A case of tail self-mutilation in a cat

Abstract The present report describes a case of distal tail self-mutilation in a 5-year-old neutered male domestic short-hair cat. The cat started licking his tail few months before the behavioural visit. Because of the severity of the self-induced injuries, the veterinarian performed a surgical partial caudectomy. After 3 months, the excessive self-grooming of the tail recurred. Neurological and dermatological examinations, radiographs, urine and blood tests did not show any abnormalities. During the behavioural visit, through direct observation of the cat's posture and behavioural history, the pet received a diagnosis of psychogenic alopecia. The cat was treated with clomipramine for 2 months (0.5 mg/kg/PO SID) along with behaviour modification and environmental changes. After 1 month, the cat no longer showed excessive self-grooming. Even if no other systemic pathologies were identified, it is always recommended to address these patients with a multidisciplinary approach

A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy

Despite increasing professionalism in dog breeding, the physiological range of birth weight in this species remains unclear. Low birth weight can predispose to neonatal mortality and growth deficiencies in humans. To date, the influence of the morphotype on birth weight has never been studied in dogs. For this purpose, an Italian census of birth weight was collected from 3293 purebred pups based on maternal morphotype, size, body weight and breed, as well as on litter size and sex of pups. Multivariate analysis outcomes showed that birth weight (p < 0.001) and litter size (p < 0.05) increased with maternal size and body weight. Birth weight was also influenced by the maternal head and body shape, with brachycephalic and brachymorph dogs showing the heaviest and the lightest pups, respectively (p < 0.001). Birth weight decreased with litter size (p < 0.001), and male pups were heavier than females (p < 0.001). These results suggest that canine morphotype, not only maternal size and body weight, can affect birth weight and litter size with possible practical implications in neonatal assistance

Pregabalin Alleviates Anxiety and Fear in Cats during Transportation and Veterinary Visits—A Clinical Field Study

Cats frequently suffer from anxiety related to travel and veterinary visits. One sequela is avoidance of veterinary visits and lack of adequate veterinary care. The objective of this study was to test clinical efficacy and safety of a novel formulation of a pregabalin 50 mg/mL oral solution for alleviation of anxiety and fear in cats during transport and veterinary visits. A total of 209 client-owned cats were given either a flavored pregabalin oral solution at the dosage of 5 mg/kg (n = 108) or an identical placebo (n = 101) approximately 90 min before placing them into the carrier and transporting them in a car for at least 20 min to a veterinary clinic. The treatment effect using a 5-point numerical rating scale was evaluated during transportation by the owner and during clinical examination by the veterinarian, both blinded to the treatment. In addition, to verify the owner assessment, an external expert blinded to the treatment and owner assessment evaluated the transportation video recordings using the same rating scale as the owner. Pregabalin 5 mg/kg statistically significantly decreased both travel- (p < 0.01) and veterinary-visit- (p < 0.01) related anxiety compared to the placebo. The external expert’s evaluation was in agreement with the owners’ assessment confirming the treatment effect during transportation (p < 0.01). Treatment was well tolerated with only a few cats showing transient slight incoordination and tiredness. The flavored oral solution formulation with a small dosing volume of 0.1 mL/kg was found by the owners to be user-friendly and was well-accepted by the cats. This study demonstrated that a single oral dosage of the novel pregabalin oral solution alleviates anxiety and fear related to transportation and veterinary visits in cats, thus providing practical aid for both owners and veterinarians to enable cat-friendly handling and improving the welfare of cats in situations they often perceive as very stressful

Stress level evaluation in a dog during animal-assisted therapy in pediatric surgery

Animal-assisted interventions are associated with positive effects on human psychological and physiological health. Although quality standards in animal-assisted interventions appear to be high, only few investigations have focused on potential welfare implications in therapy dogs. In the present study, we monitored behavioral measures and heart rate in a therapy dog that participated in animal-assisted therapy during postoperative awakening in a pediatric surgery ward. Work-related activity, behavior, response to human action, and heart rate were analyzed for more than 20 working sessions in an experienced therapy dog. No physiological or behavioral indicators of stress, fatigue, or exhaustion were present during animal-assisted therapy, suggesting that, with the limited generalizability of a case study, this activity did not negatively impact on the welfare of the dog. Further investigation into the effects of animal-assisted therapy on dogs' physiological markers and behavior is warranted