From: IN%"appleby@petbcent.demon.co.uk" "David Appleby" 2-JAN-1998 08:35:55.08 To: IN%"apbc4_um@ftech.net" "APBC4_um", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied-ethology" CC: Subj: The Waltham APBC Symposium 1998 - UK These details can also be found on the APBC website at http://webzone1.co.uk/www/apbc/symp98.htm Waltham/Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors Annual Symposium The Waltham APBC Symposium 1998 Behaviour Problem Solving: A Skilful Approach The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors invites you to the 9th Annual Symposium. This year's theme 'Behaviour Problem Solving' promises to provide fascinating insights into the skilful approach taken by a variety of leading practitioners of behaviour therapy in resolving problem behaviours. With seven superb speakers, all of who successfully practice the art of behaviour problem solving at the grass roots level, and chaired by Dr Ian Robinson from the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, this Symposium promises to be a fascinating day of learning about problems and their solutions from studies of case histories. Richard Maxwell will begin by looking at problem behaviours in horses. Richard, who trained extensively with Monty Roberts, brings a life- time's experience of working with horses to the difficult and often dangerous behaviour problems experienced by owners and riders. Lessons learned in this field can easily be applied to problems of the more familiar world of the cat and dog. After coffee, Richard Allport, well known for adopting a holistic approach to veterinary medicine, will demonstrate how various forms of alternative medicine can be used to aid treatment of behavioural problems. Caroline Bower, a practising veterinary surgeon and member of the APBC will then look at how undiagnosed disease can be the cause of inappropriate behaviour. She will be followed by Sue Hull, founder of the Wolf Society of Great Britain who will give us a fascinating account of her efforts for rear a wolf cub. After lunch, Roger Abrantes, a past favourite with Symposia delegates will describe, in his own inimitable style, several of his most exotic case histories. He will be closely followed by David Appleby, Visiting Pet Behaviour Counsellor at Cambridge University Veterinary School, who will recount a complicated tale of a dog terrified of being left alone. After tea, Donna Brander, Honorary Fellow and lecturer at the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) Veterinary hospital will round off the day with an account of the fighting between two bitches in the same household and how a solution was achieved. The APBC would like to extend a welcome for the seventh year to our Symposium sponsors, the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition. For over 30 years, Waltham, the world's leading authority on pet care and nutrition, has been studying the nutritional science of pet foods, behavioural aspects of feeding, and also the relationship that people enjoy with their pets. Such wide ranging studies provide the science behind so many well known pet food brands such as Whiskas and Pedigree Chum. Programme 9 am Registration & Coffee 10 am Welcome Dr Ian Robinson, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition 10.05 am 'Behaviour problems in horses' Richard Maxwell 11.15 am Coffee 11.40 am 'Natural therapies for problem behaviours' Richard Allport, BVetMed, VetMFHom, MRCVS 12.05 am 'Inappropriate behaviour with a medical origin' Caroline Bower, BVM&S, MRCVS 12.30 am Sue Hull, co-founder of the Wolf Society of Great Britain Never cry wolf - the truth behind life with a wolf 1 pm Lunch 2.15 Pm 'Problem dogs - a practical journey' Roger Abrantes, DF cand.art, Etologisk Insitut, Denmark 2.50 pm 'Please don't leave me - a twist in a tale of seperation' David Appleby, Dip CABC 3.15 pm Tea 3.40 pm 'Fighting bitches - is there a solution?' Donna Brander, BSc(Hons) 4.30 pm Panel of Speakers and Discussion 5 pm Close Venue: Northampton Moat house Hotel Junctions 15 & 16 of M1 just 5 miles away A few minutes walk from Northampton Railway station Special delegate price for accommodation - 40 pounds bed & breakfast To book accommodation please phone Reservations desk on 01604 739988 and quote "APBC Symposium" Tickets: Postmarked on or before 31st January 30 pounds Discount 8 for 7 = 210 pounds Postmarked on or after 1st February 32 pounds Discount 8 for 7 = 224 pounds Please make cheque payable to APBC Symposium WALTHAM APBC SYMPOSIUM PO BOX 46 WORCESTER WR8 9YS If booking for more than one person, please list names of all those in your party. Best wishes David ---------------------------------------- Name:David Appleby Address:The Pet Behaviour Centre, Upper street, Defford, Worcestershire. WR8 9AB.England. Phone:+44(0)1386 750615 Fax:+44(0)1386 750743 E-mail:appleby@petbcent.demon.co.uk WWW: