Search

Domestic dogs tested in a free-choice task between two sets of food prefer that of a larger quantity. A recent study pointed out the critical role of the first trial. Dogs succeeded only after being allowed at least once to eat the selected food. Here we explore the importance of the actual experience of consuming the selected reward on dogs’ capability to redirect their choice to solve numerical discriminations. Dogs tested in the 2 vs 4 and 1 vs 8 comparisons could never consume the quantity selected but always obtained a single dogs’ treat. Despite never experiencing a difference in the eaten quantity, dogs discriminated between the two sets, preferring the larger. Whereas they behaved at chance at first choice, they successfully redirected their preference toward the larger set already on their second trial. We discuss our results in terms of motivational biases toward the larger quantity that can bear relevant ecological value.

Long-tailed macaques are highly social primates that are commonly used in biomedical research as animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different kinds of enrichment on the behaviour and faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) level in a colony of ex-laboratory long-tailed macaques during a programme of rehabilitation. The research was carried out in three periods, divided into two sessions each. Every period was composed of one control session (SC) and one session characterised by one type of enrichment: feeding enrichment (FE), manipulative enrichment (ME), and the last session during which manipulative and feeding enrichment were provided every day but in a mixed way (MIX). The results showed that manipulative and mixed enrichments caused positive changes to the activity budget of the colony, with a decrease in abnormal behaviour rates and an increase in play compared with control sessions. The rate of affiliative behaviours and low rate of aggression were probably because the group was composed mostly of females and it was stable, with a well-defined hierarchy. The research underlines the importance of a well-studied enrichment programme for the welfare of captive animals, which should exploit species-specific motivations.

Under the loving and expert guidance of the mother, who knows how to educate its playful experiences, the puppy grows emotionally balanced, learns to be autonomous, to control its exuberance and to relate properly with conspecifics and not. Without the mother, a human being has to take care of the orphaned pup. The caregiver has to ensure to the puppy not only its physical health, but also its psychological health, in order to grow psychologically well-balanced subjects. The people that decide to take care of orphaned puppies must be aware and should emulate, as far as possible, the maternal behaviour. The studies about sensitive period has allowed to identify periods of the puppy's growth during which a specific stimulus reaches its maximum effect. The socialisation period is the hardest one. The caregiver has to give to the pup the possibility of knowing both conspecifics and heterospecific and ensure to it an enriched style of life. Despite all the good will, the caregiver's action has inevitable shortcomings and possible errors. However, it is essential that the human helps the orphan in its psychic maturation, in order to prevent pathological behaviours. Especially the caregiver should manage correctly the attachment and detachment, to avoid the development of fears, anxieties, phobias and those syndromes that are caused by an alteration of sensory homeostasis, such as sensory deprivation syndrome, hypersensitivity-hyperactivity syndrome, primary desocialization, stereotypes and compulsive disorders, depression and aggressions.

The increasing interest in animal welfare and the knowledge of equine physiological and ethological needs have led to the development of different types of horses’ management and housing systems. The research presented here aimed to assess the daytime activity budget of horses. Focal animal sampling was used as an observational sampling method, and the five animals were observed for a total of 9920minutes in the paddock and inside the stall. The results showed that horses spent most of the daytime in foraging behaviors, followed by resting behaviors, and locomotion. Social behaviors (s.e. allogrooming, olfactory investigation) were rare, and the stereotypic behaviors (s.e. oral and locomotor stereotypies) occupied 2.74%±2.74% of the total time. The percentage of time spent in foraging, resting, and locomotion, reflects the activity budget observed in free-roaming feral horses. However, the rare occurrence of positive social interactions and the presence of some stereotypies could be aspects to ameliorate. This kind of housing facility could be considered a good alternative to traditional management; indeed, it might offer a better trade-off between the needs of the horse and the management goals from humans.

