From: IN%"joseph.stookey@usask.ca" "Joseph Stookey" 3-JAN-2006 16:50:45.35 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears Hi Everyone, The subject header for this message sort of gives the question away, but I have recently been contacted by a student regarding a case of their 4 month old pup taking too much interest in newborn calves on their farm. What started as play and curiosity has escalated into the dog causing serious damage to the ears of newborn calves. Now that the ear chewing behaviour has developed, do you think there is any hope of correcting this behaviour in this free roaming farm dog? Obviously, as long as the dog is free roaming the owners can not be present or aware of the dog's activity 24 hr. a day. Other than some of the obvious options, such as finding the dog a new cattle-free home, restraint or penning during unsupervised periods until calves are old enough to avoid the dog, what would you recommend that could result in 100% elimination of this undesirable behaviour? I have passed on some advice and suggested some reading material, but the 100% "cure" for an unsupervised free roaming farm dog leaves me rather skeptical - that is why I am sharing this problem with all of you. I look forward to your responses sent directly to me or those shared with the entire list. Thanks. Hope all of you had a great Christmas season and I wish you all a great New Year. Cheers, Joe -- Joseph M. Stookey Professor of Applied Ethology Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences Western College of Veterinary Medicine 52 Campus Dr University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5B4 From: IN%"saluqi@ix.netcom.com" "John Burchard" 3-JAN-2006 23:03:02.20 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology list" CC: Subj: RE: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears Joseph Stookey wrote: > The subject header for this message sort of gives the question away, but > I have recently been contacted by a student regarding a case of their 4 > month old pup taking too much interest in newborn calves on their farm. > What started as play and curiosity has escalated into the dog causing > serious damage to the ears of newborn calves. Now that the ear chewing > behaviour has developed, do you think there is any hope of correcting > this behaviour in this free roaming farm dog? Obviously, as long as the > dog is free roaming the owners can not be present or aware of the dog's > activity 24 hr. a day. Other than some of the obvious options, such as > finding the dog a new cattle-free home, restraint or penning during > unsupervised periods until calves are old enough to avoid the dog, what > would you recommend that could result in 100% elimination of this > undesirable behaviour? I have passed on some advice and suggested some > reading material, but the 100% "cure" for an unsupervised free roaming > farm dog leaves me rather skeptical - that is why I am sharing this > problem with all of you. I look forward to your responses sent directly > to me or those shared with the entire list. Thanks. Sounds as if the dog needs something to do. Four months is not too young to begin basic training . What kind of dog? Are the calves ear-tagged? I agree, if the dog is free roaming, not trained and not supervised, this could be difficult. If the dog is free roaming, not trained and not supervised, what is its purpose on the farm? John -- Dr. John Burchard Tepe Gawra Salukis saluqi@ix.netcom.com http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ From: IN%"k9.college_napier@xtra.co.nz" 4-JAN-2006 02:04:20.53 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Re: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears DR John:> I agree, if the dog is free roaming, not trained and not supervised, this could > be difficult. Hi John, Joseph and all, JOHN L> Actually I would say impossible if the owners are not prepared confine this animal when it is unsupervised and also to train it. DR JOHN: If the dog is free roaming, not trained and not supervised, what > is its purpose on the farm? JOHN L. I second this question. What is this dog's job? It is my understanding that even dogs that are bred to remain out in the field to protect the flocks are trained. If this dog is being kept purely as a pet rather than a worker then it certainly should be confined when not supervised and it definitely should also be trained. IMHO even pet dogs need jobs. This is part of providing the mental and physical stimulation needed by an active animal. Nature bred these animals for thousands of years to be active. Being domesticated by man didn't change this. Regards John L. New Zealand From: IN%"dmills@lincoln.ac.uk" "Daniel Mills" 4-JAN-2006 05:39:51.97 To: IN%"avsab@yahoogroups.com", IN%"cabtsgforum@cabtsg.org", IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: IN%"kiimura@lincoln.ac.uk" "Kumiko Iimura" Subj: New study on the epidemiology of noise fears in dogs. Dear all, Happy new year, I hope you all had a chance to relax over the holidays and are refreshed for the new year. We are currently running a large project on noise fears and would appreciate the help of all dog owners out there. We need