small animal welfare Flashcards
what are the 5 freedoms
1) freedom from hunger and thirst
2) freedom from discomfort
3) freedom from pain, injury or disease
4) freedom to express normal behaviour
5) freedom from fear and disease
what % of dogs are overweight
55% - 60%
enforcement bodies in companion animal welfare
- police
- RSPCA (can enforce law)
- Local Authority Trading Standards (breeding and selling)
Welfare charities
PDSA
RSPCA
DOgs trust
Cats Protection
International Cat care
advice/education/campaign organisations
Kennel Club
Dog COntrol Coalition
Canine and Feline Sector Group
Advisory Council on Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding
All Parlimentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group
BVA
Who has powers in relation in animals in distress
- inspector or constanbe can immediately alleviate the animal’s suffering
Vets can give permission to PTS
Mutilations banned under act 2006
Tail docking
Dew clwa removal
Ear cropping
Declawing cats
Devocalisation
(exceptions: dew claw removal = anaesthesia or before eyes opem , or tail docking approved breeds)
working dog exemptions: spaniel, terrier or hunt point retrieve breeds can be docked . Need to apply and get a certificate from DEFRA . Puppies have to be under 5 years of age
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 vets importance
have to identify dangerous dogs breeds and if banned have to decide to PTS
not legally obliged unless under law
if seized used to have to put to kennel until PTS or until exemption, can be years in kennels = guidance for dogs in kennels
now not mandatory for dog to stay in kennels, stay at home whilst waiting for court process
against law to rehome a banned dog, but cases where it has happened
issues with early neutering
increase risk of cancers, orthopaedic issues and behavioural problems
first signs of dog stress
yawning, blinking, nose licking
turning head away
turning body away, sitting, pawing
walking away,
creeping, ears back
middle signs of dog stress
standing crouched, tail tucked under
lying down, leg up,
stiffening up, stare
latest signs of dog stress
growling
snapping
biting
what is classical conditioning for dog behaviour
make assosciations
e.g. pavlov and the bell (produced saliva as bell when food produced)
what is operant conditioning for dog behaviour
animal interacts with envrionment
reinforcement = behaviour increase
positive = add something to environment of animal
negative = something is take away from the environment of the animal
positive reinforcement = give something to increase behaviour
negative punishment = grounding.., taking away something to stop bad behaviour
positive punishment = giving dog something to stop bad behaviours ? (e.g. spray collar, if barks spray goes)
negative reinforcement = something stops when dog does good behaviour (e.g. choke collar stops pulling when dog stops pulling)
often together
negativ reinforcement + positive punishment = most common combination?
training equipment to stop dog pulling
head collar
choke collar
spray collar
prong collars = very bad, prongs go when dog pulls
types of training
- reward based = reinforces behaviour liked and withhold rewards for bad behaviour
- leadership = mainly positive punishment for bad behaviour, remove punishment when dog does right behaviour
- balanced = rewards and positive punishment
add punishment into fearful situation = escalates fear response
dog exercise
subjective
half an hour for small breeds
ethical as way perceive dogs changes how much exercise
symptoms of stress in cats
spraying
self-mutiliation
over grooming
feline lower urinary tract disorder (pee in shower or places shouldn’t)
pica = eating things it shouldn’t
aggression
how to recognise signs of stress in cats
solitary species = won’t show signs as obviously
- inhibition (quiet)
- disruption (destroy kennel)
- defensive
relaxed cat signs
neutral body posture
ears alert and relaxed position
eyes open looking at observer
whiskers out and relaxed
neutral sloping tail
defensive cat signs
body hunched and tense
tail close to body
paws flat on surface
ears alert and open
how to help multi cat house holds
enrichment
- places to hide
- places to get up high
- make sure plenty of resources
- different private areas
- feeding separate
- separate litter trays
rabbit welfare issues
- most cruelly treated pet
- small hutch
- no exercise
- poor diet (hay and grass should be 80-90% , pellets not muesli)
- overgrown teeth
- loneliness
- fly strike (maggots)
- lack of vaccination
- diarrhoea as not enough roughage
bird welfare issues
- aggression to owners = often rehomed
- inappropiate diets (should be vegetarian)
- sociable and emotional = affected by what’s happening at home
signs of stress of birds
- plucking feathers
- stress bars in feathers (areas of poor development that create flawed/weak segments in feather that are vulnerable to break)
due to :
malnutrition
dehydration
disease
medications
emotional stress
environment stress (overheating, changes..)
issues with labradors
hip dysplasia
issues with shar peis
entropian (droopy eyelid)
issues with small bull breeds
casesarians
issue with squashed face dogs
BOAS
issues with calviers king charles spaniels
mitral valve disease
and syringomyelia (shake head, scream = brain stem doesn’t fit in skull)
breeding legislation
animal weflare (licensing of activities involving animals)
liscense to breed even if not selling,
reduced to 3 litters per year (from 5)
need to have 5* rating after system
sale of puppies and kittens under 8 weeks prohibited
no 3rd party sales under 6 months (only supposed to sell with parents)
negatives of puppy farming
more fear, separation anxiety, aggression and rivalry
changes to pet travel scheme
puppies can travel at 15 weeks instead of 10 months (surge in re-homing of oversea dogs)
proposing that puppies must be 6 months before importing
overseas rescue dogs
lots of health conditions
wrong legislations
poor welfare during transport
infectious disease carried across
behaviour issues as used to autonomy
covid 19 impacts on dog behaviour
- increase in internet sale of puppies and prices = puppy farms
- dog routine changes
- new behaviour problems (separation anxiety)
- aggression to children
- dogs being clingy
age welfare issue with dogs
- perceptions when dogs age = actually getting disease,
- vets can help improve quality of life and stop disease progression
end of life welfare
can improve quality of life
need dialogue of owner,
can use assessments to notice subtle changes
consider euthanasia
role of vets with welfare
- educate (sourcing, husbandry, diet, medicine, end of life care)
- least aversive training methods advise
- monitor for signs of chronic stress
- good and timely death
- low stress handling when at vets
