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Background: Safe pet feeding practices and food bowl hygiene measures are important for minimising the risk of microbiological contaminations in the domestic environment. This study compares the practices reported by dog and cat caregivers, and investigates whether cleaning method, feed type or bowl material affects the microbiological contamination of dog food bowls., Results: Data from 351 dog caregivers and 186 cat caregivers were collected via an online survey. The majority of dogs (70.7%) were fed twice daily, whereas cats (43%) were mostly fed ad libitum. The most common material for dog food bowls was metal (67.1%) versus plastic (38.1%) and metal (37.6%) for cats. Dog food bowls were most frequently cleaned after each meal (35.7%); whereas for cats, 21.5% were cleaned after each meal, 22.7% once a day and 19.3% 2-3 times a week. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria counts (TMABc), Enterobacteriaceae counts and pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Verotoxigenic E. coli [VTEC]) were assessed for 96 dog food bowls. TMABc were higher in metal vs. plastic bowls (p < 0.001) and in those used for wet food vs. dry food (p = 0.0397). Enterobacteriaceae counts were higher in bowls washed by hand vs. dishwasher (p = 0.0515), whereas no differences were found between hand washing vs. dry wiping. Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. or E. coli VTEC contaminations were not detected., Conclusions: The surveyed Italian dog and cat caregivers reported different habits concerning feeding frequency, food bowl material and cleaning frequency. Wet food and metal bowls were associated with higher levels of microbiological contamination of dog food bowls. Furthermore, in relation to wet washing methods, contaminations were likely to be greater following hand washing than they were following the use of a dishwasher. Practical guidelines for safe feeding practices and hygiene measures are needed to minimise the risk of microbiological contaminations in domestic environments., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Recognition of the factors that influence academic performance in university students constitutes one of the key objectives of education researchers. Few studies have been conducted in this sphere in relation to veterinary students; however, considering the high levels of depression, anxiety symptoms, and decreased life satisfaction revealed in recent literature for this demographic, understanding these factors is of great importance. Moreover, the literature on veterinary education has mostly focused on cognitive factors as antecedents to academic performance, while very little attention has been directed toward personal characteristics., Methods: The present cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationships between psychological characteristics (internal locus of control and self-efficacy), academic fit, well-being (engagement and exhaustion), and academic performance (average grade) among veterinary students. The study was conducted in the Department of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Turin between September 2021 and January 2022 involving 231 students., Results: The results of the Structural Equation Model confirmed a positive relationship between both internal locus of control and self-efficacy and academic fit, which in turn showed a positive relationship with engagement and a negative relationship with exhaustion. Finally, a significant positive relationship between engagement and academic performance was highlighted. Indirect effects were also significant, confirming the mediating role of academic fit and engagement., Conclusions: The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the direct and indirect relationships among the variables selected in a sample group of veterinary students. These findings provide information for practical interventions that could support the academic experience and prospects of veterinary students by improving their psychological parameters and well-being., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The conventional feeding management of horses is still characterized by high starch and low fibre diets, which can negatively affect horse's gastrointestinal health. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a high-starch (HS) vs. a high-fibre (HF) diet on gut health in horses. A total of 19 Bardigiano horses destined for slaughter and aged 14.3 ± 0.7 months were randomly allotted to two dietary groups: HS (5 fillies and 4 colts,) and HF group (7 fillies and 3 colts). They received the same first-cut meadow hay but different complementary feeds for 72 days: HS group was fed 8 kg/animal/day of a starch-rich complementary feed while HF group was fed 3.5 kg/animal/day of a fibre-rich complementary feed. At slaughter, stomachs were separated and washed for the evaluation of the glandular and squamous regions. Also, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, apex of the caecum, sternal flexure, pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon, rectum and liver were excised and submitted to histomorphometrical evaluation., Results: The glandular region of HS group