responses from both those with and without noise fearful dogs as we are conducting an extensive epidemiological study to examine risk factors and aetiology in different populations. It has taken some time to set up the database, but we hope we can now attract several thousand respondents. Please pass on the press release below to anyone, anywhere who may be able to help. Can you encourage clients to complete the questionnaire as well. Many thanks Daniel Press release Distressed dogs - a new investigation At this time of year it is easy to forget that many dogs are scared of noises, such as fireworks etc., but if you own one such animal, then you know how sad it can be to see your faithful companion suffer. Indeed it has been estimated that perhaps 20% or more dogs may suffer from this problem in one form or another. They tremble and pant and may harm either themselves and/or their owners in their panic to escape. Methods have been developed to help these animals and are available from vets or behaviour clinics across the country, but still some animals don’t respond to these treatments and surprising as it may seem, we know very little about how these problems come about. Whilst some clearly follow a bad experience many do not. Therefore, researchers in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at the University of Lincoln have instigated a global study of the problem of noise fears in dogs. This research aims to look more closely at the possible causes of these fears and how t hey respond to treatment by comparing the backgrounds of dogs that are afraid of noises and those that are not. A number of scenarios are being explored on the basis of what we know about how these problems develop in people and indeed this study may even help us understand the human problem better too! The team need to hear from all types of dog owner, whether their dogs are afraid of noises (e.g., thunderstorms or fireworks etc or not. An online questionnaire has been set up at http://hemswell.lincoln.ac.uk/‾slawson/dogs_and_noise/　 , It should only take 5-15 minutes of your time to complete, but will help us to make real progress in understanding this problem. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Kumiko Iimura (kiimura@lincoln.ac.uk). Daniel S. Mills BVSc PhD ILTM CBiol MIBiol MRCVS Professor & RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine Animal Behaviour, Cognition & Welfare Group University of Lincoln, Dept of Biological Sciences, Riseholme Park, Lincoln, U.K. LN2 2LG tel 44 (0)1522 895356 email dmills@lincoln.ac.uk web page: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/dbs/staff/479.asp From: IN%"k9.college_napier@xtra.co.nz" 4-JAN-2006 12:39:35.56 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Re: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears > Maybe I'm off base (I've been 'off the farm' for several years), but was anyone besides me surprised that the cows are permitting this dog to get so close to/harass newborn calves? In my (admittedly long-ago) experience, cows are pretty proficient at protecting their newborns, even from farm dogs. > > Hebe Excellent point Hebe. I completely overlooked this aspect. John L. From: IN%"info@kerwoodwolf.com" "Kerwood Wolf Education Centre Inc." 4-JAN-2006 14:54:19.04 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears Many farmers (around here anyway) separate the newborn calves from their mothers almost right after they are born. Around here they usually put them into calf "huts" but I suppose that wherever this dog is, the calves are not placed in an area that keeps them safe. Vivian Kerwood Wolf Education Centre ----- Original Message ----- From: k9.college_napier@xtra.co.nz To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 11:59 AM Subject: Re: Re: Farm dog chewing off newborn calves' ears > Maybe I'm off base (I've been 'off the farm' for several years), but was anyone besides me surprised that the cows are permitting this dog to get so close to/harass newborn calves? In my (admittedly long-ago) experience, cows are pretty proficient at protecting their newborns, even from farm dogs. > > Hebe Excellent point Hebe. I completely overlooked this aspect. John L. From: IN%"joseph.stookey@usask.ca" "Joseph Stookey" 4-JAN-2006 18:23:24.81 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Responses to dog chewing calf ears Hi Everyone, I want to thank everyone for sending comments to me privately and for the public postings. There were lots of useful suggestions and I think the student now has plenty of information to consider. There were a few common ideas that were sent to me and a question or two that I thought deserved further comment. Several of you suggested applying some sort of bitter or obnoxious ointment on the calves' ears. While it might be somewhat effective, it also has a couple of possible reasons for failure. 