Are Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) the Family Scapegoats? A Systematic Review of Canine Distemper Virus in African Wildlife, 1978-2021.

Free-living wildlife across Africa is found across expansive rangelands, frequently interacting with pastoral communities, their livestock, and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). African wildlife populations are threatened by development, poaching and disease. Infectious diseases have caused significant declines, sabotaging conservation efforts.

Correction: Development of the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale (BRPS): A multidimensional composite pain scale specific to rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Farming non-typical sentient species: ethical framework requires passing a high bar.

More widespread farming of species not typically used as livestock may be part of a sustainable approach for promoting human health and economic prosperity in a world with an increasing population; a current example is peccary farming in the Neotropics. Others have argued that species that are local to a region and which are usually not farmed should be considered for use as livestock. They may have a more desirable nutrient profile than species that are presently used as livestock.

An investigation into how accurately UK rabbit owners identify pain in their pet rabbits.

Background: Rabbits are popular family pets. They are prey species and so have evolved to hide signs of illness and pain. Recent research has developed robust pain scales for use in a clinical setting, but to date none has examined rabbit owners' ability to recognise pain in their animals.

Conservation detection dogs: A critical review of efficacy and methodology.

Conservation detection dogs (CDD) use their exceptional olfactory abilities to assist a wide range of conservation projects through the detection of target specimens or species. CDD are generally quicker, can cover wider areas and find more samples than humans and other analytical tools. However, their efficacy varies between studies; methodological and procedural standardisation in the field is lacking.

Do Animal Welfare Education Campaigns Really Work? An Evaluation of the RSPCA's #DogKind Campaign in Raising Awareness of Separation-Related Behaviours in UK Dog Owners.

One of the main aims of companion animal welfare charities is to educate the public about the needs of animals. This is frequently performed through campaigns focusing on specific aspects of welfare. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), Britain's biggest animal welfare charity, launched the nationwide #DogKind campaign in March 2019.

What Do We Know about Dog Owners? Exploring Associations between Pre-Purchase Behaviours, Knowledge and Understanding, Ownership Practices, and Dog Welfare.

Despite many dogs living in homes in the UK, there is still more to know about the welfare of those individual animals. Past research has shown that owners' thoughts and behaviours have a substantial impact on their dog's welfare. This study aimed to better understand owners' pre-purchase behaviours, knowledge and understanding, and ownership practices, and explore any associations between these factors and their dog's welfare.

Determining a cut-off point for intervention analgesia in rabbits using the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the threshold of the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale (BRPS) indicating the need for intervention analgesia.

Methods: Fourteen members of veterinary staff were recruited to rate rabbits (n = 71) in acute pain. Observers in group A (n = 7) were asked to score each rabbit using the BRPS, while observers in group B (n = 7) independently answered the question 'In your clinical capacity, do you think this animal requires analgesia?' with either 'Yes' or 'No'.

Comparing the Efficacy of a New Clinical Skills Model with a Traditional Method to Teach Tube Feeding of an Avian Patient.

Interactive clinical skills models have been demonstrated to be useful for teaching medical and veterinary clinical skills, yet to date, very few exist for teaching skills relevant to zoological companion animals and wildlife species including birds. This two-part study aimed to create, develop, and validate a model. Interviews and a survey were conducted using veterinary and wildlife professionals to select an avian clinical skill that is challenging and performed frequently.

Haematology, physiological parameters, morphometry and parasitological status of rescued bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus).

Background: There are few studies on the physiology and haematology of rescued bearded capuchin monkeys. These are necessary to better understand the health and welfare status of the animals, including when performing reintroductions, and to avoid zoonoses.

Methods: We aimed to obtain physiological and haematological values, morphometry and parasitological status of 26 bearded capuchins in two rescue centres in Northeast Brazil.

Preliminary Behavioural Observations of Horseback Safaris: Initial Insights into the Welfare Implications for Horses and Herbivorous Plains Game Species.

In Africa, wildlife-watching experiences create substantial revenue from tourists that can finance wildlife conservation. Horseback safaris, where an experienced guide takes guests through the bush on horseback to observe plains game species, are a popular activity. Close encounters between ridden horses and game species are unnatural and potentially stressful situations, and horseback safaris may have adverse impacts on both the horses and the wildlife they have come to observe.

Weekly and Daily Tooth Brushing by Care Staff Reduces Gingivitis and Calculus in Racing Greyhounds.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common conditions affecting dogs worldwide and is reported to be particularly prevalent in racing greyhounds. A range of potential risk factors have been hypothesised. Previous research has suggested that regular tooth brushing can reduce both calculus and gingivitis, but the frequency required is unclear.

Development of a Performance Monitoring Instrument for Rating Explosives Search Dog Performance.

The growing body of working dog literature includes many examples of scales robustly developed to measure aspects of dog behavior. However, when comparing behavior to working dog ability, most studies rely on training organizations' own long-established ratings of performance, or simply pass/fail at selection or certification as measures of success. Working ability is multifaceted, and it is likely that different aspects of ability are differentially affected by external factors.

