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Showing posts with label animal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal. Show all posts

7 June 2014

What the pug is going on?

What the pug is going on?

Hi Julie,

thanks for that awesome list of canine-related citizen science projects that anyone can sink their teeth into. 

I have a question for you: 

 What do you see when a pug comes into your field of vision?

I'm asking you because (at the risk of inciting wrath of many) - honestly? I'm really bamboozled by some pedigree breeds and their popularity with so many people. 

How I feel
I'm not hating on pugs or pedigree dogs, and I don't mean any offence to people who hold their love of pugs close to their hearts. I really don't. I appreciate some people are very passionate about breeding certain kinds of dogs. I don't mean them disrespect. I think I just see dogs differently to them.

Pugs do make an excellent example to lay on the table for discussion when we consider inherited health and welfare issues in dog breeds. We could just as easily choose to look at any other breed where physical characteristics have been strongly selected for, like the Dalmatian, Great Dane, British Bulldog, Basset Hound, Dachshund, German Shepherd, Shar Pei, Pekingese, Neapolitan Mastiff... I could go on... but let's take the Pug as a case study today.

Flickr/pug
So tell me - what do you see?
Flickr/HelenMcDonald

 I see a companion dog who can't really fit into the body we've given it. 

And by 'the body we've given it', I mean that through successive generations of human-dictated breeding that selects for an increasingly shortened muzzle (flat face), round head, big eyes, curly tail and rolls of skin, we've changed the face and body of pugs from this...

Pug circa 1890 (source)

...to this. I'll grant you this is an extreme example, but by golly, the fact that we've produced a dog lacking a defined muzzle like this makes me worry for the health and welfare of the dog. This dog really has no discernible nose or muzzle: 

Dogs should not have a concave face (source)
Does it matter? Well, if you DON'T want a dog that can breathe effectively, maybe not. 

 The (in)ability to breathe
Although of course, it kind of makes for a sucky life for the dog. Not being able to breathe or moderate their temperature easily. I don't think many people in chronic respiratory distress report it feeling great. I don't think it's unreasonable to extrapolate that it causes dogs similar discomfort. The compromised breathing of these dogs isn't (as the tags on YouTube might lead some to believe) funny, nor cute, it's a red flag that says 'animal welfare problem'.

Pugs don't snore to be 'cute':



They snore because their airways are compromised.


Sometimes to the point that they can't even sleep without sitting up or having their head elevated in some other way (other examples - just search 'pug snoring' on YouTube - are by resting their head while sitting on the side of a bed/arm rest, etc.):


What stops pugs being able to breathe properly? Their nostrils - or nares - are really closed up (known as 'stenotic nares') compared to other breeds with a more typical muzzle shape.
Pug nostrils (Flickr/e_haya)
Nostrils of another small companion breed

 You've given a great outline of stenotic nares and how surgery can be required to open the nostrils sufficiently, to allow adequate air flow, over on your Dog Spies blog.

 Brachycephaly
To better understand brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome, Let's get some perspective on the how selective breeding has altered skull shape in dogs, especially the brachycephalic (extremely short-nosed) breeds, like pugs: 
Domestic dog skulls (source)

Canid skulls (source)

Now, I understand many people don't see the point of directly comparing a pug and a wolf, they're not the same, I get it. But Julie, you and I both know that pugs are trying to fit almost all the same equipment in terms of brain and eyes and tongue and sensory and breathing bits and pieces inside and around that skull as any domestic dog breed. And it's just not fitting.

Ay ay ay - the eyes (Flickr/audreyjm529)
(Flickr/rickharris)

Eyes
Pugs are also prone to eye problems because their eyes are usually more prominent (sticking out more) from their reduced skull.  I mean, not only do their eyes protrude to the point that they're highly likely to get grazes and ulcers (to the surface of their eye). Pugs eyes are also prone to not staying in the eye socket. If anyone out there really wants to see, just Google Image 'pug prolapsed eye'. 

Without a muzzle
Of course, when the lower jaw and throat are so short, it can turn basic things like eating and drinking a real challenge. 

