Stress and Companion Animals

Question 1

What are the 3 elements of the stress response?

Answer 1

Behavioural, neurological, hormonal

Question 2

What effect does insulin have on appetite?

Answer 2

Suppression

Question 3

What are the two “arms” of the stress response?

Answer 3

SAM - sympathoadrenomedullary pathway
HPA - hypthalamopuuitary-adrenal pathway

Hypothalamus secretes CRH causing both of these + POSITIVE feedback mechanism of CRH and adrenaline

Question 4

How does SAM activation affect the immune system?

Answer 4

^ immune system activation

Question 5

How does HPA activation affect the immune system?

Answer 5

Immunosupression

Question 6

Which pathway is responsible for ending the stress response?

Answer 6

HPA -ve feedback on CRH

Question 7

Which other hormones are released during the stress response?

Answer 7

AVP/ADH -> ^ACTH, ^ memory, ^ behavioural persistence esp. sexual/aggressino
PRL -> inhibits reproduction
Endorphins/encephalins -> analgesia and v arousal
Oxytocin - social bonds, encourages finding social partners - usually +ve emotions but also strengthens negative social associations eg. embarrassing experiences [seen less in cats!]

Question 8

What two types of stimuli may cause chronic stress?

Answer 8

Frequent stressfull episodeds
Long term inescapable stress
-> sensitisation and GIT/urinary problems

Question 9

What makes certain individuals more susceptible to adverse effects of chronic stress?

Answer 9

Genetics
Developmental effects (^/v HPA)
Environmental/socail effects
Learning
Disease - cytokines v CRH and blunt stress response
- hyperadrenocorticism/thyroidism/pseudopregnancy

Question 10

Give some diseases associated with stress?

Answer 10

Immune related problems 
Skin disease
FIC (idiopathic) 
GIT problems 
Metabolic diseases
Cognitive dysfunction

Question 11

How can stress affect the skin?

Answer 11

Bacterial (eg. 2ndry pyoderma)
Yeast
Allergies - FAD, food, atopy [allergy to skin/respiratory absorbed allergens] - esp Westies ^ permeability of skin to allergens

Question 12

What are the clinical signs of FIC?

Answer 12

Dysuria - difficult/painful
Pollakiuria - ^ frequency
Heamaturia - blood
Periuria - urinating outside the littler box
Overgrooming - perineum and ventral abdomen

Question 13

What are the pathological changes associated with FIC?

Answer 13

• GAG layer and urothelium changes
• Inflam infiltrate in submucosa
• Neurological abnormalities
• Abnormal stress response - low cortisol despite high CRH and ACTH and adrenal atrophy -> NO down regulation of SAM.

Question 14

How is FIC diagnosed

Answer 14

Ruling out other causes of cytitus

== Intersitial cystitis

Question 15

What diseases is FIC often found along side?

Answer 15

IBS

Fibromyalgia

Question 16

What is the treatment for FIC?

Answer 16

^ water intake
Easy access to toiling locations
Analgesia for acute episodes
Cystaid/cystease/cystophan - hyaluronic acid and L-tryptophan
Stress reduction - avoid sudden changes, adequate resources, environmental enrichment

Question 17

What are the various forms of GIT disturbance associated with stress?

Answer 17

• Ulceration due to v blood flow to gut
• IBS [irritable bowel syndrome]- neurological motility change, NO cellular changes in gut wall
• IBD [inflamaotry bowel disease]- Inflam infiltrates in SI or colon, chronic vomiting and diarrhoea
  Biopsy needed to differentiate

Question 18

How may stress be linked with metabolic diseases?

Answer 18

Addisons disease - hypoadrenocorticism [autoimmunity -> adrenal cortex destruction. Mineralocorticoids and Glucocorticoids v to different levels. Signs range from lethargy, appetite loos, V+D to severe hypovoleamic shock and death. Stress = trigger]
Hyperglyceamia [cats - stress -> hyperglycaemia similar to cats with untreated diabetes mellitus. May exceed renal threshold -> glycosuria. Chronic stress -> diabetes type 2]
Feline hepatic lipidosis [2ndry to stress or v food intake. Accumulation of fat in liver -> loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, jaundice, hepatic encepalopathy maybe]

Question 19

How is stress linked to cognitive function?

Answer 19

Chronic exposure to ^ cortisol -> dmage in neurones esp PFC and hippocampus and hypothalamus
- confusion, anxeity, memory loss, learning difficulties

Question 20

Give some studies on stress and disease

Answer 20

Sapolsky 2004 - why zebras don’t get ulcers
Buffington 2011 - FIC
Nelson 2011 - Behavioural endocrinology
Mills 2013 - Stress and phermomoptherapy