Perceptions of Body Condition, Diet and Exercise by Sports Dog Owners and Pet Dog Owners.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kluess HA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8230856 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description: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.
| S-EPMC7216655 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundExternal radiation therapy (RT) has been available for small animals in Sweden since 2006. This study was designed to obtain information on owner experiences and perceptions related to RT of cancer in their dogs. Another survey was used to determine the attitudes about use of RT in a group of Swedish veterinarians. Their responses were analyzed and compared to their level of knowledge of oncology and RT.MethodsOwners of all dogs (n = 23) who had undergone RT for malignancy at Jönköping Small Animal Hospital between March 2006 to September 2007 were interviewed. A questionnaire was given to a selected group of veterinarians.ResultsAll 23 owners responded. All owners thought that their dog did well during RT and most that their dog was also fine during the following phase when acute RT-related skin reactions occur and heal. Three owners stated that their dog had pain that negatively impacted quality of life because of radiation dermatitis. Five owners reported that RT positively impacted quality of life of the dog during the first weeks after RT because palliation was achieved. The owners were not disturbed by the efforts required of them. All but one owner (22 of 23) stated that they would make the same decision about RT again if a similar situation occurred. The most important factor for this decision was the chance to delay occurrence of tumour-related discomfort. The chance for cure was of less importance but still essential, followed by expected side effects. Time commitments, travel, number of treatments required and financial cost; all had low impact. The veterinarian survey showed that less background knowledge of small animal oncology/RT was associated with more negative expectations of RT for small animals.ConclusionThe results show that for these owners, RT was a worthwhile treatment modality and that the discomfort for the dog was manageable and acceptable relative to the benefits. Improved continuing education about small animal RT in Sweden will likely result in increased evidence-based and positive treatment recommendations concerning RT by veterinarians.
| S-EPMC2687441 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PURPOSE:This study evaluated dog and cat allergies and their association with allergen avoidance measures in Korean adults. METHODS:The study population consisted of 537 adults who currently kept dogs or cats and participated in a pet exhibition in Korea. The subjects were asked to complete questionnaires regarding pet ownership, allergen avoidance, and allergy symptoms, and underwent skin prick tests. They were considered to have a dog or cat allergy if they suffered from one or more of allergy symptoms during contact with their pets. RESULTS:In total, 103 of 407 dog owners (25.3%) and 45 of 130 cat owners (34.6%) had a dog or cat allergy, respectively. Dog owners kept 1.3±1.5 dogs; this number did not differ according to the presence of dog allergy. Dog owners with a dog allergy had owned their dogs longer than those without (88.0±72.0 vs 67.5±72.7 months, P<0.05). Cat owners kept 2.1±3.6 cats; this number did not differ according to the presence of cat allergy, nor did the duration of cat ownership. Cat owners with a cat allergy had facial contact and slept with their cats less frequently (8.6±11.9 vs 18.3±27.0 times/day, P<0.01; 71.1% vs 81.2%, P<0.05); however, they had their cats shaved and beds cleaned less frequently than those without (1.8±3.3 vs 3.2±4.4 times/year, P<0.05; 1.5±1.5 vs 3.9±6.0 times/month, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:Cat owners with a cat allergy tried to minimize contact with their cats, but efforts to avoid indoor cat allergens were lower than those without. In comparison, dog owners with a dog allergy had kept their dogs for longer time than those without; however, current contact with their dogs and allergen avoidance measures did not differ between the 2 groups.
| S-EPMC5809764 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pet food storage plays a crucial role in maintaining the nutritional and sensory properties of purchased products over time. An online survey was developed to collect data regarding owners' storage habits for both commercial and home-made diets. The questionnaire was completed by 1545 dog owners and 676 cat owners. Pet and owner age played roles in the choice of the type of diet (commercial vs. home-cooked vs. raw meat-based) adopted. Kibble feeders (75.7%) usually bought one (50.1%) or two (24.6%) packages at a time, and most pets (64.4%) took a minimum four weeks to consume an entire bag. Almost half of the owners (43.5%) used a container to store pet food (plastic bins for 79.5%). Pet food was commonly stored in the kitchen (45.1%) and not exposed to direct light (94.5%); 23.6% of the kibble feeders said it might be exposed to high temperatures. Most commercial pet food feeders (67.3%) considered preservatives a potential health risk for pets. Among homemade diet feeders, 38.6% stored fish oil at room temperature. Pet owners should be educated in proper food storage management when receiving feeding instructions from veterinarians. More comprehensive information on the nature and importance of additives in pet food should be promoted by manufacturers.
| S-EPMC7911149 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The bond dogs develop with their owner received increased attention in the last years but no study aimed at characterizing the way in which owners interact with their dogs in their daily life and how this might influence dog behavior. In order to examine how dog owners interact with their dogs, we first analyzed the behavior of 220 dog owners in 8 different standardized situations involving the owner-dog dyad. We extracted 3 behavioral factors related to "Owner Warmth," "Owner Social Support," and "Owner Control." Further, we investigated whether owner personality, gender and age are associated with these three factors. Results indicated that older owners scored lower in "Owner Warmth" and in "Owner Social Support" and higher in "Owner Control" than younger owners. Furthermore, owners scoring high in "Owner Control" scored lower in the personality trait Openness and owners scoring high in "Owner Social Support" scored lower in the personality trait Conscientiousness. Finally, we also analyzed whether the dogs' reaction to an unfamiliar woman's threatening approach was associated with the owners' interaction styles. Results showed that dogs that searched for proximity of their owners during the threatening situation had owners scoring higher in "Owner Warmth," as compared to dogs that reacted more autonomously, approaching the unfamiliar experimenter. Analogies between dog-owner interaction styles and human parenting styles are discussed considering the implications of the present findings for human social psychology as well as the practical relevance for dog welfare and human safety.