Animals can experience pain or distress as a result of widely accepted management practices. In dairy cattle, housing system can affect animal welfare. The assessment of animal welfare requires the use of multiple indicators in order to analyse the heterogeneity of the aspects involved. The aim of this study was to compare the welfare of dairy cows reared in a tie-stall (TS) and open-stall (OS) system by metabolic, immunological and stress related parameters. The study involved 80 pluriparous lactating cows belonging to eight dairy farms located in the area of Mugello (Florence, Italy) reared in TS and OS systems. Ten blood samples were collected at morning time to measure alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), creatinine (Creat), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total proteins (TP), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), serum lisozyme (SL), bactericidal activity (SBA), haptoglobin (Hp), oxygen free radicals (OFR), and hair cortisol levels. At the same time a body condition score (BCS) was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. The experiment was carried out in accordance with European Commission regulations (Directive 2010/63/EC and Directive 98/58/EC). The results showed that the housing system affected various parameters such as ALT, BHBA, OFR, cortisol (P≤0.01) and AST, BUN (P≤0.05). Most of these parameters showed mean values within the range of reference without revealing any signs of suffering. An interesting outcome regarded the OFR levels, which was higher in the OS system (68.2±34.51 U.Carr. vs 36.1±21.39 U.Carr.), probably as a consequence of the high productive effort. In conclusion, it is possible to state that TS did not show a comparable overall situation with serious signs of welfare impairment.

Consciousness is the greatest enigma in human history. For centuries scientists and researchers have tried to describe it without coming to conclusions. In the last years with the neurosciences development, consciousness has become the common goal of numerous studies. But consciousness has always been studied only in humans, but after "Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness" in 2012, even non-human animalsthey feel possessed of the consciousness. According to "theory Orch-OR" of Hameroff and Penrose we have conducted a study on Alaskan malamute and German shepherd to analysed a triplet of platelet fatty acids (linoleic acid; palmitic acid; arachidonic acid). Through these analysis and the relative mapping of subjects within a SOM it was possible to make an assessment of the possible onset of mood disorders in the dogs. A critical analysis of the results obtained shows that animals have molecular analogies with humans compared to mood disorders. The German shepherd and Alaskan malamute, indeed, have, in the case of major depression, a bio-chemical profile, the most similar to man.

The effect of transport on Cortisol and Glucose serum concentrations were assessed in rabbits during summer and winter. Animals were divided into high (HSA, 307 cm2/rabbit), medium (MSA, 373 cm2/rabbit) and low space allowance (LSA, 475 cm2/rabbit) transport groups, and rabbits slaughtered directly in the farm were used as control group (C). During summer, cortisol and glucose concentrations were significantly higher in HSA (high space allowance), MSA and LSA than in C rabbits (P

Mammalian gastrointestinal tract is colonized by a large number of microorganisms, known as gut microbiota, that play a key role in the physiological and pathological states. In particular, the gastrointestinal tract of dogs and cats harbors a complex and highly biodiverse microbial ecosystem. Recent studies see it involved in a wide range of life processes, including energy needs, metabolism, immunological activity, and neuro-behavioral development. This review focuses on the role of the microbiota on the health of pets and will discuss changes that occur in the disease.Keywords: Cat, Dog, Gut, Microbiota.

The purpose of this work was to perform a preliminary screening in the domestic cat to assess the concentration of cortisol in hairs by radioimmunoassay technique (RIA) in presence or absence of Microsporum canis infections. A total of 245 cats (7 with cutaneous lesions referable to dermatophytosis and 238 apparently healthy) coming from 14 shelters were examined. M. canis was isolated in 126 (51.4%) cats. The cortisol levels were significantly higher in cats with lesions or without lesions but with a high number of colonies in the plates (⩾10 CFU) than in cats negative or with a lower number of colonies. The results obtained seem to highlight that chronic high levels of cortisol in cats could possibly promote the dermatophytes infections. Furthermore, in High-CFU asymptomatic cats, it could be present a state of infectious, and they, therefore, represents not a simple mechanical carrier.

