How Owners of Epileptic Dogs Living in Italy Evaluate Their Quality of Life and That of Their Pet: A Survey Study.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Masucci M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8402623 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:This research aimed to explore UK cat owners' preferences for treatments for feline osteoarthritis (OA) by exploring preferences around quality of life (QoL) improvements, safety considerations, and costs associated with hypothetical innovative pain therapies. Aspects identified in an existing conceptual framework were extracted for inclusion in exploratory interviews with cat owners (n = 3) to identify key domains that contribute to the QoL of cats. QoL descriptions for cats with OA and hypothetical product attributes were developed and validated through interviews with veterinarians (n = 3). An online survey was subsequently shared with 255 pet owners in the UK. Pet owners were presented with QoL descriptions and hypothetical product attributes to gather their preferences for QoL improvements and their willingness to pay (WTP) for (unbranded) pain therapies at various price points. Pet owners were motivated to improve their cats' QoL, which translated into WTP for therapies; specifically, pet owners valued QoL improvements in mobility, pain expression, and well-being. When presented with a product profile of the hypothetical novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) and cost, 50% of cat owners were willing to pay more for a mAb that is expected to have improved efficacy and safety when compared to a hypothetical standard of care (SoC). Significantly more pet owners preferred the mAb than the SoC when price was not presented (p < 0.01), with product efficacy and safety driving pet owners' decision-making. The majority of pet owners did not agree that taking their cats to the veterinarian once a month for their treatment would be burdensome. Cat owners in the UK are motivated to improve their cats' QoL, which translates into WTP for the efficacious treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis. Veterinarians should offer cat owners the pain treatment they feel is best suited for improving the cat's QoL and to ensure subsequent owner-pet bond is preserved.
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Project description:Quality of life is defined as an individual's satisfaction with its physical and psychological health, its physical and social environment, and its ability to interact with the environment. Understanding companion dogs' QOL can help veterinarians and owners know when treatment options have successfully alleviated symptoms of disease in such fields as veterinary physiotherapy. For this study, 20 adult dogs were selected from patients of a physiotherapy referral center with orthopedic, neurological, and/or degenerative conditions. The severity of the medical problem was ranked, and the symptoms, the treatment plan, and demographic data were recorded at the time of the physical examination. In addition, the owner of the dog was asked to fill out a questionnaire on the quality of life of the pet (the Milan Pet Quality of Life scale) at the time of the first consultation as well as the last follow-up after the treatment. The MPQL measures four domains of QOL: physical (signs of medical conditions), psychological (emotional and behavioral well-being), social (quality and extent of social interactions), and environmental (freedom and safety in one's environment). The results of the study indicated a significant improvement in the psychological QOL domain following physiotherapeutic treatment. The social QOL domain declined with the severity of lameness, while the physical QOL, as reported by the owner, declined with the overall criticality of the medical condition, as ranked by the physiotherapist. The results of the study support the recent evidence of a relationship between pain and canine psychological well-being and highlight the importance of investigating psychological and emotional aspects of dogs' QOL when treating orthopedic and neurological cases with physiotherapy.
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Project description:BackgroundThe popularity of raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for pets has been increasing in recent years even if the reputed health benefits are mainly anecdotal. A web-based survey was developed to better understand the motivations and habits of owners who decided to feed their dogs RMBDs.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 218 dog owners, 62 of whom were living with people whose immune system was impaired or weakened. Internet was the preferred source of information for more than half of the respondents, and feeding dogs a more natural and healthier diet was the main reason behind owners' interest in RMBDs. About 80% of the participants completely abandoned commercial pet food and showed marked distrust especially towards the lack of clarity on the ingredients used (n = 169). The vast majority of owners interviewed (94%) believed RMBDs to be absolutely safe for dogs, and shinier coat, muscle mass gain, and cleaner teeth were the principal improvements seen on their pets. Controlling the composition and quality of the ingredients provided to their animals was the main advantage of RMBDs for 57% of the owners, while the main disadvantages were related to the purchase of some components (38%) and the time required (22%) for the preparation of the diet. Only 8% of the respondents relied on veterinarians for RMBD formulation, and a wide variety of feeding regimens and combinations of ingredients was observed.ConclusionsAs revealed by this study, most owners are unaware of the risks posed by the feeding of RMBDs for both animal and human health, and they often rely on questionable sources for advice on pet nutrition. Owners see RMBDs as a more natural and healthier alternative to commercial pet food even if the actual benefits remain unproven. Consulting veterinarians for proper information and board-certified nutritionists for the formulation of complete and balanced RMBDs should be promoted.
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Project description:BackgroundOver 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.ResultsA 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.ConclusionsIn 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.
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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.
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