| S-EPMC5168437 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Guilt refers to an unpleasant emotional state associated with one's behaviors, thoughts, or intentions, and it is based on the possibility that one may be in the wrong or that others may have this perception. Parental guilt is one common subtype and is often associated with work-family conflict (WFC). WFC and related guilt have been found to be associated with depression and anxiety. Through an online anonymous survey, the current study was designed to explore dog owners' guilt surrounding their dogs. Results suggest that dog owners' guilt and WFC associated with their dog are at levels similar to those reported in human family studies. Additionally, the relationship between dog owners' guilt and discrepancy between participants' actual and ideal self, in regard to the role of a dog owner, also mirrored human-only family research. Because pet-related guilt is unrecognized, acknowledged, or supported, we suggest it is disenfranchised. As people return to work, in this period of post-COVID-19 pandemic time, it is paramount that companies and communities acknowledge pet owner guilt and WFC and help owners find practical, effective solutions.
| S-EPMC9264879 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Introduction: Pet ownership may provide an additional source of social support and may contribute to the owner's self-esteem. Self-esteem is considered a basic human need and is associated with psychological conditions such as depressive symptoms. To date, there is limited knowledge on the association between keeping a pet and self-esteem. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether cat owners, dog owners, and individuals without pets differ in terms of self-esteem (total sample and stratified by sex). Methods: Data were taken from the German Aging Survey (wave 5; nationally representative sample of individuals residing in private households ?40 years). In this survey, the widely used and well-established Rosenberg scale was used to quantify self-esteem. Socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health-related factors were adjusted for in the regression analysis (n = 5,485). Results: Multiple linear regressions showed that dog owners reported higher self-esteem scores compared to individuals without pets (? = 0.04, p < 0.05). Similarly, male dog owners reported higher self-esteem scores compared to men without pets (? = 0.07, p < 0.01). In contrast, female cat owners reported lower self-esteem scores compared to women without pets (? = -0.07, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Study findings showed a link between owning a cat and lower self-esteem (women), as well as between owning a dog and higher self-esteem (total sample; men). Future studies should concentrate on investigating the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the link between animal ownership and self-esteem.
| S-EPMC7492270 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Major life events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affect psychological and physiological health. Social support, or the lack thereof, can modulate these effects. The context of the COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to better understand how dogs may provide social support for their owners and buffer heightened symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and contribute to happiness during a major global crisis. Participants (768 pet dog owners and 767 potential pet dog owners) answered an online survey, including validated depression, anxiety, happiness psychometric scales, attitude to and commitment towards pet, and perceived social support. Potential pet dog owners were defined as individuals who did not own a dog at the time of the survey but would be very or extremely interested in owning one in the future. Dog owners reported having significantly more social support available to them compared to potential dog owners, and their depression scores were also lower, compared to potential dog owners. There were no differences in anxiety and happiness scores between the two groups. Dog owners had a significantly more positive attitude towards and commitment to pets. Taken together, our results suggest that dog ownership may have provided people with a stronger sense of social support, which in turn may have helped buffer some of the negative psychological impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC8673598 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Depression is a major contributor to overall global disease burden, often beginning in the teenage years and continuing into later life. Previous studies have reported high global rates of depression during these formative years, including in Bangladesh. At the same time, the therapeutic effect that pet ownership can have on depression is increasingly being recognized. However, studies examining these effects in Bangladesh are scarce. This study examined the association between household pet ownership and depression among people older than 13 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using online and offline approaches. We used a snowball sampling technique to identify pet owners aged greater than 13 years residing in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Both web-based survey questionnaires using social media and hard copies were used to collect data from urban-dwelling pet owners. Logistic regression was used to identify the independent role of pet ownership in depression, adjusting for confounders including age, sex, marital status, known chronic disabilities, and other variables. Results: A total of 140 pet owners and an equal number of non-pet owners participated in the study. Pet owners were found to be 41% less depressed than non-pet owners (AOR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.31-1.14). In addition, males (AOR: 3.38; 95% CI: 1.50-7.62) who were either unmarried (AOR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.05-4.16), smoked tobacco (AOR: 5.27; 95% CI: 1.50-18.53), or had a physical disability (AOR: 5.27; 95% CI: 1.50-18.53) were significantly more likely to be depressed. Conclusion: Regression analysis revealed that in Dhaka, pet owners were associated with lower levels of depression compared to non-pet owners. Keywords: Pets and depression, animal-assisted activities, pets and mental health, pets and psychological health.
| S-EPMC8383123 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Describing the relationship with one's cat in human terms might reflect an underlying anthropomorphic view of the relationship which might be associated with an owner's behavior towards their cat and the cat's living environment. Owners self-categorized the relationship with their cat as either a 'member of the family', 'as a child', 'best friend', or 'a pet animal'. The extent to which owner- and cat-related factors influence these four relationship descriptions are examined in survey data of approximately 1800 cat owners. Differences in outdoor access, care during absence of the owner, and access to the bedroom are examined between the four relationship perceptions. The owner's age and household composition, ideas about their cat's equality, support, and dependency, and whether their cat is a pedigree were significantly associated with relationship description and explained 46% of the variance. Owners who perceive their cat as a child or best friend see their cat as loyal, empathetic, equal to family, and dependent on them for love and care. Their cats are less often left in the care of others, are allowed more often in the bedroom and have less often (unrestricted) outdoor access. Moreover, cats perceived as children are more likely to live in a multi-cat household. Our results provide insight in the factors that are related to different (anthropomorphic) perceptions of the human-cat relationship and how perceptions relate to the living environment of cats.
| S-EPMC8750854 | biostudies-literature