Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs
In Japan, the human population is aging rapidly, and the abandonment of dogs by the elderly people who have died or been hospitalized becomes a problem. It is hypothesized that elderly dogs have difficulty adapting to the novel circumstances when brought to an animal shelter. Therefore, the objectiv...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00103/full |
| _version_ | 1811284276065337344 |
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| author | Katsuji Uetake Chu Han Yang Aki Endo Toshio Tanaka |
| author_facet | Katsuji Uetake Chu Han Yang Aki Endo Toshio Tanaka |
| author_sort | Katsuji Uetake |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Japan, the human population is aging rapidly, and the abandonment of dogs by the elderly people who have died or been hospitalized becomes a problem. It is hypothesized that elderly dogs have difficulty adapting to the novel circumstances when brought to an animal shelter. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess stress levels and demonstrate stress responses of elderly dogs just after admission to an animal shelter. As stress indicators, fecal corticosterone levels and changes in the ethogram of the dogs were investigated during the first week of admittance. Fecal corticosterone levels (mean ± SE) stayed high during the first week of residence, although they fell gently from the day after admittance (16650.1 ± 3769.7 ng/g) to the seventh day (12178.4 ± 2524.4 ng/g) (P <0.001). The proportions of behavioral expressions changed as the days passed (P < 0.001). In particular, stereotypies decreased from 35.7% on the first day to 2.6% on the sixth day, and time spent sleeping increased from 0.0% to 42.7%. These results indicate that elderly dogs admitted to an animal shelter seem to behaviorally adapt themselves to their novel circumstances, but might be stressed even on the seventh day of residence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:27:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-021ea4dd50324b8aa938575690416a7d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:27:12Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-021ea4dd50324b8aa938575690416a7d2022-12-22T03:06:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692016-11-01310.3389/fvets.2016.00103230346Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogsKatsuji Uetake0Chu Han Yang1Aki Endo2Toshio Tanaka3Azabu UniversityAzabu UniversityKanagawa Animal Protection CenterAzabu UniversityIn Japan, the human population is aging rapidly, and the abandonment of dogs by the elderly people who have died or been hospitalized becomes a problem. It is hypothesized that elderly dogs have difficulty adapting to the novel circumstances when brought to an animal shelter. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess stress levels and demonstrate stress responses of elderly dogs just after admission to an animal shelter. As stress indicators, fecal corticosterone levels and changes in the ethogram of the dogs were investigated during the first week of admittance. Fecal corticosterone levels (mean ± SE) stayed high during the first week of residence, although they fell gently from the day after admittance (16650.1 ± 3769.7 ng/g) to the seventh day (12178.4 ± 2524.4 ng/g) (P <0.001). The proportions of behavioral expressions changed as the days passed (P < 0.001). In particular, stereotypies decreased from 35.7% on the first day to 2.6% on the sixth day, and time spent sleeping increased from 0.0% to 42.7%. These results indicate that elderly dogs admitted to an animal shelter seem to behaviorally adapt themselves to their novel circumstances, but might be stressed even on the seventh day of residence.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00103/fullAnimal Welfarestress responsebehavioral changeAnimal shelterFecal corticosteroneStereotypic behavior |
| spellingShingle | Katsuji Uetake Chu Han Yang Aki Endo Toshio Tanaka Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs Frontiers in Veterinary Science Animal Welfare stress response behavioral change Animal shelter Fecal corticosterone Stereotypic behavior |
| title | Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| title_full | Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| title_fullStr | Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| title_short | Effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| title_sort | effects of sheltering on behavior and fecal corticosterone level of elderly dogs |
| topic | Animal Welfare stress response behavioral change Animal shelter Fecal corticosterone Stereotypic behavior |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00103/full |
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