Adult companion dogs allocate social proximity toward owners over household dogs under competing contexts.

Giardia and other intestinal parasites in different dog populations in Northern Belgium

Simple SummaryCompanion dogs are vastly popular animals; however, we know surprisingly little about their natural parental behaviors. Meanwhile, although wolves, dingoes, and, to an extent, even free-ranging dogs show several forms of alloparental behaviors, the parental care among companion dogs is thought to be solely provided by the mother. We circulated an international survey for dog breeders, asking them about the forms of alloparental behaviors they observed among their dogs, as well as further interactions between the puppies and other adult dogs at home. Our results show that allonursing and feeding of the pups by regurgitation is a widespread phenomenon among companion dogs. The behavior of young puppies regarding, for example, their reaction to other dogs’ barking was also influenced by the timing of their access to the other dogs at the breeder’s home. Based on the breeders’ observations, sexual status and age of the other dogs affected the way they interacted with the puppies, and also the way the puppies’ mother interacted with them. These results highlight the importance of dog–puppy interactions during the early weeks of life, an often neglected area compared to the well-known elements of puppy socialization with human beings.Socialization with humans is known to be a pivotal factor in the development of appropriate adult dog behavior, but the role and extent of dog–dog interactions in the first two months of life is rarely studied. Although various forms of alloparental behaviors are described in the case of wild-living canids, the social network of companion dogs around home-raised puppies is almost unknown. An international online survey of companion dog breeders was conducted, asking about the interactions of other dogs in the household with the puppies and the pups’ mother. Based on the observations of these breeders, our study showed an intricate network of interactions among adult dogs and puppies below the age of weaning. Alloparental behaviors (including suckling and feeding by regurgitation) were reportedly common. Independent of their sex, other household dogs mostly behaved in an amicable way with the puppies, and in the case of unseparated housing, the puppies reacted with lower fear to the barks of the others. Parousness, sexual status, and age of the adult dogs had an association with how interested the dogs were in interacting with the puppies, and also with how the mother reacted to the other dogs. Our study highlights the possible importance of dog–dog interactions during the early life of puppies in forming stable and low-stress interactions with other dogs later in life.

This study was designed to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths in dogs and dog faeces collected from streets in Makurdi, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study was conducted from July-September 2013. A total of 400 faecal samples viz 300 from household dogs and 100 from streets were collected and parasitologically screened using saline wet mount and faecal flotation technique. Questionnaire survey was also carried out among dog owners. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infection in dogs, and in dog faeces collected from streets was 65.7% and 59.0% respectively. The five major gastro-intestinal helminth parasites identified in faecal samples of household dogs include: Ancylostoma spp (39.0%), Dipylidium spp (6.0%), Echinococcus spp (1.0%), Toxocara spp (0.7%), Trichuris vulpis (1.0%). The four major gastro-intestinal helminth parasites identified in faecal samples collected from streets are: Ancylostoma spp (44.0%), Dipylidium spp (2.0%), Toxocara spp (1.0%), Trichuris vulpis (1.0%). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in infection prevalence between male and female dogs. Prevalence of helminth parasite was significantly higher (p<0.05) in adult dogs (13-24 months) than in young dogs (0-6 months). The local breed had a higher prevalence than the exotic breed and cross breed with a significant difference (p<0.05). Only 7% of dog owners in this study had awareness about canine zoonotic parasites. Due to the high prevalence of zoonotic canine gastro-intestinal helminths encountered and the low level of awareness of dog owners, there is need to educate dog owners and the public on these parasites as it will go a long way in their control.Keywords: prevalence, gastro-intestinal helminthes, faecal samples, dogs, streets

Background:Dogs, as the definitive host of Neospora caninum, are important in the epidemiology of this parasitic infection. We aimed to determine the prevalence of N. caninum infection in a dog population from a rural setting in Fars Province, Southern Iran, using a combination of molecular and serological techniques.Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out in Nov 2018 in three rural districts, Sar Mashhad, HosseinAbad, and Tolesaman located in Kazeroun Township in Fars province, southern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 60 stray and household dogs. Dogs’ sera were tested for antibodies against N. caninum, using a Neospora-Modified Agglutination Test. Moreover, dogs’ buffy coats were tested for Neospora DNA, using a molecular method.Results:Anti-Neospora antibodies were detected in sera of 4 out of 60 dogs, corresponding to a seroprevalence rate of 6.7%. Out of 25 female dogs, 1 was seropositive and of 35 males, 3 were seropositive, yet the differences were not statistically significant. The infection was more prevalent in adult dogs (> 12 months), nevertheless, the differences between age and Neospora seropositivity was not statistically significant. N. caninum DNA was not detected in the buffy coat of any of the studied dogs.Conclusion:Findings of the study indicate that N. caninum is a common infection in dogs in rural areas of Fars province in southern Iran. The infected dogs might be a potentially important source of N. caninum infection to livestock in the area.

