Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog?
Dogs exposed to aversive events can become inactive and unresponsive and are commonly referred to as being “depressed”, but this association remains to be tested. We investigated whether shelter dogs spending greater time inactive “awake but motionless” (ABM) in their home-pen show anhedonia (the co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/7/420 |
| _version_ | 1828164367181414400 |
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| author | Naomi D. Harvey Alexandra Moesta Sarah Kappel Chanakarn Wongsaengchan Hannah Harris Peter J. Craigon Carole Fureix |
| author_facet | Naomi D. Harvey Alexandra Moesta Sarah Kappel Chanakarn Wongsaengchan Hannah Harris Peter J. Craigon Carole Fureix |
| author_sort | Naomi D. Harvey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dogs exposed to aversive events can become inactive and unresponsive and are commonly referred to as being “depressed”, but this association remains to be tested. We investigated whether shelter dogs spending greater time inactive “awake but motionless” (ABM) in their home-pen show anhedonia (the core reduction of pleasure reported in depression), as tested by reduced interest in, and consumption of, palatable food (Kong<sup>TM</sup> test). We also explored whether dogs being qualitatively perceived by experts as disinterested in the food would spend greater time ABM (experts blind to actual inactivity levels). Following sample size estimations and qualitative behaviour analysis (<i>n</i> = 14 pilot dogs), forty-three dogs (6 shelters, 22F:21M) were included in the main study. Dogs relinquished by their owners spent more time ABM than strays or legal cases (F = 8.09, <i>p</i> = 0.032). One significant positive association was found between the Kong<sup>TM</sup> measure for average length of Kong<sup>TM</sup> bout and ABM, when length of stay in the shelter was accounted for as a confounder (F = 3.66, <i>p</i> = 0.035). Time spent ABM also correlated with scores for “depressed” and “bored” in the qualitative results, indirectly suggesting that experts associate greater waking inactivity with negative emotional states. The hypothesis that ABM reflects a depression-like syndrome is not supported; we discuss how results might tentatively support a “boredom-like” state and further research directions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:25:45Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:25:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ccd46807993840a3b30ace4e6009c36c2022-12-22T03:53:40ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152019-07-019742010.3390/ani9070420ani9070420Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog?Naomi D. Harvey0Alexandra Moesta1Sarah Kappel2Chanakarn Wongsaengchan3Hannah Harris4Peter J. Craigon5Carole Fureix6School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UKRoyal Canin Research Center, 30470 Aimargues, FranceSchool of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UKSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UKSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UKSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UKSchool of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UKDogs exposed to aversive events can become inactive and unresponsive and are commonly referred to as being “depressed”, but this association remains to be tested. We investigated whether shelter dogs spending greater time inactive “awake but motionless” (ABM) in their home-pen show anhedonia (the core reduction of pleasure reported in depression), as tested by reduced interest in, and consumption of, palatable food (Kong<sup>TM</sup> test). We also explored whether dogs being qualitatively perceived by experts as disinterested in the food would spend greater time ABM (experts blind to actual inactivity levels). Following sample size estimations and qualitative behaviour analysis (<i>n</i> = 14 pilot dogs), forty-three dogs (6 shelters, 22F:21M) were included in the main study. Dogs relinquished by their owners spent more time ABM than strays or legal cases (F = 8.09, <i>p</i> = 0.032). One significant positive association was found between the Kong<sup>TM</sup> measure for average length of Kong<sup>TM</sup> bout and ABM, when length of stay in the shelter was accounted for as a confounder (F = 3.66, <i>p</i> = 0.035). Time spent ABM also correlated with scores for “depressed” and “bored” in the qualitative results, indirectly suggesting that experts associate greater waking inactivity with negative emotional states. The hypothesis that ABM reflects a depression-like syndrome is not supported; we discuss how results might tentatively support a “boredom-like” state and further research directions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/7/420kennelled dogdepression-like statewaking inactivityanhedoniaaffective-statequalitative behaviour assessment |
| spellingShingle | Naomi D. Harvey Alexandra Moesta Sarah Kappel Chanakarn Wongsaengchan Hannah Harris Peter J. Craigon Carole Fureix Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? Animals kennelled dog depression-like state waking inactivity anhedonia affective-state qualitative behaviour assessment |
| title | Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? |
| title_full | Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? |
| title_fullStr | Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? |
| title_short | Could Greater Time Spent Displaying Waking Inactivity in the Home Environment Be a Marker for a Depression-Like State in the Domestic Dog? |
| title_sort | could greater time spent displaying waking inactivity in the home environment be a marker for a depression like state in the domestic dog |
| topic | kennelled dog depression-like state waking inactivity anhedonia affective-state qualitative behaviour assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/7/420 |
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