VNSA4 Flashcards
What is welfare ?
The physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies
how can you measure welfare by physiological factors?
- heart rate and rhythm
- pulse rate and rhythm
- respiratory rate and rhythm
- blood pressure rate
What is stress?
- A survival adaption
- Increases the amount of oxygen and glucose to the vital organs and muscles
- Fight and flight response
What signs may you see if an animal is suffering from stress?
Internal factors:
-tachycardia
-tachypnoea
-hyperthermia
Hypertension
Physiological factors:
-ears back
-teeth showing
-body posture tense and weight forward or back
-growling/hissing
-dilated pupils and showing the white
What is preference testing? And what problems may it cause ?
- a number of options are offered to an animal and they select their preferred option.
Problems:
-you may get different preferences with different measures
-effects of experience, may prefer what is familiar
-handler bias
What problems come with behavioural observation?
- straightforward for overt behaviours like aggression
-more difficult to validate for more subtle measures
Animal Welfare Act 2006
What are the 5 freedoms ?
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain injury or disease
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
- Freedom from fear and distress.
DEFRA
Department for environment, food and rural affairs
What is involved within this legislation?
-transporting animals
-microchipping
-report notifiable diseases
-farm welfare
-produce welfare codes of practice
APHA
Animal and plant health agency
What is involved within this legislation?
Safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy.
Identifying and controlling endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants and bees.
Surveillance of new and emerging pests and diseases.
What is involved within the pet travel scheme?
Allowing owners to take their dogs, cats and ferrets to counties within the EU.
Stages needed to follow the scheme:
-has been microchipped
-has a pet passport or pet health certificate
-has been vaccinated against rabies
-specific counties require a tapeworm tablet
The Animal health certificate must be done within 10 days of travel
Rabies vac must be done within 21 days of travel.
How does PETS maintain animal welfare
-prevents spread of diseases
Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
Regulates members of the veterinary profession.
Contributes to animal welfare by ensuring only a qualified member of staff can practice.
How does the RSPCA protect welfare
Royal Society for the protection of cruelty to animals
- pushes for changes in the law to improve the welfare of animals
-through investigations and prosecutions they rescue animals who suffered deliberate harm.
-rescue, rehabilitate, rehome or release
How does the RSPB protect animal welfare?
-Protect habitats, save species and help to end the nature and climate emergency.
-carry out conservation work
-5 main work areas are:
1. Science
2.species
3.places
4.people
5.policy
Introducing new animal stock.
- Method
- Quarantine
3.minimising stress
4.individual
5.Group dynamics
6.timing
Name equipment used for handling
-basket
-collar
-lead
-crush cage
-bag
-nets
-dog catcher
-snake hook
-grasper
-gauntlets
-muzzles
-harness
-noose
-tape muzzle
-towels
-goads
-gloves
-goggles
-apron
-hood, wild birds
-holding pen
When looking at an animal how can you read body language ?
Body - tense, relaxed, arched back
Tail - wagging, upright, between legs, straight out
Ears - relaxed, pricked, flat
Eyes - pupils dilated, avoiding eye contact, squinting, wide eyed
Vocalisation - barking, growling, purring, hissing
Body language of a dog
Friendly; relaxed body posture, wagging tail, weight distributed.
Pain; tense, tail down, whimpering, grumpy, lameness
Anxious; standing, head and body posture kept low, tail tucked, ears back
Aggressive; stiffened body posture, weight forward, ears up, teeth exposed
Depressed; hunched, no interest in surroundings
Body language of a cat
Friendly; relaxed body, ears in natural position, tail held out loosely, body stretched
Pain; let her gain, hiding, pupils dilated
Anxious; hidden away, tense, tail tucked, ears sideways, pupils dilated
Aggressive; arched posture, hair raised, tense, paw ready to swipe, hissing, pupils dilated, mouth open
Depressed; hunched and no interest in surroundings
Body language of a rabbit
Friendly; lying down, extended out, relaxed body, jumping around
Pain; teeth grinding, doesn’t want to be touched, not eating
Anxious; hiding, crouched, tense, ears wide apart, eyes
Aggressive; tense, raised tail, mouth open, visible teeth, pupils dilated
Depressed; hunched and no interest in surroundings
Body language of a rodent
Friendly; relaxed body
Pain; may hide away, may be aggressive
Anxious; hide away, may vocalise
Aggressive; vocalising, forward behaviour, defensive behaviour
Depressed; hunched and no interest in surroundings
Body language in birds
Friendly; relaxed, wings not tense, engaged with environment
Pain; hides it well, protect themselves
Anxious; may be quiet or may vocalise, overstimulated by surroundings
Aggressive; dependant on species - vocalising, change in plumage, head bobbing
Depressed; hunched and no interest in surroundings
Body language in exotics
Friendly; relaxed
Pain; not obvious
Anxious; not obvious (similar to aggression)
Aggression; colour changes, head bobbing or shaking, tail whip, flat body, S bend in snakes, hissing in chelonians
Depressed; hunched and no interest in surroundings
Signs of stress in a dog
-yawning
-aggression
-shaking/trembling
-panting
-sweaty paws
-dilated pupils
-excessive barking
-drooling
-hiding
-licking/scratching