1) It is likely that the dog has discovered or will discover some of the newborn calves before the farmer and 2) in my experience cows seem bent on licking off strange odors that the calf may have acquired, so the topical agents may or may not last very long. IF you could guarantee all the ears on all the calves contained an undesirable ear ointment and IF it was not licked off by the cow it might be effective, but those are a couple of big IFs. I think the best advice I received, focuses on preventing the pup from having unsupervised access to the calves until he has shown signs of having lost interest in this activity, plus teaching the dog boundaries, training, etc. are all useful and necessary steps. Obviously, this advice, like so many other behavioural modification programs and even successful treatment protocols for illnesses rely upon owner compliance. Without it, there is not much hope! In regards to why the cows are not able to protect the calves from the dog attack, I believe there are probably several reasons. 1) The dog could have been a frequent visitor to the cattle prior to calving and has gained some "acceptance" by the cattle and was not considered a threat or 2) because cattle are a hider species it means that the cows will often leave the newborn calves "hidden" for periods of time while they forage (and this is the likely explanation of why the dog is gaining access to unprotected newborn calves). By "hidden" I mean the calves could simply be bedded down in deep straw in a shed while the cows eat and the dog could easily visit the calves in their quarters without drawing too much attention by the cows. Certainly the vast majority of cows show very good maternal behaviour immediately following parturition and for many weeks thereafter. Cows would normally not let a dog very close to their calves, but obviously this case in question provided some ways around this normal scenario. Anyway, thanks again for the responses and I trust (hope) this pup will be given the supervision and training he requires to become a valuable pet and farm dog for this family. As much as I would have preferred the entire discussion to focus on cattle behaviour, I have to admit that this group is a great source of ideas and information regarding canine behaviour. Thanks, Joe -- Joseph M. Stookey Professor of Applied Ethology Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences Western College of Veterinary Medicine 52 Campus Dr University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5B4 From: IN%"thomas.sebastian@usask.ca" "Sebastian Thomas" 4-JAN-2006 22:46:37.89 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: bucket fed vs nipple -bottle fed calves Hi , I recently read about the problem called"rumen drinking'' in bucket fed calves.As the calves drink from the udder the peculiar position of the head and suckling reflex cause the esophagial groove to close and the milk goes directly to the abomasum by- passing the rumen.But this does not happen in some calves(esp veal calves) when they 'gulp' from the bucket rather than 'sip'. Milk reaching the rumen ferments and reduces the rumen PH and it affects the rumen functioning and prognosis of such a condition is very poor.This does not happen when they sip from the nipple as it simulate normal suckling.So I think feeding from a nipple is more welfare friendly than feeding from a bucket.I am eager to know whether there is some research in this area. Thomas sebastian From: IN%"dmills@lincoln.ac.uk" "Daniel Mills" 5-JAN-2006 08:14:54.36 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca", IN%"cabtsgforum@cabtsg.org" CC: Subj: FW: [avsab] New study on the epidemiology of noise fears in dogs. - unscrambled address Dear all, Further to my earlier e-mail it seems the website address got scrambled in the process of translation by some servers. it should be http://hemswell.lincoln.ac.uk/‾slawson/dogs_and_noise/ I'll hope it doesn't get scrambled this time. It should end with noise/ anything beyond that is computer junk from cyberspace. Someone will explain to me one day how these things happen ;-) Daniel ________________________________ From: IN%"samuelt@runbox.com" "Samuel Taboni" 5-JAN-2006 22:07:09.56 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Can dogs smell cancer? Public release date: 5-Jan-2006 [ Print Article | E-mail Article | Close Window ] Contact: Valerie Johns media.inquiries@sagepub.com 805-410-7778 SAGE Publications Can dogs smell cancer? Study shows dogs ability to distinguish breast and lung cancer in people compared to healthy controls In a society where lung and breast cancers are leading causes of cancer death worldwide, early detection of the disease is highly desirable. In a new scientific study, researchers present astonishing new evidence that man's best friend, the dog, may have the capacity to contribute to the process of early cancer detection. In this study which will be published in the March 2006 issue of the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies published by SAGE Publications, researchers reveal scientific evidence that a dog's extraordinary scenting ability can distinguish people with both early and late stage lung and breast cancers from healthy controls. The research, which was performed in California, was recently documented by the BBC in the United Kingdom, and is soon to be aired in the United States. Other scientific studies have documented the abilities of dogs to identify chemicals that are diluted as low