Development of the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale (BRPS): A multidimensional composite pain scale specific to rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

A species-specific composite pain scale is a prerequisite for adequate pain assessment. The aim of this study was to develop a multidimensional pain scale specific to rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) called the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale (BRPS). The scale was developed over five phases using a unique combination of methods: focus groups and behavioural observation.

Does Benchmarking of Rating Scales Improve Ratings of Search Performance Given by Specialist Search Dog Handlers?

Rating scales are widely used to rate working dog behavior and performance. Whilst behaviour scales have been extensively validated, instruments used to rate ability have usually been designed by training and practitioner organizations, and often little consideration has been given to how seemingly insignificant aspects of the scale design might alter the validity of the results obtained. Here we illustrate how manipulating one aspect of rating scale design, the provision of verbal benchmarks or labels (as opposed to just a numerical scale), can affect the ability of observers to distinguish between differing levels of search dog performance in an operational environment.

Search Dog Handlers Show Positive Bias When Scoring Their Own Dog's Performance.

Self-assessments of performance are commonly used in the human workplace, although compared to peer or supervisor ratings, they may be subject to positive biases or leniency. The use of subjective ratings scales in animal sciences is also common, although little consideration is usually given to possible rater bias. Dog handlers, work very closely and form strong relationships with their dogs and are also best placed to monitor dog performance since they often work in isolation.

A Lesson in Standardization - Subtle Aspects of the Processing of Samples Can Greatly Affect Dogs' Learning.

Training new medical odors presents challenges in procuring sufficient target samples, and suitably matched controls. Organizations are often forced to choose between using fewer samples and risking dogs learning individuals or using differently sourced samples. Even when aiming to standardize all aspects of collection, processing, storage and presentation, this risks there being subtle differences which dogs use to discriminate, leading to artificially high performance, not replicable when novel samples are presented.

Analgesia in pet rabbits: a survey study on how pain is assessed and ameliorated by veterinary surgeons.

Background: In the last 20 years, two studies on the veterinary use of perioperative analgesia in small mammals reported a limited use of analgesics in rabbits but suggested an increasing use over the years. The aim of this study was to better understand how pain is treated and ameliorated in rabbits while under veterinary care.

Methods: An online survey of 60 questions was developed and advertised at national and international veterinary conferences, in veterinary publications and on social media.

Assessing the welfare of kennelled dogs-A review of animal-based measures.

Hundreds of thousands of dogs are housed in kennels worldwide, yet there are no standard protocols for assessing the welfare of dogs in these environments. Animal science is focusing increasingly on the importance of animal-based measures for determining welfare states, and those measures that have been used with kennelled dogs are reviewed in this paper with particular focus on their validity and practicality. From a physiological standpoint, studies using cortisol, heart rate and heart rate variability, temperature changes, and immune function are discussed.

Current welfare state of pet guinea pigs in the UK.

Background: Little research has been carried out into how guinea pigs are cared for in the UK, and information regarding potential welfare issues is sparse. This study was designed to examine the five welfare needs, collecting data on the extent to which these are each met by a sample of UK guinea pig owners.

Methods: A survey of 4590 owners was conducted.

Improving the Welfare of Companion Dogs-Is Owner Education the Solution?

Vets, animal welfare charities, and researchers have frequently cited educating owners as a necessity for improving the welfare of companion dogs. The assumption that improving an owner's knowledge through an education intervention subsequently results in improvements in the welfare of the dog appears reasonable. However, the complexity of dog welfare and dog ownership and the context in which these relationships occur is rapidly changing.

Greyhounds under general veterinary care in the UK during 2016: demography and common disorders.

Background: The greyhound is a sighthound known for its speed and agility. Greyhounds were selectively bred as functional racing animals but increasingly are kept as pets in the UK, often after their racing careers are over. The VetCompass™ Programme collates de-identified clinical data from primary-care veterinary practices in the UK for epidemiological research.

An Owner-Independent Investigation of Diabetes Alert Dog Performance.

To quantify Diabetes Alert Dog (DAD) performance by using owner-independent measures. Eight owners of accredited DADs used a FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System (FGMS). Concurrent Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage was collected for between 5 and 14 days in each owner's home or workplace.

Pain and analgesia in pet rabbits within the veterinary environment: a review.

Objective: To provide an overview of pain and analgesia in rabbits with the aim of developing a more accurate understanding of these topics. To illustrate and discuss the areas that have advanced in recent years and those that still require further research.

Databases Used: Three key subject resources were used: Web of Science, Medline and CAB Abstracts.

How effective are trained dogs at alerting their owners to changes in blood glycaemic levels?: Variations in performance of glycaemia alert dogs.

Aims: Domestic dogs are trained to a wide variety of roles including an increasing number of medical assistance tasks. Glycaemia alert dogs are reported to greatly improve the quality of life of owners living with Type 1 diabetes. Research into their value is currently sparse, on small numbers of dogs and provides conflicting results.