none 8 no Stressful situations trigger several changes such as the secretion of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) from the adrenal cortex, in response to ACTH. The aim of this study was to verify whether overstocking during the dry period (from 21±3 d to the expected calving until calving) affects DHEA and cortisol secretion and behavior in Holstein Friesian cows. Twenty-eight cows were randomly divided into 2 groups (14 animals each), balanced for the number of lactations, body condition score, and expected date of calving. Cows in the far-off phase of the dry period (from 60 to 21 d before the expected calving date) were housed together in a bedded pack. Then, animals from 21±3 d before the expected calving until calving were housed in pens with the same size but under different crowding conditions due to the introduction of heifers (interference animals) into the pen. The control condition (CTR) had 2 animals per pen with 12.0m2 each, whereas the overstocked condition (OS) had 3 interference animals in the same pen with 4.8m2 for each animal. On d −30±3, −21±3, −15±3, −10±3, and −5±3 before and 10, 20, and 30 after calving, blood samples were collected from each cow for the determination of plasma DHEA and cortisol concentrations by RIA. Rumination time (min/d), activity (steps/h), lying time (min/d), and lying bouts (bouts/d) were individually recorded daily. In both groups, DHEA increased before calving and the concentration declined rapidly after parturition. Overstocking significantly increased DHEA concentration compared with the CTR group at d −10 (1.79±0.09 vs. 1.24±0.14 pmol/mL), whereas an increase of cortisol was observed at d −15 (3.64±0.52 vs. 1.64±0.46ng/mL). The OS group showed significantly higher activity (steps/h) compared with the CTR group. Daily lying bouts tended to be higher for the OS group compared with CTR group in the first week of treatment. The overall results of this study documented that overstocking during the dry period was associated with a short-term changes in DHEA and cortisol but these hormonal modifications did not influence cow behavior. open Fustini, M.; Galeati, G; Gabai, G.; Mammi, L.E.; Bucci, D.; Baratta, M.; Accorsi, P.A.; Formigoni, A. Fustini, M.; Galeati, G; Gabai, G.; Mammi, L.E.; Bucci, D.; Baratta, M.; Accorsi, P.A.; Formigoni, A.

When the mare’s estrous cycle resumes in winter, the β-carotene content of hay is depleted. Sixty Italian trotter mares were randomly assigned to a Control or a Treated Group. Treated Group received 1g/d synthetic β-carotene for 15 days from parturition. Blood samples collected at parturition and on days 5, 10 and 15 after partum were analysed for β-carotene, vitamins A, progesterone, 17 β-estradiol, the energy parameters (glucose, cholesterol, NEFA), the protein profile (total protein, albumin, urea) and LDH. Some changes in these measures were attributable to treatment, which significantly affected β-carotene and 17 β-estradiol concentrations. A significant effect was also found on the resumption of estrous activity (χ2 test=P

This study evaluates whether a shelter dog could be rehomed successfully into a facility for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD). The goal was to assess the effect on animal welfare of this form of pet ownership and of individual sessions of animal assisted activity (AAA) with some pre-selected patients. After the enrollment of a suitable shelter dog, the dog was introduced gradually into the facility. Upon adoption, the dog's welfare was monitored during the first 6 months by integrating indirect assessment (18-item questionnaire) with direct observations of behavioral and clinical responses (31-item score system table), and with an assay of hormonal changes. Only descriptive statistics were done on the questionnaire data. The findings suggest a progressive positive integration into the new environment. The qualitative data using direct observations were analyzed with the Spearman Rank order correlation test. Some data showed significant variation during the period of observation, suggesting a gradual reduction of the dog's stress during AAA sessions. The hormonal trend, especially for cortisol measured in hair, seemed to correlate with the clinical and behavioral findings.

