Family Member, Best Friend, Child or 'Just' a Pet, Owners' Relationship Perceptions and Consequences for Their Cats.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Bouma EMC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8750854 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The purpose of this study was to investigate the variables that contribute to obesity in pet dogs. The working hypothesis was that sports dog owners will better estimate their dog's body condition and report stronger belief and control over their dogs' feeding and exercise compared to traditional pet owners. We collected data on 171 pet owners (101 participated in canine sports) for this study. Each owner completed the Dog Owner Attitude Questionnaire. Each dog was measured for percent fat and Purina body condition scale. For the pet dogs, the median Purina body condition score was 6 (too heavy), but for the sports dogs it was 5 (ideal) (p < 0.05 different from pet dogs). The average percent fat for the pet dogs was 19.1 ± 8.6%, and for the sports dogs it was 13.8 ± 5.3% (p < 0.05 different from pet dogs). Among pet owners, 52% were able to correctly estimate their dog's body condition. Sports dog owners were 57% correct. Pet dog owners fed approximately 60% more per day compared to sports dog owners. Pet and sports dog owners exercised their dog via walking, but sports dog owners reported more activity with the dog, while pet dog owners reported more activity than the dog did by themselves. Overall, pet and sports dog owners put a high value on their dog's health and well-being, but better education with regard to body condition, feeding and exercise is critical to improve the pet obesity problem.
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Project description:Although popular culture describes them as mortal enemies, more and more often, dogs and cats live under the same roof. Does this make them best friends? Can sharing the same social and physical environment make them similar? This study compares the approaches of dogs and cats living in the same household have towards humans and other pets as perceived by the owner. Questionnaires collected from 1270 people owning both dog(s) and cat(s) were analysed. Most dogs and cats living together are playful with familiar humans (76.2%) but dogs have a more sociable approach towards strangers and conspecifics than cats (P<0.001). Moreover, the percentage of dogs that have a playful relationship with the owner (84.0%) was higher than cats (49.2%; P<0.001). Dogs and cats living together eat in different places and show different mutual interactions: more dogs lick the cat (42.8%) and more cats ignore the dog (41.8%) than vice versa (P<0.001). However, most dogs and cats sleep at least occasionally (68.5%) and play together (62.4%; P<0.001). Although some body postures, such as the tail's position, are interpreted differently by the two species, the greater proportions of dogs and cats show a relaxed response to several kinds of approaches of their roommate. Our questionnaire confirms the common beliefs about the sociability of the dog and the privacy of the cat, but this does not result in continuous internal struggles. Most cohabitations are peaceful. Moreover, it is true that they speak different languages, but they seem to understand each other well and interpret each other's approaches in the right way. Thus, aspiring owners should not blindly believe popular assumptions, but both knowledge and respect for species-specific pet behaviours are essential to establish a balance in the household.
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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:ObjectivesRadioiodine (131I) therapy is the most appropriate treatment option for many hyperthyroid cats, as it is minimally invasive and often curative. Nevertheless, 131I treatment is not always pursued by owners. Hence, it is important to obtain more insight into owner satisfaction during and after 131I treatment, and their decision-making process. In this study, we describe the characteristics of owners and their hyperthyroid cats referred for 131I therapy, and determine owners' motivation and how they experienced the 131I treatment of their cat.MethodsA survey was sent to owners whose cats underwent 131I therapy (n = 1071) between 2010 and 2017 at Ghent University. The survey contained 35 questions with tick-box or free-text answer options concerning family situation, pet insurance, previous therapy, comorbidities, motivation for 131I therapy and owner perception of this treatment.ResultsIn total, 438 owners completed 94% or more of the questionnaire. Over half of the cats (55%) had received previous medical, dietary or surgical treatment. Motivations for changing the initial therapy to 131I therapy included difficulties in administering medication (31%), insufficient improvement in clinical signs (23%), side effects (16%) and following the referring veterinarian's advice (16%). Almost a fifth of owners (18%) were not informed about the existence of 131I therapy by their veterinarian and found information on 131I treatment online or through friends. Hospitalising their cat was very distressing for 17% of owners. Most owners (92%) were satisfied with the treatment. Reasons for dissatisfaction were insufficient communication, iatrogenic hypothyroidism, persistent hyperthyroidism and comorbidities post-treatment.Conclusions and relevanceOur study stresses the importance of communication regarding the possible outcome of 131I treatment, the importance of managing underlying comorbidities before treatment and anticipating the stress of owners during their cat's hospitalisation period. The results of this study could help in improving client communication when advising on 131I treatment.
