Use of Pheremones Flashcards

1
Q

What were pheromones ORIGINALLY described as?

A

Karlson and Luscher 1959 - Substances secreted to the outside of an individual and received by a second individual of the same species in which they release a specific reaction

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2
Q

How are pheromones now defined?

A

Brennan and Jeverne 2004 - Chemical substances that convey information among individuals of the same species

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3
Q

What are the two types of pheromone?

A
  • Releaser
    Substances that elicit immediate behavioural effects eg. alarm signals
  • Primer
    Cause long term changes in neuroendocrine or developmental state eg. ovulation
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4
Q

What functions do pheromones have?

A
Signalling social status 
Locating food
navigation 
Alarm signalling 
Predator detection
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5
Q

What two sensory systems are capable of transducing pheremonal information?

A

Main olfatory system
Vomeronasal organ
- rabbit kittens without a mature VNO show response to milk pheromone

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6
Q

What is another name for the vomeronasal organ?

A

Jacobson’s organ

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7
Q

What is the vomeronasal organ? Which species possess it?

A

Many mammals but NOT higher primates

  • blind ended mucous filled tube on the floor of the nasal cavity
  • connects oral and nasal cavity via small ducts
  • sensitive to small quantities of odour
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8
Q

Where do pheromone receptor neurones run to?

A

Accessory olfactory bulb
Nerve pojectinos to the limbic system
- influence hormones production from the hypothalamus
- modulations in reactive state

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9
Q

How may the VNO be exposed?

A

Horses, cats and rabbits - Flehmen

Cats and dogs -tonguing and panting

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10
Q

Is the effect of pheromones innate or learnt?

A

Initially appeared innate and stereotyped, but learnt component shown to be present
eg. Kindermann 1994 - nipple searching behaviour in rabbit pups, single exposure to artificial scent during suckling sufficient to elicit this behaviour

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11
Q

Which body secretions contain pheromones?

A

Any and all!
Specialised glands int he skin and mucous membranes especially -
Anal sacs
Supra caudal glands
Peri-oral glands (cheek, chin and lips, in dogs the ears)
Podal glands (pads and itnerdigital region)
Mammary region - appeasines

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12
Q

What are appeasins?

A

Have a comforting effect on neonates - secreted from the mammary glands

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13
Q

What are the 3 groups of cat pheromones?

A
  1. Urine and scratching
  2. Alarm marks from anal glands and podal glands
  3. Facial and flank pheremones
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14
Q

What is F1 used for?

A

Used in core territory - associated with positive emotional state ?

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15
Q

What is F2 used for?

A

Sexual displays

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16
Q

What is F3 used for?

A

Known and unknown

17
Q

What is F4 used for?

A

Marking members of social group (scent profile)

18
Q

When and why does urine spraying occur?

A

Sexual signal, maintainence of distance between cats (territory marking,) associated with negative emotional states ?

19
Q

When did development of synthetic pheromones begin?

A

Early 1990s - pheremonotherapy began

20
Q

Which synthetic pheromones are produced commercially?

A

2 for cats - F3 feliway (spray or diffuser) and F4 felifriend (spray only)
1 for dogs - DAP (Dog appeasing pheromone) or ADAPTIL (spray, plug in diffuser, collar)
1 for horses - EAP (Intra-nasal spray - stressful?!) Pherocalm

21
Q

Should there be cross species effecs of these pheromone products?

A

NO owing to the definition of a pheromone

22
Q

Why has F4 felifriend not been very effective?

A

Used to “cover up” people the cats should be fearful of eg. vets leading to ^ anxiety as been fooled into thinking they should be a nice person, learning that they cannot trust the smells any more

23
Q

Give a study supporting use of F3 Feliway diffusers

A

Mills and Mills 2001 Decreased urine spraying without any behavioural therapy concurrently

24
Q

When is F3 Feliway most useful?

A

Novel Environments where no negative association has been formed, eg. hospitalisation - allowing less anxiety. Calming effect PRIOR to catheterisation. Holiday homes - decreased urination and ate sooner
Transport - spray car with F3 -> less urination, salivation, vocalisation and agitation

25
Q

Why may F3 not be effective against spraying/urination?

A

v predictability as can’t tell which places are good/bad - usually leading to ^ spraying to due anxiety
- Behaviour and environmental modification should be necessary

26
Q

How may spraying be treated?

A

Clean mark with a biological agent/alcohol - NOT detergent (may have ammonia, smells like urine, ^ spraying)
Change perception of area using F3
Get rid of environmental stressors

27
Q

What uses other than spraying may F3 be used for?

A

General anxiety - people/nosies/FLUTD/novel environments

28
Q

What would be a superior alternative to F4 Felifriend when introducing two new cats?

A

Scent swapping using damp cloths

29
Q

Give some studies surrounding use of F4 Felifriend

A

Patel 2008 - v anxiety during prelim exam but no difference during vet exam
Kakuma and Bradshaw 2001 - elated more quickly in shelter setting, placebo controlled

30
Q

Where is DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheremone) isolate from?

A

Intra-mammary sulcus 3-4 days after whelping

- involved in recognition and attachment formation between mother and pups

31
Q

What is DAP suggested for use in?

A

Separatino anxiety
Noise phobias
Car sickness

32
Q

Is DAP thought to be useful?

A

Yes, but no placebo in trials and only ever used in conjunction with behaviour therapy etc. as ethical to withhold
Apears useful though
- research limited
>Taylor and Mills 2007 - puppies cried for less days (though “normal” number unusually high?!
>Tod 2005 - Barking amplitude and frequency decreased (though blocks in different places)
>Mills 2004 - DAP used on aggressive dogs in vets, ^ relaxed behaviours and v anxiety

33
Q

What did the Mills 2004 study lead to?

A

Vet directive that all rehoming dogs must have DAP collars - scrapped as couldn’t get collars on half the dogs! Wasted resources - bad knee jerk reaction decision

34
Q

What is Pherocalm (EAP) indicated for use in?

A
Loading
Transport
handling
New environments 
Breaking
35
Q

What is the evidence for EAP?

A

Placebo controlled blinded study - willingness to walk through a curtain
-> stopped less frequently, less hesitation, lower HR
Vandierendonck 2009 - Use in foals separated for first time and adults being clipped
- decreased “unrest” but no effect of physiological measures

36
Q

What is the latest development in pheromones?

A

CAP - Cat appeasing pheromone

  • no evidence for it as of yet
  • one no sig difference study
37
Q

Give a review paper for pheromone use

A

Frank 2010 JAVMA

38
Q

What are the general conclusions on pheromone therapy?

A

Combination therapy and as an adjunct to behavioural therapy - GOOD
Require targeted use
Should not be used alternatively to things with a greater evidence base eg. benzos for fireworks night etc.

39
Q

What is catnip?

A

Ketolactone

Only some cats respond