http://webzone1.co.uk/www/apbc/pbc.htm ---------------------------------------- From: IN%"t-friend@tamu.edu" "Ted Friend" 4-JAN-1998 13:53:51.55 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Certification Program ANNOUNCEMENT AMERICAN COLLEGE OF APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SCIENCES (ACAABS) The American College of Applied Animal Behavior Sciences has been established as a subsidiary of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS). The primary objectives of the College are to advance the level of professionalism in the applied animal behavior sciences and increase the competence of those practicing in this field by: a. establishing requirements for postgraduate education and experience for certification of expertise in animal behavior; b. examining and certifying specialists in the field of animal behavior; c. stimulating animal behaviorists to pursue a program of continuing education for professional advancement throughout their careers; d. promoting research relating to the behavioral needs of animals to maintain health and well-being, enhance productivity and prevent disease in animals; e. enhancing the dissemination of knowledge in the field of animal behavior. Applied Animal Behavior Sciences comprise all aspects of knowledge and practice relating to the behavioral needs of animals for maintaining care, health and well-being, enhancing productivity and prevention of disease, including practical aspects of animal behavior, ethology and animal management. To become a Diplomates of the College the following general qualifications are necessary: a. a M.S. or Ph.D. degree in animal behavior and/or post-graduate education in animal behavior from an approved institution; or b. alternative education, experience or qualifications may be considered as satisfying the eligibility requirements. Proposed alternative experience must be approved in advance by the Examining Committee; and c. be a member in good standing of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists and one of its affiliated scientific societies; and d. successfully pass a Diplomate Certification Examination given by the College. The Diplomate Certification Examination may be taken 1 year after a candidate has received a Ph.D. degree or 4 years after receiving a M.S. degree in animal behavior; and e. be accepted for membership in the College by a majority vote of the Board. Charter Diplomates of the College include: Jack Albright, Ted Friend (Chair), Temple Grandin, Cynthia McCall, Julie Morrow-Tesch (Vice Chair), Janice Swanson. For additional information contact the ARPAS Business Office, 1111 North Dunlap Ave., Savoy, IL 61874 (217) 356-3182 e-mali: arpas@adsa.org or Ted Friend (Chair) or Julie Morrow-Tesch (Vice Chair). From: IN%"bsimpson@pinehurst.net" 4-JAN-1998 14:54:35.44 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology" CC: Subj: [Fwd: PIGS IN LOVE] This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_52m5K9eEnGt8aTR2qpC5JA) Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear Applied Ethology; Dr. Chris Uhlinger, a large animal veterinarian, asked me to forward this to Applied Ethology for comments. Please respond directly to Dr. Uhlinger rather than ECN (Equine Clinician's Network). THank you for any assistance. Barbara Simpson --Boundary_(ID_52m5K9eEnGt8aTR2qpC5JA) Content-type: MESSAGE/RFC822 I know that this is beyond the bounds of our species, but horse people do have pet pigs, so here goes... I have a client with a small mature pig (500lbs?) breed unknown, but not a potbellied pig, probably 3 years old. The pig has taken to wandering, (she gets 2-3 miles away, so she is really hoofing it). The wandering seems to coincide with her estrus behavior. The owner is interested in hormonal treatment (since she can't talk me into spaying it....). Does the brain trust have any ideas about this? How about Depo? Would it hurt her? Any pig behaviourists out there? Thanks Chris --Boundary_(ID_52m5K9eEnGt8aTR2qpC5JA)-- From: IN%"pkabai@ns.univet.hu" "Kabai Peter" 5-JAN-1998 04:37:44.45 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: shape and coloration of lumma egg Dear All, Somebody asked me about the possible function of the shape and colour of Lumma egg. Could you help? Thanks, Peter _________________________________________________ from: Peter Kabai (pkabai@ns.univet.hu) Behavioural Biology Research Group Institute for Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine H-1400 Budapest, POB 2, HUNGARY www.univet.hu ************************************************* From: IN%"H.Randle@plymouth.ac.uk" "Hayley Randle" 5-JAN-1998 06:33:58.81 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: email address wanted Can anybody please tell me what Antony Podberseks email address is. I have tried the one at Cambridge which is listed inthe ISAE directory and fail to get through....... Or failing that