Longitudinal magnetic resonance spectroscopy changes in beagle dogs

Abstracts between aggression and training is present, even when gender and neuter status are taken into account. The type of aggression for which the dog was referred was then compared with attendance at training, and age of onset of any training. Results showed that aggression towards unfamiliar dogs and unfamiliar humans was most common in dogs whose onset of training was at less than 16 weeks, and that aggression towards familiar humans was most common in dogs that had been to no formal training. Aggression towards familiar dogs was comparatively uncommon but also occurred most frequently in dogs that had been to no formal training. Different breed categories were compared to see if they affected aggression and the results showed that pastoral dogs and gundogs were four times more likely to display aggression if they were trained (P 5 0.01). This study identifies training methods as an important potential factor in the presentation of aggression related behavior problems in dogs and shows little evidence for the role of two commonly cited factors namely gender or neuter status. The behavioral medicine approach suggests that aggressive behavior is multifactorial and that individuals who are insecure and anxious are at increased risk of developing these responses. Lack of training and structure may favor these emotional states, but training using mixed negative and positive signals may be equally detrimental. Key words: dog; training; aggression

Reference Mertens, P.A., 2002. Canine aggression. In: Horwitz, D., Mills, D., Heath, S. (Eds.), BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine, 1st edition. British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, England, pp. 195–199.

OWNER REPORTED COPING STYLES AND OCCURENCE OF UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIORS IN DOMESTIC CATS J.L. Kiddie1,*, R.A. Casey2 1 Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, U.K 2 Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, North Somerset, U.K *Corresponding author: [email protected] Previously reported individual coping styles in animal populations include reactive and proactive styles of responding (Koolhaas, 2008). This study aimed to investigate whether variation in coping style can be identified from owner report, and if such variation between cats is a risk factor for the occurrence of behavior problems. Questionnaires were distributed in five pseudo-randomly selected regions of North Somerset and Bristol. Owners were asked how their cats responded to six different interactive situations (e.g., being approached by the owner, or in the

31 presence of other cats). The frequency of common undesired behaviors within the last 3 months was also obtained. Cat owners returned 741 completed questionnaires. Cats showed a median of 6 inappropriate behaviors. Most common were: scratching the furniture (82.2%) and demanding attention excessively (79.4%). However, behaviors most commonly stated by owners as problematic were spraying in the house (78.1%) and inappropriate urination (69.6%). The coping style of each cat was calculated for each interactive context, and coded as only proactive, only reactive, or a mixed response. The extent to which this style was consistent between the contexts was examined using a Cochran’s Q test. The measure of proactive/reactive coping style was not consistent within individuals between contexts (Proactive: Cochran’s Q 5 263.306, p 5 ,0.001; Reactive: Cochran’s Q 5 121.658, p , 0.001; Mixed: Cochran’s Q 213.923, p , 0.001) suggesting a strongly learned component. This is consistent with previous research, where observed response of cats during interactive tests with people did not necessarily co-vary with style of responding to the scent of other cats (Casey, 2008). Hence, although underlying styles of response may occur in cats, tests or owner responses which investigate responses to specific contexts do not appear to identify them. Consequently, the results of such tests cannot reasonably be used as risk factors for the occurrence of specific undesired behavior. Therefore, the measurement of behavioral responses to specific stimuli appears inadequate in identifying underlying characteristics of personality in cats. Key words: domestic cat; coping styles; inappropriate behavior

References Casey, R.A., 2008. Undesirable Behaviours in the Domestic Cat: Development, Consequences and Treatment. PhD Thesis. University of Bristol. Koolhaas, J.M., 2008. Coping style and immunity in animals: Making sense of individual variation. Brain Behav. Immun. 22, 662–667.

LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY CHANGES IN BEAGLE DOGS C. de Rivera1,2,*, H. Dobson2,3, S. Denenberg4, G.M. Landsberg4, J.A. Araujo1,2, N.W. Milgram1,2 1 Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 2 CanCog Technologies Inc., Toronto, Canada 3 Department of Clinical Studies, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada 4 North Toronto Animal Clinic, Thornhill, Canada *Corresponding author: [email protected] Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is an increasingly common medical condition in aged dogs characterized by