 Dogs are incredibly adaptable, though - look at how Shrek has modified his behaviour to be able to drink:


Pugs muzzles have vanished faster than their dentition has been able to adapt, so their mouths are often in need of veterinary attention, or modification:
Where do teeth go in this pug's mouth? (source)
From the head to the tail
The double-curled 'screw' tail is, predictably, linked to spinal problems such as hemivertebrae, where malformed vertebrae can result in instability or deformity, putting pressure on the spinal column, causing pain, affecting mobility and sometimes defecation control as well.
Hemivertebrae x-ray
And there's more...
The excessive skin folds around their face causes skin health issues, often requiring daily cleaning. Brachycephalic dogs have brains shown to be rotated differently to other skull types... I could go on. This is not an exhaustive list of the welfare related health issues seen in pugs Julie, but I think what we've covered here is more than enough to ask people to question what is cute and what is funny and what is acceptable to select for when choosing how our companion dogs should look. 

 How can people see cute?
I know that pugs have a lot of those things humans perceive as cute. But is it worth it? 
Not for me. I think we should be helping pugs regain their muzzles, make some room for their bodies to fit in again. Recently, I heard from Jemima Harrison of Pedigree Dogs Exposed, that some breeders in Germany are trying. Look at one of their dogs:
(source)
What do you think Julie - is it more athletic? Does it have more muzzle? I think it's moving in the right direction. I bet it's an awesome companion animal. 

 And isn't that what these guys are supposed to be all about? 

 Don't you think we should focus on having healthy, functional dogs in our lives - and if their function is to be our companions - who gives a pug about the angle of their face? So long as they can breathe, eat, drink, exercise and share our lives for a really long time?


I know ALL dogs are likely to have some health problems. Pure breed or cross breed. The difference with pugs is that these physical traits that we know are detrimental to the dogs' wellbeing are being DELIBERATELY selected for, generation after generation.

 In a completely different context, someone in Australia recently said "The standard you walk past, is the standard you accept" - I know a lot of breed enthusiasts have a reputation for being defensive. They reportedly assign blame for their breed's inherited disorders away from their own activities. But ignoring these problems - walking past them - isn't helping. It's accepting them. 
(Flickr/linuxlibrarian)
I think the scientific evidence against extreme morphology - like that we see in the pug - is overwhelming. We need to do better. We have excellent monitoring tools like VetCompass (UK & Australia) and LIDA (Australia) available to help us track and better understand the health of our dogs. Wouldn't it be great to see positive trends emerging in future scientific papers about pedigree dog health and welfare?

Science has changed the way I see pugs. I don't see cute or funny, I see a dog struggling to get by because of its form. I know that I feel differently to some people about dog breeds. I know I pay more attention to the health, wellbeing and behaviour of dogs, than how they look. 

I guess I just wanted to say to you, Julie - I think it's time to give pugs - and other breeds - a better quality of life. People need to stop selecting for, and exaggerating, features that make dogs' lives less than optimal. I'd like people to have fresh eyes next time they see a pug. Look past the funny and cute and consider the experience of the dog inside.

Let's face it - unlike pug tongues - in that regard, we've got plenty of room to move.

(source)
See you when I step off the plane later this week and I promise to have my ranty-pants off by then!

Mia

Further reading:

McGreevy P. & Nicholas F. (1999). Some Practical Solutions to Welfare Problems in Dog Breeding, Animal Welfare, 8 (4) 329-341.

 Collins L.M., Asher L., Summers J. & McGreevy P. (2011). Getting priorities straight: risk assessment and decision-making in the improvement of inherited disorders in pedigree dogs., Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997), PMID:

Asher L., Diesel G., Summers J.F., McGreevy P.D. & Collins L.M. Inherited defects in pedigree dogs. Part 1: disorders related to breed standards., Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997), PMID:

Summers J.F., Diesel G., Asher L., McGreevy P.D. & Collins L.M. (2010). Inherited defects in pedigree dogs. Part 2: Disorders that are not related to breed standards., The Veterinary Journal , 183 (1) 39-45. PMID: 

McGreevy P. (2007). Breeding for quality of life., Animal Welfare, 16 (Supplement 1) 125-128. 

 Roberts T., McGreevy P. & Valenzuela M. (2010). Human induced rotation and reorganization of the brain of domestic dogs., PloS one, PMID:

King, T., Marston, L.C. & Bennett, P.C. (2012). Breeding dogs for beauty and behaviour: Why scientists need to do more to develop valid and reliable behaviour assessments for dogs kept as companions,Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 137 (1-2) 12. DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.11.016

 White, D. (2013). Screening for hemivertebra in pugs. Veterinary Record, 173(1), 24-24.