provide me with the instructions for authors for the Anthrozoo.. journal. Thanks Hayley From: IN%"appleby@petbcent.demon.co.uk" "appleby" 5-JAN-1998 07:04:49.58 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: email address wanted In article <1AC21154BAF@csfs18.csd.plym.ac.uk>, Hayley Randle writes >Can anybody please tell me what Antony Podberseks email address is. >I have tried the one at Cambridge which is listed inthe ISAE >directory and fail to get through....... Or failing that provide me >with the instructions for authors for the Anthrozoo.. journal. > >Thanks > >Hayley alp18@cus.cam.ac.uk He is away until the 19th Jan. Best wishes. David ---------------------------------------- Name:David Appleby Address:The Pet Behaviour Centre, Upper street, Defford, Worcestershire. WR8 9AB.England. Phone:+44(0)1386 750615 Fax:+44(0)1386 750743 E-mail:appleby@petbcent.demon.co.uk WWW: http://webzone1.co.uk/www/apbc/pbc.htm ---------------------------------------- From: IN%"boschert@medicine.wustl.edu" 6-JAN-1998 00:00:10.24 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Rats & Population Studies Hi folks and happy new year: Along with other scientists, I am answering questions this week on the "Wild Discovery" website associated with the same television show on the Discovery Channel. See This week's focus is about rats (all types). I've been pretty resourceful fielding questions on my own thus far, but I would appreciate help or references from animal behavior experts on the question below, which strays a bit from my personal knowledge base and eludes a Medline search. Thanking you very much, Ken Boschert, DVM (question) <> ==================================================end -- Ken Boschert, DVM Washington University Division of Comparative Medicine St. Louis, Missouri From: IN%"aa266@cleveland.Freenet.Edu" 6-JAN-1998 00:02:14.82 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Behavior C.E. To All, Just thought I would announce the behavior program at the annual Ohio Veterinary Medical Assn. annual convention (now known as the Midwest (Midwestern?) Veterinary Conference) to go off in Columbus, Ohio Friday, Sat. and Sunday, February 19, 20, and 21, 1998. There will be 18 hours of C.E. programs over the three days. (The convention starts on Thursday if you want other subjects.) Friday: Traci Shreyer, animal psychologist 2 hours on feline behav. D.B. Cameron, DVM 2 hours on canine attention addiction and leadership therapy Steve Thompson, DVM 2 hours on canine fears/phobias and behav. service in a standard practice Saturday: Kathy Houpt, VMD 6 hours on equine behavior Sunday: Ted Turner, Curator of Training for Sea World 6 hours on basic behavior, learning theory, etc. as they relate to the Sea World ambience. Friday speaks for itself. Kathy Houpt is certainly well known to most if not all of you. She is a delightful speaker and will be speaking on her favorite subject, horses. This should be a very special event. Ted Turner is certainly known to some of you as he has a considerable well earned following in behavior circles. He is a dynamic, charismatic speaker on a very unique subject, and promises to wrap up this behavior program in a grand way. Just his videos of orcas, seals, sea lions, walruses, etc. are worth the trip. Having spent some time behind the scenes at the Cleveland Sea World I can assure you that he knows the subject as well as any and has developed some unique techniques to deal with his special charges. -- ^ ^ DBC (aka D.B. Cameron, DVM) < \ / > Animal Behavior Clinic 440/826-0013 ! ! 18250 Main Street Fx: 234-3407 .. Middleburg Hts., OH 44130 From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 6-JAN-1998 06:17:38.38 To: IN%"boschert@medicine.wustl.edu" "'boschert@medicine.wustl.edu'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Rats & Population Studies 'Calhoun carried out such an experiment with rats in 1952. His population never exceeded two hundred, though he estimated that the food, space and shelter with which they were provided could support a number well over five thousand.' Calhoun, J B (1952) The Social Aspects of population dynamics. Journal of Mammalology, 33, 139-59 Robin -----Original Message----- From: Ken Boschert, DVM [SMTP:boschert@medicine.wustl.edu] Sent: 06 January 1998 05:59 To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca Subject: Rats & Population Studies Hi folks and happy new year: Along with other scientists, I am answering questions this week on the "Wild Discovery" website associated with the same television show on the Discovery Channel. See This week's focus is about rats (all types). I've been pretty resourceful fielding questions on my own thus far, but I would appreciate help or references from animal behavior experts on the question below, which strays a bit from my personal knowledge base and eludes a Medline search. Thanking you very much, Ken