This pilot study investigated domestic cat’s spontaneous ability to discriminate food quantity based on acoustic rather than visual cues, and on representational memory. The discrimination threshold was set at 4 versus 2 pieces of dry food pellets. Cats were rewarded whatever choice they made, but they could not access food used as stimulus. Food pellets were not patently showed to subjects during stimulus phase, but cats could hear single pellets falling into two steel cans, thus they received clear acoustic cues. Visual hints consisted merely in the hands of the researcher held above cans. Olfactory cues were neutralised by compensatory food odour diffusers. Since cats could not see food pellets, acoustic short-term representational memory was involved in the choice process. Approach, orientation towards and investigation of one of the two cans were interpreted as choice for its content. Twenty cats were tested in absence of previous training in their home environment. Each subject received 12 trials. Relative position and order of presentation of large and small food amounts were counterbalanced. The results provide evidence of quantity discrimination since choice for the larger amount of food clearly prevailed. Keywords: Cat, Spontaneous quantity discrimination, Animal cognition

REINFORCEMENT MODALITY INFLUENCES PERFORMANCE IN A QUANTITY DISCRIMINATION TASK IN THE DOG Simona Normando1, Elena Pietshmann1, Elena Carloni2, Valentina Beghelli2, Michela Mattioli2, Serena Ribolzi1, Pierattilio Accorsi2, Lucia Regolin3 1. Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy; 2. Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Italy; 3. Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy. Quantity discrimination has been assessed in a variety of species and with a variety of paradigms. AIM: This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether the way dogs (Canis familiaris) were reinforced influenced their performance in a quantity discrimination task. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dog was kept on a lead, while the tester put two dishes (containing 1 and 8 food pieces) on the floor in front of it. The tester retreated and the dog was freed after it had looked at both dishes. Choice of a dish was scored the very first time the nose of the dog approached it at 10 cm. Three sessions of six trials each were performed. Differential reinforcement treatment (15 dogs): dogs could eat the content of the chosen dish. Non-differential reinforcement treatment (10 dogs), access to dish content was prevented, the owner gave the dog a standard treat after each choice. RESULTS: Three dogs of the non-differential treatment and 11 of the differential one reached binomial criterion for choosing the larger quantity significantly more often. Dogs from both groups chose above chance level in the first session of trials (and even in their very first spontaneous choice), but only those of the differential treatment were successful also in the second and third sessions. CONCLUSION: dogs have the cognitive ability to differentiate among quantities, but reinforcement modality can heavily affect their performance

Exposure to Valeriana officinalis scent facilitates medical procedures in stray and shelter cats Normando S.1, Gislon V.1, Accorsi P.A.2, Carloni E.2 1Dipartimento di Scienze Sperimentali Veterinarie,Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Bologna, Italy. E-mail: simona.normando@unipd.it Olfactory stimuli have been found to affect the behaviour of domestic cats (Ellis, S.L.H . and Wells, D.L . 2010. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 123(1): 56-62). The aim of this study was to assess whether exposure to the scent of Valeriana officinalis dried roots affected the response of stray and rescue shelter cats to handling and medical procedures. Twelve healthy adult cats (seven females, five males) were manipulated both in control condition (no valerian) and in the experimental condition (valerian scent), in random order, and scored for their response to being petted, being fit a tourniquet on one of their front paws and being subjected to an ear inspection. Scores ranged from –1 (very aggressive response, cat impossible or almost impossible to touch) to 4 (cat seeking non aggressive social interaction with tester, purring, kneading). During exposure to valerian scent the cats reacted significantly better (i.e., less aggressively and less fearfully) to the procedures than during the control condition (Wilcoxon Signed Rank test; p=0.002). It is concluded that Valeriana officinalis olfactory stimulation could be an useful aid in handling stray and shelter cats during medical procedures.