SummaryCommon beans (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) are a nutrient-dense, low glycemic index food that supports healthy weight management in people and was examined for dogs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and nutrient utilisation of navy (NB) and black (BB) bean-based diets in overweight or obese companion dogs undergoing a weight loss intervention. A nutritionally complete, dry extruded dog food was used as the control (CON) diet and two isocaloric, nutrient matched bean diets, containing either 25% w/w cooked BB or NB powder formed the test diets. Diets were fed to adult, overweight companion dogs for either four weeks (short-term study, n = 30) or for twenty-six weeks (long-term study, n = 15) at 60% of maintenance calories for ideal weight. Apparent weight loss increased over time in both the short- and long-term studies (p < 0.001) but was not different between the three study groups: apparent weight loss was between 4.05% – 6.14% for the short-term study and 14.0% – 17.9% in the long-term study. The ATTD was within expected ranges for all groups, whereby total dry matter and crude protein ATTD was 7–8% higher in the BB diet compared to CON (P < 0.05), crude fat ATTD was similar across all diets, and nitrogen free extract ATTD was 5–6% higher in both BB and NB compared to CON (P < 0.05). Metabolisable energy was similar for all diets, and ranged from 3,434–3,632 kcal/kg. At the end of each study period, dogs had haemoglobin levels ≥12 g/dl, packed cell volume ≥36%, albumin ≥2.4 g/dl, ALP ≤ 300 IU/l and all median values for each group were within defined limits for nutritional adequacy. This investigation demonstrated that BB and NB diets were safe, digestible, and supported weight loss in calorically restricted, overweight or obese, adult companion dogs.

Salmonella enterica isolates (n = 122), including 32 serotypes from 113 dogs and 9 cats, were obtained from household dogs (n = 250) and cats (n = 50) during 2012–2015. The isolates were characterized by serotyping, antimicrobial resistance phenotyping and genotyping, and virulence gene screening. Serovars Weltevreden (15.6%) and Typhimurium (13.9%) were the most common. The majority (43%) of the isolates were multidrug resistant. The dog isolates (12.3%) harbored class 1 integrons, of which the dfrA12-aadA2 cassette was most frequent (66.7%). The only class integron in serovar Albany was located on a conjugative plasmid. Two ESBL-producing isolates (i.e., a serovar Krefeld and a serovar Enteritridis) carried blaTEM and blaCTX-M, and the blaTEM gene in both was horizontally transferred. Of the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes tested, only qnrS (4.9%) was detected. Most Salmonella isolates harbored invA (100%), prgH (91.8%), and sipB (91%). Positive associations between resistance and virulence genes were observed for blaPSE-1/orgA, cmlA/spaN, tolC, and sul1/tolC (p < 0.05). The results suggest that companion dogs and cats are potential sources of S. enterica strains that carry resistance and virulence genes and that antimicrobial use in companion animals may select for the examined Salmonella virulence factors.

BackgroundProbiotics have been demonstrated to ameliorate clinical signs of gastrointestinal diseases in dogs in various studies. However, the effect of probiotics in a healthy population, as well as factors contributing individualized responses, remain largely unknown. This trial examined gut microbiota (GM) and health outcomes in household dogs after synbiotic (SN) supplementation containing probiotics and inulin (a prebiotic). Healthy dogs were randomized to receive SN (50 mg/d inulin and 20 billion total CFU/d of L. reuteri, P. acidilactici, E. faecium, L. acidophilus, B. animalis, L. fermentum, L. rhamnosus) or placebo (PL) for 4 weeks. Owners completed a health survey and collected stool samples for GM profiling (shotgun metagenomic sequencing) at baseline and week 4 in both groups, and at week 6 in the SN group.ResultsA significant shift (p < 0.001) in β-diversity was observed in the SN (n = 24), but not PL group (n = 19), at week 4 relative to baseline. Forty-five bacterial species, 43 (96%) of which were Lactobacillales, showed an increase in the relative abundances (≥2 fold change, adjusted p < 0.05) in the SN group at week 4. E. coli also decreased at week 4 in the SN group (2.8-fold, adjusted p < 0.01). The altered taxa largely returned to baseline at week 6. The degree of changes in β-diversity was associated with GM at baseline. Specifically, dogs with higher Proteobacteria and lower Lactobacillales responded more robustly to supplementation in terms of the change in β-diversity. Dogs fed SN tended to have lower diarrhea incidence (0% vs 16%, p = 0.08).ConclusionsSN supplement had a short-term impact on the gut microbiota in healthy household dogs as characterized by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Findings warrant further investigation with longer duration and populations at risk of gastrointestinal diseases. The magnitude of response to the supplement was associated with microbial profile at baseline. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting such association and may provide a basis for personalized nutrition in companion dogs.

