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BEHAVIORAL COMPLAINTS AND OWNERS’ SATISFACTION IN RABBITS, MUSTELIDS AND RODENTS KEPT AS PETS
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of behavioral complaints in rabbits, mustelids, and rodents that were kept as pets, to help veterinary practitioners while counseling prospective owners toward an informed and responsible choice of a pet. A total of 193 owners participated in the study, filling in a questionnaire, for a total of 371 pets (184 rabbits, 59 mustelids, 128 rodents). The prevalence reported by owners of behavioral complaints was 31.3% (29.3%, 52.5%, and 20.3% for rabbits, mustelids, and rodents, respectively; chisquare = 19.6; P = 0.001). Aggression toward people was reported in 13.2% of the sample (13.0%, 30.5%, and 5.5% for rabbits, mustelids, and rodents, respectively; chisquare = 9.4; P = 0.009). Stereotypic behavioral patterns were reported by owners in 26.4% of the cases (28.3%, 16.9%, and 28.1% for rabbits, mustelids, and rodents, respectively). The owners reported that the prevalence of stereotypies was higher in pets housed more restrictively (Fisher’s exact test; P = 0.001). The overall level of satisfaction was quite high (i.e., 8.6 ± 1.84 points out of 10), but was lower in pets declared to have unwanted behavioral patterns (P = 0.05)
Quality of life of the pet dog: Influence of owner and dog's characteristics
Full text linkThe present study investigates how characteristics of both the dog, Canis familiaris, and their owner
influence the quality of life (QoL) of the pet dog. The investigation was carried out using a multiple
approach: (1) three questionnaires which investigated characteristics of the dog and their owner and
care given to the dog, (2) simple physical examination of the dog, (3) the Strange Situation Test to
investigate the dog’s attachment to their owner and (4) the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS)
test.
A sample of 104 dog–owner dyads participated in the study. The level of care was found to be positively
influenced by marital status (single) and negatively by the age of the dog, length of the dog–owner
relationship and neutering. The best physical condition was found for pure breed dogs belonging to men and
to people who prefer dogs among pets while physical condition decreases for aging dogs or those with a long
relationship with their owner. Attachment to the owner was stronger for dogs with a long relationship and
those belonging to people who had had previous experience with pets and those with many emotional bonds.
Conversely, the attachment level was lower for pure breed dogs and those whose owners shared the property
with other people. LAPS was influenced only by owner features: people more attached to their dogs are
those who do not live with children and who do have many emotional bonds. Finally, the majority of dogs
had a high level of QoL which was influenced positively by the number of emotional bonds of the owner and
negatively by the dog’s age and length of the dog–owner relationship
Variazioni della frequenza cardiaca in risposta all'allogrooming in cavali affetti ed esenti da stereotipia
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