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Influence of Cold Environments on Growth, Antioxidant Status, Immunity and Expression of Related Genes in Lambs
Contributor(s):: Shi, Lulu, Xu, Yuanqing, Jin, Xiao, Wang, Zheqi, Mao, Chenyu, Guo, Shiwei, Yan, Sumei, Shi, Binlin
Cold climates may be a risk to the health and welfare of lambs during winter because cold environments alter the physiological processes of lambs, and we used cold environments with three different temperature gradients—an indoor heating control group (IHC) using electric heating; an indoor...
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Animal welfare as preventative medicine
Contributor(s):: Dawkins, M. S.
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The Role of Tryptophan-Kynurenine in Feather Pecking in Domestic Chicken Lines
| Contributor(s):: Patrick Birkl, Jacqueline Chow, Paul Forsythe, Johanna M. Gostner, Joergen B. Kjaer, Wolfgang A. Kunze, Peter McBride, Dietmar Fuchs, Alexandra Harlander-Matauschek
Research into the role of tryptophan (TRP) breakdown away from the serotonergic to the kynurenine (KYN) pathway by stimulating the brain-endocrine-immune axis system interaction has brought new insight into potential etiologies of certain human behavioral and mental disorders. TRP is involved...
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Welfare Assessment in Shelter Dogs by Using Physiological and Immunological Parameters
| Contributor(s):: Cecilia Righi, Laura Menchetti, Riccardo Orlandi, Livia Moscati, Stefania Mancini, Silvana Diverio
This study aimed to evaluate the state of welfare of a group of dogs during the first month after entering the shelter by using different stress parameters. Blood and fecal samples were collected from a group of 71 dogs at the time of admission to the shelter. In 46 of these dogs, sampling was...
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Effects of a Form of Equine-Facilitated Learning on Heart Rate Variability, Immune Function, and Self-Esteem in Older Adults
| Contributor(s):: Ann L. Baldwin, Barbara K. Rector, Ann C. Alden
Equine-facilitated learning (EFL) helps people access their immediate sensations and feelings because horses, as prey animals, are continually aware of their environment and provide instant feedback to human behaviors and emotions. We hypothesize that during EFL, older people become more aware...
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White Blood Cell Counts, Parasite Prevalence, and Plasma Cortisol Levels of Dogs in a County Animal Shelter: Changes over Days and Impact of a Program of Repeated Human Interaction
| Contributor(s):: Emily S. Dudley
Animal shelter housing is highly stressful for a dog, compromising welfare and leading to undesirable behaviors and unknown health consequences. We documented the changes in circulating numbers of white blood cells, plasma cortisol, and fecal parasite shedding of dogs housed for 10 days at a...
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Compliance with Hygiene Recommendations for Human-animal Contact at Petting Zoos
| Contributor(s):: Kathleen E. Werden, Paul C. Bartlett
Background: Most children at petting zoos are at least somewhat naïve with respect to animal contact, which is probably why they are being taken to a petting zoo. Unfortunately, their immune systems may be equally naïve, thereby putting these children at high risk of contracting one of...