SPONTANEOUS QUANTITY DISCRIMINATION IN THE DOMESTIC CAT (Felis silvestris catus) Carloni E.1, Normando S.2, Regolin L.3, Accorsi P.A.1 1Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali - Università di Bologna, E-mail elena.carloni@libero.it 2Dipartimento di Scienze Sperimentali Veterinarie - Università di Padova, 3Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale - Università di Padova This pilot study investigated domestic cat’s spontaneous ability to discriminate food quantity based on acoustic rather than visual cues, and on representational memory. The discrimination threshold was set at 4 versus 2 pieces of dry food pellets. Cats were rewarded whatever choice they made, but they could not access food used as stimulus. Food pellets were not patently showed to subjects during stimulus phase, but cats could hear single pellets falling into two steel cans, thus they received clear acoustic cues. Visual hints consisted merely in the hands of the researcher held above cans. Olfactory cues were neutralised by compensatory food odour diffusers. Since cats could not see food pellets, acoustic short-term representational memory was involved in the choice process. Approach, orientation towards and investigation of one of the two cans were interpreted as choice for its content. Twelve cats were tested in absence of previous training in their home environment. Each subject received 12 trials. Relative position and order of presentation of large and small food amounts were counterbalanced. The results provide evidence of quantity discrimination since choice for the larger amount of food clearly prevailed.

The persistence of M. canis infections in asymptomatic subjects, even after treatments or vaccination, is a well-known phenomenon in cats. The failure of some commercial vaccine could be related to a weak activation of cell-mediated immune response (Lund A, 2010, Parassitologia, 52, 131-133). Since host steroid hormones are involved in the modulation of the immune response, we carried out a survey to assess their levels in cats’ hairs, in presence/absence of M. canis infection

Increased levels of cortisol in response to stress are known to predispose to reduced immunocompetence, favouring the onset and progression of infectious diseases. Vice versa, endocrine functions can be modulated by parasitic infections (Besedovsky HO, Del Rey A, 1996, Endocr, Rev, 17: 64-102). Since we could find no published studies correlating parasitic infections and steroid hormones in the domestic cat, we conducted an initial screening aimed at determining hormonal levels associated with the presence of gastrointestinal parasites.

BLOW PROGESTERONE PROFILE DURING ESTROUS CYCLE, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION IN FEMALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS Tizzi, Raffaella*(1) , Accorsi, Pier Attilio(2), Zordan, Silvia(2) and Severi, Carlotta(1) (1) Delfinario Rimini, Lungomare Tintori 2 – 47900 Rimini, Italy (2) Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy Previous studies underlined a significant correlation between progesterone concentrations measured in blood and in biological material released with the blow. The aim of present work was to take advantages of the complete non invasivity and results' reliability of the new technique based on blow sampling, for systematically monitoring progesterone profiles during estrous cycle (A), pregnancy (B) and lactation (C). Three Tursiops truncatus females were sampled every week: the subject "Alfa" (approx. 27 years old) was monitored from March 2006 for a period of 23 months during all the phases A, B and C; the captive born dolphins "Blue" and "Luna" (8 and 10 years old, respectively) were monitored from May 2005 for a period of 24 months (phases A and B) the former, and from March 2006 for a period of 14 months (phase A) the latter. While Blue was housed at Oltremare (Riccione, Italy), both other females were living in Rimini Delfinario (Italy). Progesterone concentrations were determined by a validated RIA. The results confirmed the bottlenose dolphin nature of seasonal poliestral species, with ovulation occurring at least 2-3 times per year in a period lasting between early spring and late autumn. A dramatic increase of blow progesterone concentrations emerged as soon as pregnancy started. In particular, both Alfa and Blue showed mean values of hormone significantly different (p

