25 research outputs found
Comparing wound complications associated with midline and flank approaches for spaying cats
There is no evidence that either a flank or midline approach for spaying cats is consistently associated with more wound complications, and, overall, complication rates appear to be low
A critically appraised topic (CAT) to compare the effects of single and multi-cat housing on physiological and behavioural measures of stress in domestic cats in confined environments
Background
Domestic cats have evolved from solitary, asocial predators and whilst they may display
social behaviours, they can still exist as solitary survivors. Over-population and
relinquishment of pet cats are ubiquitous problems worldwide, and rehoming centres (also
known as rescues/ shelters) aim to ameliorate this by holding cats in confinement for a
variable period until a new home is found. The provision of optimal housing for large
numbers of cats in close confinement, such as in rehoming centres, is therefore inherently
difficult. Under these conditions there is the potential for individuals to develop signs of
physical and psychological ill health, and thus experience compromised welfare. Available
information regarding housing practices that maximise welfare currently provides conflicting
results, and as a consequence there are no unanimous housing recommendations. The aim of
this study was therefore to review the evidence on the impact of single housing compared to
multi-cat housing on stress in confined cats, as measured by physiological and/or behavioural
outcomes. The review was conducted using a Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) format. A
systematic search of electronic databases (CAB Abstracts, Zoological Records and Medline)
was carried out to identify peer-reviewed literature comparing single and multi-cat housing in
confined environments.
Results
A total of 959 papers were initially identified, six of which met sufficient criteria based on
their relevance to be included within this review. All of the studies had significant limitations
in design and methodology, including a lack of information on how groups were assigned,
inconsistent handling and enrichment provision between groups, and lack of information on
the socialisation status of cats.
Conclusions
Whilst some studies suggested that single housing may be less stressful for cats, others
suggested group housing was less stressful. Several other important factors were however
identified as potential mediators of stress within the different housing systems, and
recommendations based upon these findings are presente
A novel approach to welfare interventions in problem multi-cat households
BackgroundThousands of injured, stray and relinquished cats are received at the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital each year. A significant and challenging proportion of these cats are confiscated from multicat households by RSPCA Inspectors, due to the owners’ inability to care for them. These households share many characteristics of animal hoarding, including poor owner compliance with suggested welfare improvements and recidivism. The relatively poor adoption potential of animals from such households are a perennial problem for the charity.The aim of this study was to determine if offering female cat neutering assistance to multi-cat owners significantly improved colony welfare.ResultsTen multicat households with a history of public complaint to the RSPCA were recruited. An RSPCA veterinary surgeon (VS) initially assessed the overall welfare of each household’s cat population, individual cat welfare and the living environment. All entire female cats aged over 8 weeks were neutered and basic animal care education provided. Follow up visits were completed two and 12 months later to reassess welfare parameters and population numbers.The total number of cats was 176 across ten households (range 7–33, median 16). All owners consented to having all entire female cats spayed. At the first visit, mean individual cat welfare scores ranged from 5.4–8.7/ 16 across the 10 households, where 16 represented best possible welfare.Overall household mean welfare scores were significantly improved at both the 2 month and 12 month revisits (p = 0.011 and p = 0.01 respectively) when compared to the initial visits. By the end of the study period, three out of the ten households had voluntarily relinquished all of their cats, and overall there was a 40% reduction in the number of cats.ConclusionsAnimal hoarding has previously been an intractable welfare concern with little evidence informing intervention techniques. These results show that positive veterinary engagement on site, focused on preventative care and population control, can yield significant improvement in welfare scoring systems in relatively short timescales. Promptly collecting and neutering all female cats at a site, combined with advice and support, show promise in improving welfare
A retrospective study of pyometra at five RSPCA hospitals in the United Kingdom: 1,728 cases from 2006-2011
A retrospective cross-sectional study was used to analyse pyometra cases at five RSPCA
Animal Hospitals across the UK from 2006 to 2011. A total of 1728 cases of pyometra
were recovered from a female dog outpatient caseload of 78,469 animals, giving a total
prevalence of 2.2 per cent over the study period. There was an annual increase in the
incidence of pyometra within the population, while elective ovariohysterectomy caseload has
declined. There were variations in breed and age at presentation. Bullmastiffs (P<0.0001),
golden retrievers (P=0.001) and dogue de Bordeaux (P=0.008) were over-represented in the
pyometra population when compared with the female dog outpatient caseload. Mean age