 Pedigree Dogs Exposed. Documentary. BBC. Available for purchase here.

 Pedigree Dogs Exposed: Three Years On. Documentary. BBC. Available for purchase here.

 Top photo attribution: Flickr/jonclegg

 © Mia Cobb | Do You Believe in Dog? 2014



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4 February 2014

Stereotypical dogs: repetitive and pointless?

Stereotypical dogs: repetitive and pointless?

"I'm a labrador" does not = "I'm hungry" (source)
Hey Julie,

it's great to get an updated view of what's on the canine science cards for you in 2014 - looks like we're both going to be keeping busy - and wouldn't have it any other way!

I can't believe we're already into February, to be honest. There are so many great new publications coming out, it's quite exciting to be able to share them with you here! You know I'm always thinking about the welfare of kennelled dogs (because PhD!) and I noticed a new study from the University of Bristol titled Repetitive behaviour in kennelled domestic dog: Stereotypical or not? (reference given below). Now of course, you know we're not talking about "all labradors are greedy" or "all little dogs are yappy" kind of stereotypes here, we're talking about describing a specific type of behaviour.

I know you're interested in stereotypical animal behaviour too, so I wanted to share this with you! As you know, stereotypical behaviours have traditionally be thought of as repetitive and invariant behaviour patterns with no obvious goal or function. 

 Typical stereotypies that many people would be familiar with, include elephants in zoos/circuses swinging their trunks and/or swaying side to side; horses 'weaving' in stables; and bears route tracing when in captivity:








In these situations, it's generally understood that the behaviour is the result of the animal feeling frustrated, fearful, restrained, stressed or lacking stimulation and when seen frequently, is often considered an indicator of poor welfare. 

Determining whether such behaviours are 'without function' has proven difficult. Research over the past decade has shed more light on the reasons animals might develop these behaviour patterns, and suggests that performing the behaviour is not always without a function, but can actually serve a role in helping animals to cope. We have discovered that the animals showing frequent stereotypical behaviour may not be the individuals suffering the most (you know that old saying - it's the quiet ones you've got to watch!).  

 As such, a refined definition better separates 'abnormal repetitive behaviours' from 'stereotypical behaviours' (which are considered to be caused by inadequate housing that causes frustration and may be overcome with appropriate change of environment including social and/or environmental enrichment). 

Dog-focussed research in this area has shown that kennelled dogs kept in restricted environments (such as laboratories or rescue shelters) may show behaviour as pacing, circling, spinning, wall bouncing or barking:


The new research from Bristol set out to investigate if every dog observed in a working dog facility showing repetitive behaviour could really be described as stereotypical (which would suggest they were experiencing compromised welfare). 

The researchers examined the behaviour and physiology (using the urine's cortisol/creatinine ratio) of 30 German Shepherd Police dogs. They saw repetitive behaviours in over 40% of the behavioural samples in response to ten deliberately arousing activities (such as a kennel staff member standing outside the kennel yard, clicking the clip of a leash - indicating exercise time; or a full food bowl being placed outside the front of the kennel enclosure; or a stranger walking through the kennel complex). Only two individual dogs were not observed performing any repetitive behaviour.

The study confirmed that dogs housed in kennel facilities long-term commonly exhibit repetitive behaviours when presented with a variety of routine activities as stimuli; also showing that individual dogs differ in the way that they respond.Some dogs only engaged in repetitive behaviours only during husbandry events when a person was there. Most dogs showed more than one of: circle, spin, bounce, pace, generally in some kind of combination (the spin and bounce as shown in video above was the most common combination seen). 

But, if these repetitive behaviours are only happening with certain triggers when people are present - are they truly stereotypical and indicative of poor welfare? 

DogKennelJump on Make A Gif
(source)
The behavioural & physiological responses were able to be grouped statistically, showing 17% of the dogs demonstrated repetitive behaviour during periods of minimal stimulation AND had a different physiological profile from the rest of the population. Interpreting this isn't easy though.