presented more severe gastric mucosa lesions compared to the HF group (P = 0.006). Moreover, a statistical tendency (P = 0.060) was found for the squamous region, presenting a higher score in HS than HF diet. Regarding morphometry, in jejunum villus height to crypt depth (Cd) ratio was influenced by sex, being greater in males than in females (P = 0.037) while in ileum Cd depended on interaction between sex and diet, being greater in males of HS group (P = 0.029). Moreover, in the duodenum and right dorsal colon the severity of the inflammation depended on sex (P = 0.024 and 0.050), being greater in females than in males. On the contrary, in the jejunum and in the pelvic flexure, inflammation was influenced by diet, being more severe in HS than in HF group (P = 0.024 and 0.052)., Conclusions: These results suggested that HS diet provoked more severe mucosa lesions in the glandular region of the stomach and a higher inflammation both in the jejunum and pelvic flexure. The present study can represent a starting point for further investigations on gut health in horses., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Horses are often fed high amounts of starch in their diets despite the well-established benefits of a fibre-based diet to promote gut health and animal welfare. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of two different diets - one based on high amounts of starch (HS) vs. one base on high amounts of fibre (HF) - on specific parameters of the gut environment across different intestinal compartments of the horse digestive tract. To this end differences in the gastrointestinal environment between HS vs. HF fed horses were assessed in terms of dry matter, organic matter and ash content; the particle size distribution and volatile fatty acid composition were also investigated., Results: Nineteen Bardigiano horses of 14.3 ± 0.7 months of age and destined to slaughter were divided into two group pens - one fed with high amounts of starch (HS; n = 9; 43% hay plus 57% starch-rich pelleted feed); vs. fed with high amounts of fibre (HF; n = 10; 70% hay plus 30% fibre-rich pelleted feed). Horses fed HS diet presented a higher dry matter content in the right dorsal colon. Moreover, they showed a higher organic matter and ash content in the sternal flexure, pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon and rectum. In these latter intestinal compartments, horses fed a HS diet also showed a higher proportion of particles retained on an 8 mm sieve and a higher proportion of particles that washed through the finest sieve (< 1 mm). Moreover, the total amounts of volatile fatty acids as well as valeric acid were found to be significantly higher in horses fed the HS vs. HF diet., Conclusions: A high-starch diet causes significant changes in the horse gut environment. We observed an increase in the dry matter content in the right dorsal colon, as well as reduced particle sizes and an increase in the production of valeric acid in all the gut compartments studied. High-starch diets should be avoided in favour of fibre-based diets with the goal of safeguarding gut health in horses., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Over recent years, pet owners have started to demonstrate increased sensitivity toward their companion animals, which includes an increase in the attention paid towards their nutrition, seen as a way of safeguarding their pets' welfare. The aim of this study was to identify how pet food quality traits are perceived as being the most important by dog and cat owners. To this end, a survey of dog and cat owners was conducted by means of a questionnaire distributed in pet stores and trade fairs throughout Italy., Results: A total of 935 surveys were collected; 61.8% of which were compiled by female pet owners. The respondents were relatively homogeneously distributed between cat (30.8%), dog (39.4%), and cat and dog (29.8%) owners. A quarter of the owners (25.5%) reported to have asked their veterinarian for advice on which pet food to buy, and almost a third (30.4%) trusted the advice posted on the web sites of well-known brands. "Contains natural ingredients" was the characteristic that obtained the highest mean score (4.3 out of 5). Elderly owners (> 65 years) placed most importance on whether a product had a high price, and least on feed appearance, animal satisfaction, and stool quality. Young owners (< 35y) paid most attention to the stool quality, the percentage of protein in the feed, and the presence of recyclable packaging, and least attention to feed appearance, smell, and animal satisfaction. Feed appearance, smell, a higher cost, and certain label indications (protein content, presence of fresh meat, grain free) were mostly important among the buyers of wet pet food. Some specific differences also emerged between dog, cat, and dog and cat owners., Conclusions: In this survey of Italian pet food buyers, the presence of "natural" ingredients was considered to be the most important indicator of pet food quality, whereas characterized by a high price was considered least important. The data obtained from this survey could be used to help pet food companies identify which pet food quality traits are perceived as important by dog and cat owners.