at presentation was 7.7 years. Some breeds presented at a significantly lower age, including
dogue de Bordeaux (mean age 3.3 years) and bullmastiffs (mean age 5.4 years), while
others presented as older dogs, including Yorkshire terriers (mean age 9.4 years) and border
collies (mean age 10.3 years). Surgical mortality rate at the Greater Manchester Animal
Hospital was 3.2 per cent. Pyometra is of significant welfare concern, and also has cost
implications, particularly in charity practice. These results serve to highlight this condition
so that future change in charity practice caseload can be anticipated and strategies can be
directed to improve animal welfare
Benazepril in dogs with asymptomatic mitral valve disease
BestBETs for Vets are generated by the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nottingham to help answer specific questions and assist in clinical decision making. Although evidence is often limited, they aim to find, present and draw conclusions from the best available evidence, using a standardised framework
Prevalence of pet provision and reasons for including or excluding animals by homelessness accommodation services
Evaluating the role of surgical sterilisation in canine rabies control: A systematic review of impact and outcomes
© 2020 Collinson et al. Current recommendations for the elimination of canine-mediated human rabies focus on mass dog vaccination as the most feasible and cost-effective strategy. However, attempts to control rabies are often combined with canine surgical sterilisation programmes. The added value of sterilisation is widely debated. A systematic review was undertaken to compare the outcomes and impact of vaccination and sterilisation programmes with vaccination only programmes. A systematic search of three electronic databases (CAB Abstracts, Med-line and Global Health) and grey literature was performed. From 8696 abstracts found, 5554 unique studies were identified, and 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight described vaccination only programmes and eight described vaccination and sterilisation programmes. Indicators of impact measured were dog bites and/or doses of post-exposure prophylaxis administered; numbers of dog and/or human rabies cases; dog population demographic changes; changes in health and welfare of dogs, and indicators related to human behaviour change. The studies were contextually very diverse, programmes being implemented were complex, and there was variation in measurement and reporting of key indicators. There-fore, it was difficult to compare the two types of intervention, and impossible to make an evaluation of the role of sterilisation, using this evidence. Given the large number of vaccination and sterilisation programmes conducted globally, the lack of studies available for review highlights a gap in data collection or reporting, essential for impact assessment. There are several knowledge gaps concerning the impact of the sterilisation component alone, as well as subsequent effects on rabies transmission and control. Prospective studies comparing the outcomes and impact of the two interventions would be required in order to establish any additional contribution of sterilisation, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving any changes. In the absence of such evidence, the priority for rabies control objectives should be implementation of mass vaccination, as currently recommended by the World Health Organisation
Demographics and economic burden of un-owned cats and dogs in the UK: results of a 2010 census
Background
The population of dogs and cats passing through rescue shelters may be subject to compromised welfare and increased susceptibility to disease. Little information exists to describe this population, its dynamics and associated management practices. The aim of this study was to carry out a census of un-owned cats and dogs in the UK in 2010, and to document the origins, destinations, husbandry and costs associated with the care of these animals.
Results
A sampling frame was constructed by searching the databases of publicly registered charities for England, Scotland and Wales, registers of breed rescues, and by internet searches of animal welfare websites. Overall, 2,352 contacts for 1,380 organisations were identified. All were sent a postal questionnaire asking for data on the number of dogs and cats housed, their origins and eventual outcomes, and details of husbandry between January 1st and December 31st 2010. For those which were registered charities (595), financial records were also obtained.
A response rate of 38.8% was obtained. Overall, in 2010, 89,571 dogs and 156,826 cats entered the care of the participating organisations. Approximately half of these animals were relinquished by their owners. Other origins included being found as strays or confiscated for welfare purposes. Seventy-five per cent of dogs and 77.1% of cats were rehomed. The next most common outcome was euthanasia, accounting for 10.4% of dogs and 13.2% cats. For dogs and cats, 44.3% and 62% of participants respectively reported having a waiting list, which frequently exceeded the actual capacity of the facility. Over 19,000 people were involved in the care of these animals, on a paid or voluntary basis. Financial records were available for 519/595 (87.2%) of the registered charities, and their total expenditure in 2010 was £340 million.
Conclusions
This study showed that a large number of animals become un-owned each year, which could have considerable implications for their welfare. Despite the resources expended, demand still exceeds capacity for many organisations, and a substantial number of both cats and dogs are euthanased, suggesting that further understanding of how and why these animals become un-owned is essential in order to target interventions