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Project description:Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) remain a therapeutic challenge for pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients. Still today, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy remain the mainstay of treatment. Obstacles in developing new treatment approaches to improve the outcome are: few patients to enroll in clinical trials, and the diversity of tumor biology between histologic subtypes. Pet dogs may offer an additional strategy to discover and test new therapeutic avenues. The number of dogs diagnosed with a STS each year in the United States is estimated to be around 27,000 to 95,000. In comparison, approximately 900 children less than 20?years old and 1,500 AYAs between 15 and 29?years old are diagnosed with a STS each year in the United States. The mainstay for treatment of STSs in dogs is also surgery, with radiation therapy and chemotherapy when necessary. Similar to what is seen in humans, grade and stage are prognostic in dogs. In one comparative study of the histology and immunohistochemistry of canine STSs, most tumors were diagnosed as the human equivalent of undifferentiated sarcoma, spindle cell sarcoma, or unclassified spindle cell sarcoma. But much work remains to be done to fully assess the validity of canine STSs as a model. Gene expression analysis has been done in a limited number of canine STSs. Tissue banking, development of cell lines, and the ability to mobilize large-scale clinical trials will become essential in veterinary medicine to benefit both dogs and humans.
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Project description:BackgroundDetailed analysis of archived brain tissue is fundamental to advancing the understanding of neurological disease. The development of the UK Brain Bank Network (UBBN) has provided an invaluable resource to facilitate such research in the human medical field. Similar resources are needed in veterinary medicine. However, collection and archiving of companion animal brain tissue is a potentially sensitive area for pet owners and veterinary professionals.MethodsUsing an online survey, we aimed to study pet owners' perceptions of brain banking. The survey included information on respondents, their views on organ donation, the UBBN and the Royal Veterinary College's Companion Animal Brain Bank (RVC CABB).ResultsIn total 185 respondents were included. The use of brain tissue from pets for research was supported by 87% of respondents, and 66% of respondents felt that they were highly likely or likely to donate their pet's brain tissue to a CABB. Furthermore, 94% felt that more information on tissue banking in companion animals should be readily available.ConclusionsWe found that the perceptions of companion animal brain banking were positive in our respondents. Open dialogue and clear information provision on the process and benefits of the CABB could enhance awareness and thus facilitate brain donation for translational research.
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Project description:This study aimed to investigate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on pet owners' concern about the transmission of zoonotic disease and SARS-CoV-2, and to describe owners' perceptions of veterinarians and physicians as resources for zoonoses information. Between September and October 2020, 1154 individuals completed an online survey via Qualtrics. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between owner demographics and perceptions of zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2. Most participants were minimally concerned about their pets contracting or transmitting zoonotic diseases or SARS-CoV-2, although perceptions of risk differed based on age, race, and education. Older participants were typically less concerned about the transmission of zoonotic diseases and SARS-CoV-2. Considering where participants obtained information about zoonoses, pet owners were more likely to contact their veterinarian for advice (43%) than their physician (17%). However, 17% of pet owners struggled to access veterinary care, and 51% said their access to veterinary care had become more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight a need for further education about zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2, and suggest veterinarians may play a key role in these communications. The results also emphasize the need to address access to care issues in veterinary medicine.
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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.
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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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Project description:Humans communicate with each other through language, which enables us talk about things beyond time and space. Do non-human animals learn to associate human speech with specific objects in everyday life? We examined whether cats matched familiar cats' names and faces (Exp.1) and human family members' names and faces (Exp.2). Cats were presented with a photo of the familiar cat's face on a laptop monitor after hearing the same cat's name or another cat's name called by the subject cat's owner (Exp.1) or an experimenter (Exp.2). Half of the trials were in a congruent condition where the name and face matched, and half were in an incongruent (mismatch) condition. Results of Exp.1 showed that household cats paid attention to the monitor for longer in the incongruent condition, suggesting an expectancy violation effect; however, café cats did not. In Exp.2, cats living in larger human families were found to look at the monitor for increasingly longer durations in the incongruent condition. Furthermore, this tendency was stronger among cats that had lived with their human family for a longer time, although we could not rule out an effect of age. This study provides evidence that cats link a companion's name and corresponding face without explicit training.
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