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Early neurological stimulation
Abstracts state, or if the range is unsuitable for the German shepherd breeding stock in New Zealand. The objectives of this study were to measure the serum cTLI in all police dog stock to establish the prevalence of EPI, and to develop a reference range for unaffected NZ police dogs. In addition, it is planned to track the progress of dogs whose cTLI concentration is in the suspicious range for EPI to determine if they develop clinical EPI. Ultimately, it is hoped that better recommendations for future breeding can be made. Serum samples were collected from 159 police dogs, and cTLI concentrations were assayed by a commercial laboratory. To indicate the presence or absence of clinically significant maldigestion, information was collected from each handler regarding the diet, feeding frequency, food intake, and most recent fecal score (1 to 5) of each dog. The range of cTLI concentrations was from 0.3 to 26.9 mg/L. There were 4 dogs with cTLIs less than 2.5 mg/L, and 3 of these 4 dogs had been gifted to the police. There were 3 dogs with cTLI concentrations between 2.5 and 5 mg/L, and none of these dogs showed evidence of maldigestion. There was no association between dietary or fecal variables and serum cTLI concentration. Currently a large number of dogs (33) are at the low end of the current reference range (5-7 mg/L), and no reason is evident to exclude them from breeding. The reference range for this population will be determined by following the dogs in this study and determining which ones subsequently develop EPI. Dogs with cTLI levels in the suspicious range will also be followed to determine whether they develop clinical EPI or not. Key words: exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; police dog; trypsin-like immunoreactivity 15 EARLY NEUROLOGICAL STIMULATION Carmen L. Battaglia, PhD* American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery, Roswell, Georgia *Corresponding author: [email protected] Surprising as it may seem, it is not capacity that explains the differences that exist between individuals, because most seem to have far more capacity than they will ever use. The differences that exist between individuals seem to be related to something else. Researchers have studied these phenomena and have looked for new ways to stimulate individuals to improve their natural abilities. Some of the methods discovered have produced lifelong effects. Today, many of the differences between individuals can now be explained by the use of early stimulation methods. Early life is a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is susceptible and responsive to a restricted but important class of stimuli. Because of its importance, many studies have focused on the first few months of life. Newborn pups are different from adult dogs in several respects. When born, pups’ eyes are closed, and their digestive system has a limited capacity, requiring periodic
183 stimulation by their dam, who routinely licks them to promote digestion. Other mammals such as mice and rats are also born with limitations, and they also have been found to demonstrate a similar sensitivity to the effects of early stimulation. Studies show that removing them from their nest for 3 minutes each day during the first 5 to 10 days of life causes body temperatures to fall below normal. This mild form of stress is sufficient to stimulate hormonal, adrenal, and pituitary systems. When tested later as adults, these same animals were better able to withstand stress than littermates who were not exposed to the same early stress exercises. As adults, they responded to stress in ‘‘a graded’’ fashion, whereas their nonstressed littermates responded in an ‘‘all or nothing’’ way. The results show that early stimulation exercises can have positive results but must be used with caution. In other words, too much stress can cause pathological adversities rather than physical or psychological superiority. Key words: puppies; early life; neurological stimulation 16 PEDIGREE ANALYSIS Carmen Louis Battaglia, PhD* American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery, Roswell, Georgia *Corresponding author: [email protected] Two basic methods are useful when analyzing pedigrees. The first is called depth of pedigree, which focuses on the ancestors in each generation. The second is called breadth of pedigree, which means that emphasis shifts to the littermates of each ancestor, because they serve as good indicators of the traits or diseases found in their pedigree. Over the years, 3 kinds of pedigrees have emerged, each with its own special purpose. The most popular pedigree is called the traditional pedigree. It has many shortcomings because of the importance it places on the names and titles of the ancestors, which are not heritable. The second is called the stick dog color chart pedigree, which color-codes and ranks the traits of conformation. The third is called the symbols pedigree, which is used to track health and special traits of interest. The latter 2 combine breadth and depth as a means to breed better dogs by knowing more about the traits carried by the ancestors. Key words: dog breeding; pedigrees; breeding partners 17 THE US BORDER PATROL BREEDING AND PUPPY-REARING PROGRAM M. Devaney*, R. Syverson United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Training Development, El Paso Canine Center, Texas *Corresponding author: [email protected]
183 stimulation by their dam, who routinely licks them to promote digestion. Other mammals such as mice and rats are also born with limitations, and they also have been found to demonstrate a similar sensitivity to the effects of early stimulation. Studies show that removing them from their nest for 3 minutes each day during the first 5 to 10 days of life causes body temperatures to fall below normal. This mild form of stress is sufficient to stimulate hormonal, adrenal, and pituitary systems. When tested later as adults, these same animals were better able to withstand stress than littermates who were not exposed to the same early stress exercises. As adults, they responded to stress in ‘‘a graded’’ fashion, whereas their nonstressed littermates responded in an ‘‘all or nothing’’ way. The results show that early stimulation exercises can have positive results but must be used with caution. In other words, too much stress can cause pathological adversities rather than physical or psychological superiority. Key words: puppies; early life; neurological stimulation 16 PEDIGREE ANALYSIS Carmen Louis Battaglia, PhD* American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery, Roswell, Georgia *Corresponding author: [email protected] Two basic methods are useful when analyzing pedigrees. The first is called depth of pedigree, which focuses on the ancestors in each generation. The second is called breadth of pedigree, which means that emphasis shifts to the littermates of each ancestor, because they serve as good indicators of the traits or diseases found in their pedigree. Over the years, 3 kinds of pedigrees have emerged, each with its own special purpose. The most popular pedigree is called the traditional pedigree. It has many shortcomings because of the importance it places on the names and titles of the ancestors, which are not heritable. The second is called the stick dog color chart pedigree, which color-codes and ranks the traits of conformation. The third is called the symbols pedigree, which is used to track health and special traits of interest. The latter 2 combine breadth and depth as a means to breed better dogs by knowing more about the traits carried by the ancestors. Key words: dog breeding; pedigrees; breeding partners 17 THE US BORDER PATROL BREEDING AND PUPPY-REARING PROGRAM M. Devaney*, R. Syverson United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Training Development, El Paso Canine Center, Texas *Corresponding author: [email protected]