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Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Vol 5, No 1, January/February 2010

changes in behavior, which are likely linked to both impaired cognitive function and brain pathology. Currently, there is no way to predict if CDS will develop, nor are there objective criteria for diagnosis. Consequently, diagnosis likely occurs late in the disease, when the behavioral sequalae impair the pet-owner bond and when therapeutic intervention may be less likely to work. Current research is therefore focused on finding ways to identify potential cases of CDS before behavioral signs appear. One such area is the study of brain changes using in vivo imaging. In humans, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is used to study various brain metabolites with the hope of finding metabolite level abnormalities before symptoms associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease occur. Of particular interest are n-acetyl containing compounds, which are thought to be markers of neuronal health. We have previously reported n-acetyl containing compounds decrease in senior dogs compared to young, but the study was cross-sectional. In the present study, we examined changes in brain metabolites in a longitudinal design. Aged dogs (n 5 11, mean age 5 10.1 years) were imaged at baseline and again after 1.4 years. Total n-acetyl levels decreased significantly with age, which is suggestive of age-related neuronal dysfunction. Although we have not established the time-course between this marker and functional deterioration, MRS may prove to be a useful diagnostic tool for either predicting or diagnosing CDS. Key words: cognitive dysfunction syndrome; dog; in vivo imaging; magnetic resonance spectroscopy

VALIDATION OF A COGNITIVE TEST BATTERY FOR CATS P. Mongillo1, G.M. Landsberg2, J.A. Araujo3,4,*, C. de Rivera3,4, S. Denenberg2, N.W. Milgram3,4 1 Dipartimento di Scienze Sperimentali Veterinarie, Universita` degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy 2 North Toronto Animal Clinic, Thornhill, Canada 3 Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 4 CanCog Technologies Inc., Toronto, Canada *Corresponding author: [email protected] We have described previously a battery of cognitive tests that permit us to objectively assess cognitive function in dogs; however, similar multi-domain tests are not available for cats. The aim of this study was to validate a test battery for cats modeled after those developed for dogs. The tasks were intended to assess a variety of cognitive domains, including learning ability, executive function, visuospatial learning and working memory. Kittens (N 5 16; 4.5 6 0.1 months) were tested on the following tasks: positional discrimination learning and reversal in a t-maze apparatus; object discrimination learning and reversal; and a delayednon-matching-to-position task (DNMP). More errors were committed on the reversal phase of both the positional discrimination and object discrimination tests. Several of the

cats also showed DNMP learning within the time-frame of the study. Cats committed more errors on both reversal tests compared to the respective learning test, which is consistent with the greater demands of this executive function test. Executive function is a high level cognitive ability that changes with development in rodents, dogs, non-human primates and humans. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing neuropsychological tests for cats that produce data consistent with that obtained in other species and that will be useful for examining cognitive changes that occur in feline development. Key words: cat; cognitive function; executive function; learning; memory; neuropsychological test battery

ANXITANE REDUCES FEAR OF HUMANS IN A LABORATORY STUDY IN DOGS J.A. Araujo1,2,*, C. de Rivera1,2, J.L. Ethier2, G.M. Landsberg3, S. Arnold4, S. Denenberg3, N.W. Milgram1,2 1 Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 2 CanCog Technologies Inc., Toronto, Canada 3 North Toronto Animal Clinic, Thornhill, Canada 4 Virbac Animal Health, Fort Worth, USA *Corresponding author: [email protected] Dogs are often referred to veterinary behaviorists for problems related to fear and anxiety, which affect both the petowner bond and the health of the pet. Effective treatments for anxiety and fear are important, but currently these are limited. AnxitaneÒ is a nutraceutical, l-theanine (SuntheanineÒ), reported to reduce anxiety in clinical studies. The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of Anxitane to placebo on fear of humans in laboratory dogs using the open field and human interaction tests. Ten Beagle dogs were selected for fearful behavior toward humans as determined by a veterinary behaviorist. These dogs were randomly divided into two groups of 5 subjects and assigned either to treatment or placebo after baseline testing. After 8 weeks, the fearful dogs were reassessed to determine the effects of the treatment. Compared to 10 normal dogs at baseline, fearful dogs showed less interaction with and spent less time near the human. Compared to placebo, fearful dogs treated with Anxitane spent more time near and interacting with the human. They also showed increased interaction frequency with the human. The main findings of the current study were that Anxitane significantly improved measures of human approach and interaction compared to placebo in anxious dogs and that anxious dogs showed reduced interaction with an unknown human compared to normals. Collectively, the current data indicate that Anxitane should benefit dogs that demonstrate fearful behaviors, which supports the clinical data for the use of Anxitane in treating anxiety related behavior. Key words: animal model; anxiety; fear; supplement