There's still uncertainty whether chronic stress in dogs increases or decreases the responsiveness of the HPA system, and it may be that this is different for dogs of different personality types, historical backgrounds and/or affective states. It could be that the dogs have been externally rewarded (intentionally or unintentionally), and so the behaviours have been reinforced.

This study has highlighted the complexities of trying to understand repetitive behaviour in kennelled dogs and recognises there is unlikely to be a single reason behind apparent stereotypies. 

 It certainly shows us that the relationship between such behaviours and their welfare status (and in my mind also - how this impacts on their work performance) requires further scientific investigation. And that it's important, not repetitive and pointless at all.

I'd best get back to reviewing my PhD data then, hey?!
Hope you're keeping well,

Mia

 Further reading:

Denham H.D.C., Bradshaw J.W.S. & Rooney N.J. (2014). Repetitive behaviour in kennelled domestic dog: Stereotypical or not?, Physiology & Behavior, DOI:

Mason G. & NR L. (2004). Can't stop, won't stop: is stereotypy a reliable welfare indicator?, Animal Welfare, 13 S57-S70. Link: click here for abstract

Mason G.J. (1991). Stereotypies: a critical review, Animal Behaviour, 41 (6) 1015-1037. DOI: 

 Dallaire A. (1993). Stress and Behavior in Domestic Animals: Temperament as a Predisposing Factor to Stereotypies, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 697 (1 Corticotropin) 269-274. DOI:

© Mia Cobb | Do You Believe in Dog? 2014
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9 January 2014

2014: A Great Year for Canine Science

2014: A Great Year for Canine Science

Hi Julie,
Hope your festive season was fun and full of laughter. 

Happy new year to you! 

I've decided that 2014 is THE year for canine science! 

It's been a fairly long time since we compared notes on what we're doing at the moment, so I thought I'd start 2014 with a bit of an update for you.


Project finish-the-PhD is GO
It's well and truly time to get this baby fledged! PhD's are not easy at the best of times, and doing mine part time (hello, year seven of working towards this!) has felt a bit like a marathon at times. Luckily, I'm still incredibly excited by my research questions, feeling enthusiastic and looking forward to writing up the results of my research and sharing it with the world. 

source (PhD comics)

My top priorities towards achieving a completed PhD right now are:
  • interpreting the canine salivary cortisol meta-analysis results
  • writing up papers about the perceived welfare of dogs and people's attitudes regarding the importance of various kennel management practices and their relation to canine welfare. Once these are fully drafted (and redrafted x 83), they'll be submitted for publication in a scientific journal

 
Do You Believe in Dog?
It kind of blew my mind when I realised we've been pen-pal-ing here about dogs and science for a year and a half already! 

I'm looking forward to sharing and discussing more of the latest findings in our field with you as 2014 unfolds around us .

I'm also excited to learn more from exciting guest posts by other canine researchers, like Dr Bradley Smith and Clare Browne.

Canine Science Forum
15-17th of July 2014 has already been highlighted in my calendar and hopefully in yours too, Julie! It marks the 4th Canine Science Forum to be held in Lincoln, UK and teamed for the first time with a Feline Science Forum as well. I'm excited about all the new research that will be shared at this conference and also thinking ahead about which aspects of my research I'll be submitting abstracts for in March. I'm intrigued by their call for 'controversies in canine science' presentations - should make for some fun viewing! 


I'm also very much looking to a reunion with YOU - funny to think this blog started on a whim after our very brief encounter at the last CSF.
Human Animal Science
I've been involved in a new science communication project, Human Animal Science. Set up by the Anthrozoology Research Foundation and Anthrozoology Research Group, this podcast series interviews different experts about their research across a wide range of human-animal science topics. 

It's been fun getting the first six episodes recorded - especially the one with you about anthropomorphism - and we've got more interesting people lined up to chat with in 2014.

Working Dog Alliance
Luckily, the Working Dog Alliance is having a quiet few months right now, allowing me to focus on all of the above. The website is a rich resource hub for the Australian working dog industry. Most of the sensational content from the first conference, including the full-of-awesome keynote addresses by Dr Nicola Rooney and Steve White, can be seen/listened to here: http://www.workingdogalliance.com.au/conference2013/ 


Hope you're keeping warm - we've heard it's a very cold Winter in the USA right now. Hard to fathom when our forecast for next week is floating around the 38-40 oC (100-105 oF) mark!