Boschert, DVM (question) <> ==================================================end -- Ken Boschert, DVM Washington University Division of Comparative Medicine St. Louis, Missouri From: IN%"fentress@is.dal.ca" 6-JAN-1998 08:38:12.15 To: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: IN%"ken@dcm.wustl.edu" Subj: RE: Rats & Population Studies The Calhoun studies are a good lead. There is also a fascinating literature on vole and lemming populations, most of which was done in the 1950s & 1960s. Dennis Chitty (UK) and Charles Krebs (Canada) are two good sources. Population crashes are well known, and cyclical. They are accompanied by multiple markers of physiological stress (adrenals, thymus, etc.) as well as behavioral disturbances. I have not looked at this literature for quite a while, but suspect it might be relevant, at least in terms of the themes raised. Are there recent reviews of this work? I would be very interested. Good luck, John . > Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 12:14:44 +0000 > From: Robin Walker > Subject: RE: Rats & Population Studies > To: "'boschert@medicine.wustl.edu'" , > "applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" > 'Calhoun carried out such an experiment with rats in 1952. His population never exceeded two > hundred, though he estimated that the food, space and shelter with which they were provided > could support a number well over five thousand.' Calhoun, J B (1952) The Social Aspects of > population dynamics. Journal of Mammalology, 33, 139-59 > > Robin > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken Boschert, DVM [SMTP:boschert@medicine.wustl.edu] > Sent: 06 January 1998 05:59 > To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca > Subject: Rats & Population Studies > > Hi folks and happy new year: > > Along with other scientists, I am answering questions this week on the "Wild > Discovery" website associated with the same television show on the Discovery > Channel. See > > This week's focus is about rats (all types). I've been pretty resourceful > fielding questions on my own thus far, but I would appreciate help or > references from animal behavior experts on the question below, which strays a > bit from my personal knowledge base and eludes a Medline search. > > Thanking you very much, > > Ken Boschert, DVM > > (question) > > < I saw a documentary discussing an experiment using rats to study the effects on > humans of overpopulation. Rats were found to form 'gangs', become recluses, > etc., and eventually destroy their entire population when overcrowding was > imposed upon their society. Do you know who conducted this experiment and where > I can find out more about it? >> > > ==================================================end > > -- > Ken Boschert, DVM > Washington University > Division of Comparative Medicine > St. Louis, Missouri > > John C. Fentress, Ph.D. Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia CANADA B3H 4J1 lab: 902 494-3603 fax: 902 494-6585 From: IN%"eoprice@ucdavis.edu" "Edward O. Price" 6-JAN-1998 10:20:07.28 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology-error" CC: Subj: RE: Rats & Population Studies Dear Ken: John Calhoun conducted an experiment similar to what you describe with either mice or rats. He refered to it as the "behavioral sink". I believe a popularized article on his work was published in Scientific American back in the 1960s. Ed Price UC Davis ---------- >From: applied-ethology-error >To: applied-ethology >Subject: Rats & Population Studies >Date: Monday, January 05, 1998 11:59PM > >Hi folks and happy new year: > >Along with other scientists, I am answering questions this week on the "Wild >Discovery" website associated with the same television show on the Discovery >Channel. See > >This week's focus is about rats (all types). I've been pretty resourceful >fielding questions on my own thus far, but I would appreciate help or >references from animal behavior experts on the question below, which strays a >bit from my personal knowledge base and eludes a Medline search. > >Thanking you very much, > >Ken Boschert, DVM > >(question) > ><I saw a documentary discussing an experiment using rats to study the effects >on >humans of overpopulation. Rats were found to form 'gangs', become recluses, >etc., and eventually destroy their entire population when overcrowding was >imposed upon their society. Do you know who conducted this experiment and >where >I can find out more about it? >> > >==================================================end > >-- >Ken Boschert, DVM >Washington University >Division of Comparative Medicine >St. Louis, Missouri > From: IN%"khkevan@brain.uccs.edu" "Kale H. McE. Kevan" 6-JAN-1998 17:46:01.26 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: morays I'm interested in reading some studies on the behavior of moray eels (all and any species). One of the local