Kevin McPeake

Electronic training devices: Discussion on the pros and cons of their use in dogs as a basis for the position statement of the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology

ABSTRACT In recent years, the affirmation of a greater ethical sense and research generating a better knowledge of the mechanisms of animal learning, evidence of the existence of an animal mind, and studies on the dog‐human attachment bond have led to changes in the dog‐human relationship. These changes have caused a notable improvement in dog training techniques. Increased emphasis on dog welfare, overall, led to questioning of many training techniques and tools that used aversive means. Recent research on the use of aversive training devices has been performed and, on this basis, it has been possible to create guidelines to inform the public about utility and the possible detriments related to the use of these devices as a tool in dog training. The European Society of Clinical Animal Ethology has released a public position statement based on the current scientific information available on e‐collars, punitive training techniques, and canine welfare. This study elaborates and discusses the arguments “pro and contra the use of e‐collars and aversive training methods” leading to the statement in more detail. As a conclusion, European Society of Clinical Animal Ethology strongly opposes the use of e‐collars in dog training and urges all European countries to take an interest in and position on this welfare matter.

Common Risk Factors for Urinary House Soiling (Periuria) in Cats and Its Differentiation: The Sensitivity and Specificity of Common Diagnostic Signs

Urinary house soiling (periuria) in the home is a common but serious behaviour problem in cats. Although many specific risk factors and triggers have been postulated, their importance is largely unknown. This study assessed: (1) the significance of purported risk factors for periuria as well as specifically marking and latrine behaviour in the home; (2) the specificity and sensitivity of signs commonly used to differentiate latrine and marking behaviour. Owner responses to an internet survey (n = 245) were classified into three groups: control, marking and latrine behaviour, along with 41 potential risk factors and 15 predictors used to diagnose marking and latrine problems. Univariate statistical analyses and non-parametric tests of association were used to determine simple associations. In addition the sensitivity and specificity of four cardinal signs (posture to urinate, attempt to cover soiled area, surface chosen and volume of urine deposited) were calculated. Significant potential risk factors were: age (marking cats were older than the other two groups); multi-cat household (increased risk of marking and latrine behaviours); free outside access and cat flaps in the house (higher frequency of marking); outside access in general (lower prevalence of latrine behaviour); defecation outside the litter box (higher frequency of latrine behaviour); a heavy dependence by the cat on its owner (lower frequency of latrine behaviour) and a relaxed personality (lower risk of marking behaviour). Litterbox attributes and disease related factors were not significant. Individual cardinal signs were generally not good predictors of diagnosis. This study challenges the poor quality of evidence that has underpinned some of the hypotheses concerning the causes of periuria in cats. The results, in particular, highlight the general importance of the social environment, with the presence of other cats in the household, the cat-owner bond and personality related factors, alongside factors like the use of a cat flap which might also alter the social environment, all implicated as significant risk factors. While the physical environment may be important in specific cases, it seems this is less important as a general risk factor. The findings quantify the risk of misdiagnosis if a single sign is considered sufficient for diagnosis.

Noise sensitivities in dogs: an exploration of signs in dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain using qualitative content analysis

Noise sensitivity is a common behaviour problem in dogs. In humans, there is a well-established relationship between painful conditions and the development of fear-related avoidance responses. Whilst it is likely that a relationship exists between noise sensitivity and pain in dogs, this does not appear to have been investigated. The aim of this study was to explore the signs of noise sensitivity in dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain by comparing case histories using qualitative content analysis. Data were extracted from the clinical records of 20 cases of dogs presenting with noise sensitivity seen by clinical animal behaviourists at the University of Lincoln, composed of 2 groups—10 “clinical cases” with pain and 10 “control cases” without pain. Loud noises as a trigger of noise sensitivity were a common theme in both groups but ubiquitous among “clinical cases.” In “clinical cases” (i.e., those where pain was identified), the age of onset of the noise sensitivity was on average nearly 4 years later than “control cases.” In addition, strong themes emerged relating to widespread generalisation to associated environments and avoidance of other dogs in the “clinical cases,” which did not appear in the “control cases.” “Clinical cases” responded well to treatment once the involvement of pain had been identified. Veterinarians and behaviourists should carefully assess dogs with noise sensitivities for pain-related problems especially if presenting with these characteristics.