 I'd love to hear what you have on the cards for 2014,

 Mia
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13 October 2013

Working Dog Conference: bridging the gap between science and industry

Working Dog Conference: bridging the gap between science and industry

(source)
Hi Julie,
how great was Dr Brad Smith's guest post to us about his research investigating dingo cognition? Responsiveness to humans, tool use and conspecific reaction to death - just all kinds of awesome! 

I'm so glad the editors at Science Seeker noticed it and flagged it to their followers, because this kind of stuff should be known by EVERYONE. 

I mean, TOOL USE BY A WILD DOG, HELLLLLLLLLLLOOOOO! This is a big deal.

(Science Seeker)

Reading about new areas of scientific research that advance our understanding of canids, how we relate to them - and them to us, and each - other always gives me a buzz! It's a good thing, because I'm so flat out right now, I need to harness all the buzzes around me to stay awake and productive! 


We're just three weeks out from the Working Dog Conference 2013 now and let me tell you, it is seriously shaping up to be one amazing event for anyone related to working and sporting dogs in any way. Breeders, trainers, handlers, facility managers, geneticists, veterinarians, representatives from government and animal advocacy groups, research scientists and pretty much anyone and everyone with an interest in this industry seem to planning on attending. It's exciting and insanely busy - all at once! 

I can't wait to see the opportunities to network, share ideas and learn in action and the concept of improvement through collaboration being embraced by all these different stakeholders. I think Victor Hugo has been credited with once saying something along the lines of "there is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come" and this really feels like the time for this idea!


Let me give you a sneaky preview of some of the things our international guest speakers have been saying:

"The rest of the world doesn’t know it yet, but because of the Australian Working Dog Alliance’s efforts, Australia stands ready to set the new standard for working dog welfare and effectiveness. There will come a day when we who attend this inaugural Working Dog Alliance conference will have the distinct privilege of being able to say, ‘I was there when it all started.’  I am humbled to be a small part of what will surely be a big thing." Steve White

 
"There is obvious and substantial  value to be gained by sharing knowledge and expertise surrounding their training, welfare  and use. However, I believe that it is vital that  such knowledge is evidence-based, to ensure  we derive proven best practises which truly optimise productivity as well as dog welfare. This inaugural conference will provide an ideal forum for discussion amongst the Australian working dog stakeholders  and I am delighted to be able to share some of my ideas and research findings with the working and sporting dog community." Nicola Rooney

Oh Julie, I really wish you could come and be here for this. Actually, it's not too late - you can still register here (winkwink!)

It's going to be our kind of event, mixing up the applied practical stuff with the theoretical scientific stuff - and all the other stuffs too! Hey, speaking of our kind of event, I was pretty excited last week when I saw the website for Canine Science Forum 2014 and the associated Facebook page (including first Feline Science Forum - tell Josh!) have launched. That's going to be one kicking reunion for us, milady! Start thinking about which abstracts you're going to submit by March 14th...

(image thanks to AWDRI)

Ahhhh - abstracts, I think I can actually hear them calling me. I'm currently compiling all the presentation summaries for the Working Dog Conference ahead of sending the proceedings book off to the printers tomorrow. 

Here are just a few (amongst many!) of the snapshot summaries I am really looking forward to see presented:
  • Presentation about breaking down the inter-disciplinary barriers that have for too been a drag on the working dog community's progress toward maximizing effectiveness, efficiency, and the dogs' well-being.
  • Every year thousands of greyhounds are bred in Australia for one thing only: speed, with the ongoing challenge being how to care for those that are not fast enough. Re-homing programs are a commendable initiative, however the current approach is plagued with inefficiencies, prolonged waiting times and often put the needs of the dog ahead of the adopter, making it a public safety issue as well.
  • Australia has a long and successful history of producing champion (human) athletes. In this presentation the scientific and research support for Australian sport will be explored and parallels drawn with the working dog industry.
  • Otway Conservation Dogs is a unique conservation project developing detection dog teams utilising community volunteers to help protect the endangered Tiger Quolls. 

If you want to get more of an idea, the preliminary program is now up on the Working Dog Alliance website.

What have you been up to lately, anyway?

Mia

© 2013 Mia Cobb | Do You Believe in Dog?

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