BackgroundThe gut microbiota (GM) is associated with canine health and can be impacted by diet. Dog owners in the U.S. have increasingly shown an interest in feeding their dogs a mildly cooked (MC) diet. However, its impact on canine GM and health remains largely unknown.MethodsHealthy household dogs were tracked upon switching from various brands of extruded to MC diets for four weeks. A health assessment was completed and stool samples were collected by each owner before (day 0) and after the diet transition (day 28). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed at both time points to characterize the GM.ResultsDogs completed the study by either completing the health assessments (n = 31) or providing stool samples at both time points (n = 28). All owners reported either better or no change in overall health at the end of the study (61% and 39%, respectively), and none reported worse overall health. Defecation frequency was also reported to be lower (58%) or about the same (35%). Principal coordinate (PCo) analysis showed a significant shift (p = 0.004) in the β-diversity of the GM upon diet transition (34.2% and 10.3% explained by the first two axes). The abundances of 70 species increased after the diet change (adjusted p < 0.05), 67% and 24% of which belonged to the Lactobacillales and the Enterobacterales orders respectively. The abundances of 28 species decreased (adjusted p < 0.05), 46%, 18%, and 11% of which belonged to the Clostridiales, Bacillales, and Bacteroidales orders, respectively. Lower Lactobacillales and Enterobacterales, and higher Bacteroidales at baseline were associated with a greater shift along the PCo1 axis. Protein content of the baseline diet was correlated with the shift along the PCo1 axis (ρ = 0.67, p = 0.006).ConclusionOwners reported either improvement or no change in health in dogs transitioning from extruded kibble to MC diets for 4 weeks, but this report of health perception requires further exploration in a controlled trial. Diet change also led to a significant shift in the GM profile of healthy dogs. The magnitude of shift was associated with baseline GM and dietary protein, and warrants further examination of individualized responses and personalized nutrition in companion dogs. These results also support future investigation of the impact of a MC diet on health maintenance given its increasing popularity.

A Comparative Study of Serum Biochemistry, Metabolome and Microbiome Parameters of Clinically Healthy, Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obese Companion Dogs

The study of companion (pet) dogs is an area of great translational potential, as they share a risk for many conditions that afflict humans. Among these are conditions that affect sleep, including chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction. Significant advancements have occurred in the ability to study sleep in dogs, including development of non-invasive polysomnography; however, basic understanding of dog sleep patterns remains poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to establish baseline sleep–wake cycle and activity patterns using actigraphy and functional linear modeling (FLM), for healthy, adult companion dogs. Forty-two dogs were enrolled and wore activity monitors for 14 days. FLM demonstrated a bimodal pattern of activity with significant effects of sex, body mass, and age; the effect of age was particularly evident during the times of peak activity. This study demonstrated that FLM can be used to describe normal sleep–wake cycles of healthy adult dogs and the effects of physiologic traits on these patterns of activity. This foundation makes it possible to characterize deviations from normal patterns, including those associated with chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction syndrome. This can improve detection of these conditions in dogs, benefitting them and their potential as models for human disease.

Declining metabolic function with aging is a conserved phenotype across many species. While aging-associated changes in metabolic status have been investigated rigorously in humans, less is known about metabolic aging in dogs. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine changes in metabolic health with age, and any associations with frailty and quality of life, in a diverse population of companion dogs. This cross-sectional study enrolled 451 mature, adult companion dogs. Serum adiponectin, ALP, ALT, AST, cholesterol, insulin, IGF-1 and glucose levels were quantified. Additionally, plasma FFA, SFA, PA, OA and LA were quantified in a 61 dog subpopulation. All analytes were significantly associated with age, with the exception of AST. Elevated ALP, ALT, cholesterol, insulin, FFA, PA and OA were correlated with increased frailty scores, while higher levels of glucose and adiponectin were correlated with reduced frailty scores. The strength of these associations increased with age. Higher ALP, ALT and insulin were associated with lower HRQL scores after adjusting for covariates. Our findings establish novel associations between deleterious aging-associated metabolic changes and validated measures of clinical well-being in companion dogs. Future research should investigate the causality of these associations to inform therapeutic strategies targeting age-associated changes to frailty and quality of life.

Neutering increases the risk of obesity in male dogs but not in bitches — A cross-sectional study of dog- and owner-related risk factors for obesity in Danish companion dogs

The development and assessment of temperament tests for adult companion dogs

Background/Objectives: The growing number of households with companion dogs raises concerns. Co-living environments between companion dogs and their owners are linked to a heightened risk of cross-infections from strains such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Salmonella, and faecal coliforms. Therefore, this study aims to propose measures for healthy cohabitation by analysing the faecal microbiota of puppies and adult dogs. Methods: We isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from their faeces and assessed their potential to inhibit E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. Faecal samples from puppies (<2 months old) and adult dogs (>12 months old) were analysed and compared. Results: The analysis revealed that Lactobacillus dominated puppy faeces, while Bacteroidetes were more abundant in adult dogs. In total, 109 primary LAB candidates were isolated from faecal samples. These isolates underwent secondary screening for acid tolerance, bile salt resistance, acid production, heat resistance, protease activity, and antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. Five secondary LAB candidates with probiotic potential were further characterised via morphological and genetic analysis. All five strains were Lactobacillus reuteri, with L. reuteri JJ37, JJ68, JJ69, JJ71, and JJ77 emerging as the final probiotic candidates. Conclusions: They promote healthier cohabitation between dogs and their owners.

Chapter 4 - Social Behaviour among Companion Dogs with an Emphasis on Play