as parts per trillion. The clinical implications of canine olfaction first came to light in the case report of a dog alerting its owner to the presence of a melanoma by constantly sniffing the skin lesion. Subsequent studies published in major medical journals confirmed the ability of trained dogs to detect both melanomas and bladder cancers. The new study, led by Michael McCulloch of the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, California, and Tadeusz Jezierski of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, is the first to test whether dogs can detect cancers only by sniffing the exhaled breath of cancer patients. In this study, five household dogs were trained within a short 3-week period to detect lung or breast cancer by sniffing the breath of cancer participants. The trial itself was comprised of 86 cancer patients (55 with lung cancer and 31 with breast cancer) and a control sample of 83 healthy patients. All cancer patients had recently been diagnosed with cancer through biopsy-confirmed conventional methods such as a mammogram, or CAT scan and had not yet undergone any chemotherapy treatment. During the study, the dogs were presented with breath samples from the cancer patients and the controls, captured in a special tube. Dogs were trained to give a positive identification of a cancer patient by sitting or lying down directly in front of a test station containing a cancer patient sample, while ignoring control samples. Standard, humane methods of dog training employing food rewards and a clicker, as well as assessment of the dog's behavior by observers blinded to the identity of the cancer patient and control samples, were used in the experiment. The results of the study showed that dogs can detect breast and lung cancer with sensitivity and specificity between 88% and 97%. The high accuracy persisted even after results were adjusted to take into account whether the lung cancer patients were currently smokers. Moreover, the study also confirmed that the trained dogs could even detect the early stages of lung cancer, as well as early breast cancer. The researchers concluded that breath analysis has the potential to provide a substantial reduction in the uncertainty currently seen in cancer diagnosis, once further work has been carried out to standardize and expand this methodology. ### This study was supported by the MACH Foundation (Fairfax, CA), Guide Dogs for the Blind (San Rafael, CA) and Frank and Carol Rosemayr (Kentfield, CA). The article "Diagnostic Accuracy of Canine Scent Detection in Early and Late Stage Lung and Breast Cancers" can be accessed at no-charge for a limited time on the Integrative Cancer Therapies web site at http://ict.sagepub.com. About the Journal Written for everyone involved in comprehensive cancer treatment and care-- from physicians and other health care professionals to complementary and alternative practitioners to informed patients-- Integrative Cancer Therapies focuses on evidence based and scientifically sound understanding of the mechanisms of cancer therapies and the physiology of disease conditions, as well as the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient. The journal is edited by Dr. Keith Block, Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute for Integrative Cancer Care. Visit http://ict.sagepub.com for more information. About SAGE: SAGE Publications (www.sagepublications.com) is a leading international publisher of journals, books, and electronic media for academic, educational, and professional markets. Since 1965, SAGE has helped inform and educate a global community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students. SAGE Publications, a privately owned corporation, has principal offices in Thousand Oaks, California, London, United Kingdom, and in New Delhi, India. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/sp-cds010506.php From: IN%"dmills@lincoln.ac.uk" "Daniel Mills" 6-JAN-2006 08:59:54.76 To: CC: Subj: Invitation to inaugural public lecture : the mind of a dog: more human than wolf? Dear all, Please excuse the impersonal nature of this email, but I thought some of you might be interested in my inaugural lecture here at the University of Lincoln. This is a free public lecture in celebration of my chair here in veterinary behavioural medicine. It would also be a chance to meet up and perhaps catch up on things. All are welcome and please feel free to pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested. It is scheduled for the evening of February 7th at the University's Brayford Campus and is entitled "the mind of a dog: more human than wolf?" further details including booking registration can be found at: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/events/public-lectures.htm#dog Best wishes Daniel Daniel S. Mills BVSc PhD ILTM CBiol MIBiol MRCVS Professor & RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine Animal Behaviour, Cognition & Welfare Group University of Lincoln, Dept of Biological Sciences, Riseholme Park, Lincoln, U.K. LN2 2LG tel 44 (0)1522 895356 email dmills@lincoln.ac.uk web page: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/dbs/staff/479.asp From: