Comparison of Stress Levels Induced by Two Types of Pet Dryers Using Salivary Cortisol Measurement in Dogs

Abstract

Comparison of Stress Levels Induced by Two Types of Pet Dryers Using Salivary Cortisol Measurement in Dogs The common pet dryer (CD) is typically used to dry dogs after bathing, but the excessive heat and noise can induce stress. Dog owners and facilities housing many animals, such as research facilities, have begun to widely adopt the pet dry room (PDR) as a more convenient drying alternative. In the present study, the stress induced by CD or PDR was assessed by measuring the salivary cortisol. Ten healthy beagles at a research laboratory were included. The mean cortisol level before drying (S1) with CD was 0.25 μg/dl and significantly increased to 0.38 μg/dl 10 minutes after drying (S2) and 0.56 μg/dl 20 minutes after drying (S3). The cortisol level at S1 with PDR was 0.33 μg/dl, and increased to 0.38 μg/dl at S2 and 0.40 μg/dl at S3, but this difference was not statistically significant. Comparing the values from S1, S2 and S3, use of CD or PDR were not significantly different each other. However, the difference between concentrations S1 and S3 and the S3-to-S1 ratio differed significantly between the groups. These results indicate that PDR may induce less stress in dogs compared with CD. In conclusion, this facility may be convenient for owners or managers, especially those of large-scale facilities such as for laboratory dogs or centers for abandoned dogs, and could be more comfortable for dogs in that they induce less stress. The equipment also has the potential to be widely used in other animal welfare programs.