FEEDING BEHAVIOUR OF SIX BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN NEWBORNS IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT 1-2 Raffaella Tizzi, 2 Francesca Triossi, 1-3 Elisabetta Cancellieri and 3 Pier Attilio Accorsi 1Delfinario Rimini, Lungomare Tintori 2, 47921 Rimini, Italy. Email: raftizzi@tin.it 2Oceanomare-Delphis ONLUS, Via G. Marinuzzi 74, 00121 Roma, Italy. Email: danielasilvia.pace@gmail.com 3Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy. Email: pierattilio.accorsi@unibo.it In cetaceans, the social organization of many species, included bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), presents at its basis the mother-offspring relationship, as mothers provide the bulk of parental care by virtue of the nursing relationship. The relatively problematic access to lactating females and their calves has complicated studies of suckling behaviour so that early developmental profiles of feeding are almost completely lacking. The birth of six healthy bottlenose dolphin calves, in different periods in two distinct facilities, provided an opportunity for studying mother-calf interactions. The aim of the present investigation was to analyze, week by week, the newborns' feeding behavior throughout their first year of life. As a consequent goal, the study intended to identify suckling trends useful for newborns' healthiness diagnosis. The subjects of the study were two newborn bottlenose dolphin males, Tabo (1993) and Golia (1993) housed in Aquatic World Delphinarium (Cattolica, RN, Italy) together with two newborn female, Luna (1995) and Blue (1997), and two newborn males, Rocco (2003) and Lapo (2007), housed in the Rimini Delfinario (Italy). While Tabo, Luna, Rocco and Lapo were given birth by expert females, Golia and Blue were calves of first time mothers. Both facilities consisted in open-air pools with underwater windows for visual observations below the surface. Suckling behavior was systematically monitored from birth to 52 weeks of age of calves for a total of 1745 hours of observation. The sampling method applied was the "Focal animal sampling", with continuous recording sessions lasting 30-120 minutes. Observer 5.0 (Noldus) was used to calculate frequency and duration of the following parameters: hourly frequency of both a) suckling attempts and b) successful suckling episodes and, c) mean suckling time per feed. The highest frequency of unsuccessful suckling episodes was observed in the first week after the birth (2.70 ± 1.24 events/h). In this crucial period, mother's calving experience seems to be crucial as well as the role of newborn in finding the correct position of the nipples and in learning the correct suckling behavior. A progressive, clear decrease of nursing attempts was observed during the following weeks, with newborns going to perform almost only effective suckles since the second semester of life. The average time of first real suckling - entailing the insertion of the rostral tips into either of the mammary slits and the ensuing intake of milk - was 7.48 ± 8.95 hours after the birth, with a low of 3.20 hours in Lapo and a high of 20 hours in Golia. Regarding the successful suckling trend, the results underlined a very slight decrease of mean frequencies with the calves' growth (tendency line of the mean: y = -0.0099x + 0.5907, R2= -0.1724). The nursing tended to shift from about 3 events per hour in the first weeks (maximum value 3.8 events/h in the first week of life), to about two suckling bouts per hour in the rest of the period. The mean suckling time per feed remained between 3 and 5 seconds, with a maximum duration of 5.3 seconds expressed in the first week after the birth. As for suckling time trend, no significant variations appeared with calves' age. At the same manner, no preferences in the use of either of the mother's mammary slits emerged. During the first month of life, the feeding appeared often associated to a 90...

– In the course of parasitic infections, host hormones are involved in the modulation of the protective functions but also of pathogenetic mechanisms pertaining to the immune system. Simultaneously, moreover, host hormones modulate growth, metabolism and reproduction of the parasite itself. The purpose of this work was to perform an initial screening in the domestic cat to assess the levels of steroid hormones in the presence of ectoparasitic infections, in particular of dermatophytosis.

We examined hair samples collected from 45 cats (18 males and 27 females) at the beginning and at the end of the study, assaying cortisol levels. All subjects were neutered and sheltered in a rescue centre where they lived in groups. Cats were observed daily and social interactions as well as solitary behaviours were systematically sampled. Occurrences of these behaviours, as well as general activity level were then tested against cortisol content. Frequent pheromonal marking activity was positively correlated with general activity level, and both were negatively associated (P