IN%"heath@vetethol.demon.co.uk" "Sarah Heath" 15-JAN-2006 15:09:02.18 To: IN%"esvceforum@esvce.org", IN%"apbc4_um@apbc.org.uk", IN%"cabtsgforum@cabtsg.org", IN%"avsab@yahoogroups.com", IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Announcement of VDWE cogress in Belgium September 23-24th Behaviour and Welfare: The Science behind the Art 23-24th of September 2006, Gent Belgium The VDWE (The Flemish Veterinary Working Group on Ethology), in association with the European Society for Clinical Ethology and the Gent University, will be hosting its first conference in Gent on the 23 Th. and 24 Th. September 2006. The conference is particularly relevant for veterinarians, scientists and representatives from welfare and other related organisations. It will provide an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues with similar interests and to gain insights into cutting edge animal welfare research. Primary goals of this conference - to highlight the background and rationale for the scientific approach of animal welfare in this field - to facilitate a dialogue between key stakeholders and to collaborate on the development of recommendations Topics to be covered - Methods to objectively measure welfare using behavioural and non- behavioural parameters - Ethical questions pertaining to the use, husbandry, and management of companion animals - Developing objective measures to assess animal welfare in animal shelters and working companion animal applications - Tools for applying research results to improve animal welfare in the field.[81] <> - Current opinions on companion animal welfare policy, welfare monitoring and information systems. Language: English Conference type: Invited speakers, short oral communications, poster sessions. Additional information: www.behaviour2006ghent.be Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice 11 Cotebrook Drive Upton Chester CH2 1RA England Tel: 00 44 1244 377365 Fax: 00 44 1244 399228 For general enquiries Email: admin@vetethol.demon.co.uk To contact Sarah directly Email: heath@vetethol.demon.co.uk _____ [81] <> zelfde opmerking als daarvoor. From: IN%"heath@vetethol.demon.co.uk" "Sarah Heath" 15-JAN-2006 15:18:29.61 To: IN%"cabtsgforum@cabtsg.org", IN%"esvceforum@esvce.org", IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca", IN%"avsab@yahoogroups.com", IN%"apbc4_um@apbc.org.uk" CC: Subj: Call for papers for VDWE meeting 2006 VDWE 2006 Guidelines on Submission of Abstracts The committee would like to encourage submissions -from practitioners as well as academics- that pertain to the different topics listed in the First Announcement. Brief discussions of points of theoretical interest, practical tips and individual case reports of importance also fall within the scope of the conference. On Saturday 23th., there will be 3 short paper sessions in the afternoon: one on the welfare of shelter animals, one on the impact of human- animal interactions on animal welfare and a third on the welfare of animals working in public services. Selection of abstracts for oral and poster presentations will be based on the following criteria: * Originality and relevance of the work with regards to welfare of companion animals in shelters, public or private service. * Clarity and significance of the hypothesis being tested. * Scientific rigor, including statistical assessment in the case of experimental work * Clarity of analytical method used in theoretical or case reviews * Abstracts demonstrating the possibility to apply the results in daily practice will be favoured Instructions for authors If you wish to submit an abstract as an oral communication or poster in either of the themed short paper sessions of Saturday 23th in the afternoon please do so according to the following instructions: . All abstracts must be written in English. . Abstracts should not exceed 400 words. . All abstracts MUST include the following information on a separate cover page: . Title of the proposed abstract . Full name and complete address, telephone, fax number and e-mail address for all authors . Indicate the preferred session: . Themed session - - Shelter animals - Human-animal interaction - Animals working in public services . Indicate the preferred format: . Oral communication . Poster . Either . The abstract must be sent as a Word document via e-mail to filip.mulkens@gmail.com, no later than March 15th 2006. . Abstracts in other formats or anonymous abstracts will not be accepted. . Selection of abstracts will take place between March 15th and May 1st 2006. Authors will receive the pertinent communication on or around the latter date and will have to submit the definitive text of the paper by June 15th. 2006. Applicants whose abstracts are accepted as oral communications or posters will receive complimentary registration for the 2006 VDWE Congress day on Sept. 23th 2006. Additional information can be obtained by e-mail: Filip.Mulkens@gmail.com Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice 11 Cotebrook Drive Upton Chester CH2 1RA England Tel: 00 44 1244 377365 Fax: 00 44 1244 399228 For general enquiries Email: admin@vetethol.demon.co.uk To contact Sarah directly Email: heath@vetethol.demon.co.uk