Development and Application of the Lincoln Adherence Instrument Record for Assessing Client Adherence to Advice in Dog Behavior Consultations and Success

Adherence to the advice of medical practitioners is critical to successful treatment outcomes and has been much researched in human health, but is less well studied in the veterinary and clinical animal behavior fields. Given that the management of behavior problems often requires substantial change in established client behavior, it is likely that adherence is a substantive issue affecting success. However, little is known about the relationships between relevant factors, and there is no established way of assessing these. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an instrument for coding factors likely to impinge on pet owner adherence to behavior advice and validate its utility through the identification of the factors appearing to relate most closely to a successful treatment outcome in a sample population from our clinic. Potential factors affecting adherence were identified from human health and animal behavior studies, and a survey instrument developed with items matched to these factors. Forty-two dog owners who had attended the University of Lincoln Animal Behavior Clinic over a 2-year period provided data used in the analysis. The assessment of treatment outcome success by clients and clinicians was correlated, but clinicians tended to overestimate success by half a point on a 5-point scale. Eleven items relating to adherence were found to correlate with client ratings of treatment success in a univariate analysis, with three of these remaining in an ordinal logistic regression model. These three related to trust in the advice given by the clinician, concern over distress caused to the pet in the longer term and the perceived recommendation of treatment measures that had failed. By further examining the relationship between all of these factors in a hierarchical cluster analysis, we were able to postulate ways in which we might be able to improve client adherence and thus treatment success. This provides a model for the application of the instrument in any veterinary behavior practice wishing to use client feedback to rationalize areas of the consultation which might be improved.

Human-directed aggressive behaviour as the main presenting sign in dogs subsequently diagnosed with diskospondylitis

This is the first report of aggressive behaviour as the primary presenting sign in two dogs subsequently found to have chronic diskospondylitis, with neither dog showing other typical clinical signs of this condition. Mild signs of pain were elicited on physical examination in both dogs. Further medical investigation revealed signs indicative of chronic diskospondylitis (L7/S1) and treatment with analgesics and antibiotics was commenced. A marked improvement in behaviour was seen in both dogs when on treatment. Dog 1 stopped exhibiting unpredictable episodes of growling and biting when handled or approached and dog 2 stopped vocalising and occasional growling when handled or lifted. Gradual treatment withdrawal (dog 1 after six weeks and dog 2 after four weeks, respectively) caused a recurrence of behaviour signs thus further treatment was recommenced. Continued follow-up over a year revealed the importance of long-term use of analgesics to prevent behavioural deterioration when chronic lesions are present.

Noise sensitivities in dogs: a new licensed treatment option

NOISE sensitivities, such as fear, anxiety and phobia-based responses to noise or sound stimuli (Sherman and Mills 2008), have a high prevalence in dogs. Blackwell and others (2013) found that 25 per cent of owners surveyed in the UK reported their dog to be fearful of noises, with 49 per cent of owners in the same study indicating that their dog displays at least one sign of fear when exposed to loud noises, which is consistent with the 42 percent reported in the 2015 PDSA PAW report (PDSA 2015). The most commonly reported noise stimulus triggering a response in these studies were fireworks, but this problem is more than a seasonal issue with dogs commonly reacting to a range of other noises such as thunder, gunshots and vehicle and household noises, by showing signs including panting, escape attempts, hiding and destructiveness (Sherman and Mills 2008). Despite there being well-established treatment programmes for the long-term elimination of the problem (Levine and others 2007), it is a cause for concern that less than a third of owners have sought help for their dog, and the majority of those who do turn to someone other than their veterinarian (Blackwell and others 2013), suggesting that a large number of dogs remain untreated for noise sensitivities. Underlying medical problems reported to be associated with the onset of noise sensitivity in dogs include cognitive dysfunction (Landsberg and others 2011), suboptimal thyroid function (Aronson and Dodds 2005, Dodman and others 2013) and, based on our own experience, a range of pain-related problems. The veterinary profession should be at the forefront of actively promoting the potential to solve the problem of noise sensitivities in dogs. Long-term management involves desensitising the dog to the fear-provoking noise over an extended time period and, although time consuming, has an excellent prognosis …