fish-store guys has told me that they have a very interesting and complex social structure but is unable to provide a reference. Searching the net and this univestity library has proved fruitless, can anyone help? Thanks. K. From: IN%"eclipse2ooo@hotmail.com" "priscilla french" 6-JAN-1998 20:02:04.70 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: My name isPriscilla and I live in Jamaica.I am a17 year old student and I WOULD LOVE TO BECOME AN ETOLOGIST. I plan to first of all to study zoology but what exactly are the steps I should take to pursue this career.And after, where can I earn a living with this job-NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC?!. Can you kindly give me some suggestions?Email me at eclipse2ooo@hotmail.com. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com From: IN%"cdran@pc.jaring.my" 7-JAN-1998 06:15:39.23 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "ANIMAL DISCUSSION GROUP" CC: Subj: Behavior problem I have a Rodweiler 2 years old and have problem with his behaviour. He always like to jump on everybody and lick everywhere. I have problem to pet him. Can anyone advice me on how to train him to be pet. I don't want him to be very fierce but just to bark at stranger. Other than that I want him to be pet. Your advice is very much appreciated. Tks [Cdran 7/1/98] From: IN%"nicholas@ibg.uit.no" "Nicholas Tyler" 7-JAN-1998 06:54:54.66 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Disturbance and appetite Dear Colleagues, CAN DISTURBANCE REDUCE APPETITE IN RUMINANTS? We recently investigated the medium term (1-5 days) effects of chemical immobilization on daily dry matter intake (DDMI) in reindeer. We have a problem with the results and I wonder whether anyone can give us a clue to their interpretation? We routinely use chemical immobilization for capturing reindeer in Norway. Our drugs, medetomidine hydrochloride with ketamine for immobilization and atipamezole hydrochloride for reversal of immobilization, give highly satisfactory results in the short term: the animals are first completely immobilized but get up on their feet and are capable of walking in a directed manner usually within 12 min. of i.m. injection of the atipamezole (Tyler et al. 1991, Acta. vet. scand. 31: 479-488). So far so good. We then carried out trials (in summer and in winter) to examine medium term effects of these drugs on reindeer; in particular, to test the effect of immobilization on DDMI in the animals. Animals, all non-pregnant, non-lactating adult females which were accustomed to being handled (though not necessarily in the manner applied here), were subjected to three treatments: (i) animals were immobilized for 60 min. before their morning feed and then, after reversal, blood samples were collected at hourly intervals for 25 h. (ii) animals were immobilized for 60 min. before their morning feed and then, after reversal, they were left undisturbed. (iii) animals were injected with saline before their morning feed, left alone for 60 min. and then subjected to blood sampling at hourly intervals for 25 h. We found that in 24 out of 25 cases the treatment resulted in a significant reduction in DDMI compared to pre-trial control periods (corrected for normal seasonal variation in DDMI). The mean reduction in DDMI following treatment (i) was 34.8% over 2.2 days and 49.4% over 2.8 days in summer and winter, respectively. Corresponding values for treatment (ii) were 29.0% over 1.8 days and 26.9% over 1.4 days. Treatment (iii) - injection of saline followed by sampling - resulted in a mean reduction in DDMI of 22.2% over 2.2 days. In every case, the greatest reduction in DDMI in occurred on the day of the trial itself. Thereafter, also in every case, appetite slowly increased each day until reaching pre-trial levels after 1-5 days (individual variation between animals). The problem. Why did it take so long for the animals to return to full appetite? It seems unlikely that this could have been solely a direct effect of the drugs employed for two reasons. First, we recorded qualitatively similar effects in the control group (treatment iii) in which no drugs were administered. Second, both medetomidine and atipamezole are rapidly cleared from the blood stream. Neither drug, injected into reindeer at the concentrations used here, was detectable in plasma after 150 and 300 minutes, respectively (Ranheim et al. 1997, J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 20: 350-354). We began to wonder whether the slow return to full appetite might indicate some disturbance of rumen function. Profound changes occur in populations of rumen microbes during four days' complete starvation in reindeer (Aagnes et al. 1995, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61: 583-591). However, our animals did not starve completely, so it seems unlikely that the answer lies here. We imagine that people working in behaviour and animal production must be concerned with factors - including, perhaps, non-routine handling of animals - which can result in a significant reduction in feed uptake. If anyone can give us a clue about what kinds of effects might produce a slow return to full appetite like we have seen, we'd be most grateful. Nicholas Tyler and Jon Martin Arnemo. Nicholas Tyler Department of Biology, University of Tromso, N-9037 Tromso, Norway tel.