information regarding the behavioural responses of dogs and cats to fireworks in New Zealand; record interventions used by owners, and their perceived efficacies; and establish the prevalence of firework-related injury, and quantify owners' attitudes towards fireworks.

METHODS: A questionnaire targeting dog and cat owners was distributed via the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Animals Voice magazine and 25 veterinary clinics. The questionnaire covered demographics of animals, fear of fireworks, severity of the fear, and behaviours exhibited. Also included were treatments tried, source and perceived efficacy, prevalence of injury, and owners' attitudes towards the sale of fireworks for private use.

RESULTS: From a total of 8,966 questionnaires distributed, 1,007 valid questionnaires were returned, representing 3,527 animals. Of these 1,635 (46%) animals displayed a level of fear of fireworks recognisable to their owners. Owners of dogs identified a significantly higher fear response than owners of cats but the duration of these fear responses did not differ between species. Fear of fireworks frequently resulted in dogs exhibiting active fear behaviours, whereas cats were more likely to exhibit hiding and cowering behaviours. A significantly increased severity and duration of fear response over time in dogs and cats was associated with owners who comforted them when they displayed a fearful response. Only 141/890 (15.8%) of owners sought professional treatment from a veterinarian, animal behaviourist or animal trainer for their animals, with variable efficacy. Six percent (51/923) of animals had received physical injuries from fireworks. The majority (837/1,007; 83%) of respondents, regardless of whether they owned a fearful animal or not, supported a ban on the sale of fireworks for private use.

CONCLUSIONS: The results provide valuable information that is, as yet, unsubstantiated in New Zealand, although potential biases exist due to the non-random selection of respondents. Differences between dogs and cats were likely due to differing responses to fear-provoking stimuli between the species. Owner-reported increase in fearful response over time for comforted animals may indicate a negative impact on the longer-term psychological welfare of their animal.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The greater the awareness of effective treatment plans for animals that suffer from a fear of fireworks, the greater the possibility that this fear can be reduced. Wider dissemination of effective owner behaviour and treatment programmes for firework fears is needed to improve levels of professional treatment for dogs and cats.  相似文献   

Two Methods of Vitrification Followed by In Vitro Culture of the Ovine Ovary: Evaluation of the Follicular Development and Ovarian Extracellular Matrix          下载免费PDF全文

FT Bandeira  AA Carvalho  SV Castro  LF Lima  DA Viana  JSAM Evangelista  MJS Pereira  CC Campello  JR Figueiredo  APR Rodrigues 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2015,50(2):177-185

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of two vitrification techniques on the extra cellular matrix (ECM) and ovarian follicular development. The ovarian cortex was fragmented (9 mm³) and divided into six groups, viz. fresh control, cultured control, vitrified by the Ovarian Tissue Cryosystem (OTC) method, conventional solid surface vitrification (SSV) method, OTC/cultured and SSV/cultured. Follicles from all the fragments were analysed for morphology, development and viability. The ECM was evaluated based on the condition of collagen and reticular fibres and the immunolocalization of type I collagen and fibronectin. After 7 days of culture, the tissue vitrified by OTC revealed a higher percentage (p < 0.05) of morphologically normal (30.66%) and viable (60.00%) follicles when compared with those vitrified using the SSV technique (21.33% and 23.00%). In all the fragments cultured, regardless of the vitrification method, a significantly higher percentage of developing follicles was observed when compared with the non‐cultured tissue. Analysis of the type I collagen showed increased immunostaining after the in vitro culture in the vitrified fragments. In conclusion, the OTC is better for preserving the follicular viability and morphology and maintaining the integrity of the extracellular matrix components of the ovine ovary.  相似文献   

Zonal features of Al-Fe-humus pedogenesis on moraine deposits in the Kola Peninsula     

V. N. Pereverzev 《Eurasian Soil Science》2007,40(1):1-6

Zonal differences in the genetic features of Al-Fe-humus podzols developed from moraine deposits in the tundra, forest-tundra, and northern taiga zones are revealed. The coefficient of profile differentiation of podzols with respect to the bulk content of aluminum increases from the tundra (1.16) to northern taiga (1.33); the analogous coefficient calculated with respect to the bulk content of iron increases in the same direction from 1.63 to 3.73. The zonal differences related to the contents of the amorphous forms of aluminum and iron are more contrasting: the coefficients of the profile differentiation increase from 4–6 in the tundra to 20–39 in the taiga. Differences in the humus contents of podzols developed in different natural zones are mainly seen in the podzolic horizon.  相似文献   

Is your dental record keeping adequate ?     

SV Coles 《Australian veterinary journal》1996,74(1):19-22

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