(direct): +47 77 64 47 88 fax.: +47 77 64 56 00 mobile phone: +47 90 57 72 98 From: IN%"sgadbois@is2.dal.ca" "Simon Gadbois" 7-JAN-1998 08:50:09.68 To: IN%"fentress@is.dal.ca", IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: IN%"ken@dcm.wustl.edu" Subj: RE: Rats & Population Studies Also: The "competing" theory to Chitty's is Christian's... It is more behavioral and focuses on (social) stress as the suppressor. It uses a model similar to Selye's. AT DALHOUSIE: Department of Psychology Life Sciences Centre Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada, B3H 4J1 sgadbois@is2.dal.ca 902-494-3603 (Fentress's lab, LSC) 902-494-3370 (Moger's lab, Tupper) 902-494-6585 (fax @ Dalhousie) AT ACADIA: Department of Psychology Horton Hall Acadia University Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada, B0P 1X0 sgadbois@acadiau.ca Behavioral (social) endocrinology of the wolf (aggression and social stress, urinary cortisol). Sequential and temporal analysis of behavioral sequences in canids (wolves, red foxes & coyotes). From: IN%"ws31@umail.umd.edu" 7-JAN-1998 12:51:20.16 To: IN%"boschert@medicine.wustl.edu" CC: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: RE: Rats & Population Studies Dear All: Regarding social behavior and density of rats, the National Film Board of Canada has a rather old film (1973) entitled "Ratopolis" which I used while teaching at Saskatchewan. I remember this film to be quite dramatic and probably much of the behavior was staged, but I recall that the film was effective as a tool in undergraduate teaching. For some time I have intended to determine if the film is still available. Boschert's request prompted me to search for the film (Ratopolis) and I found the following reference: http://www.nfb.ca/FMT/E/MSN/11/11005.html Regarding Calhoun's publications that led to this film, Calhoun summarized some of this work in a Scientific American article (1962; 206:139-147) entitled "Population Density and Social Pathology." He also wrote a book chapter in 1962 entitled, "A Behavioral Sink" (Ed. E.L. Bliss, _Roots of Behavior_, Harper and Brothers, New York). John B. Calhoun died just over a year ago. Regards, Ray Stricklin University of Maryland On Mon, 05 Jan 1998 23:59:23 -0600 "Ken Boschert, DVM" wrote: > Hi folks and happy new year: > > Along with other scientists, I am answering questions this week on the "Wild > Discovery" website associated with the same television show on the Discovery > Channel. See > > This week's focus is about rats (all types). I've been pretty resourceful > fielding questions on my own thus far, but I would appreciate help or > references from animal behavior experts on the question below, which strays a > bit from my personal knowledge base and eludes a Medline search. > > Thanking you very much, > > Ken Boschert, DVM > > (question) > > < I saw a documentary discussing an experiment using rats to study the effects on > humans of overpopulation. Rats were found to form 'gangs', become recluses, > etc., and eventually destroy their entire population when overcrowding was > imposed upon their society. Do you know who conducted this experiment and where > I can find out more about it? >> > > ==================================================end > > -- > Ken Boschert, DVM > Washington University > Division of Comparative Medicine > St. Louis, Missouri ---------------------- W. Ray Stricklin ws31@umail.umd.edu From: IN%"aa266@cleveland.Freenet.Edu" 7-JAN-1998 15:49:54.05 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: For OVMA Convention Info, call . . . I foolishly forgot to include a phone number for further information about the behavior section of the OVMA Convention (see recent posting). Sorry 'bout that. For further info. please call: The OVMA Office: 800/662-6862 Yes, there are student rates, and when you call I am sure they will send you a complete packet of information on all aspects of the convention. Reply to message from smillman@APS.UoGuelph.CA of Tue, 06 Jan > >Hello Dr. Cameron, > I was interested to read the outline for the MidWestern Vet. >Conference C.E. program. Where could I get more info? In >particular, how much does it cost and are there student rates? > >Cheers, > Suzanne Millman > PhD Candidate > University of Guelph > Guelph, Ont. > N1E 5X8 > Canada > > -- ^ ^ DBC (aka D.B. Cameron, DVM) < \ / > Animal Behavior Clinic 440/826-0013 ! ! 18250 Main Street Fx: 234-3407 .. Middleburg Hts., OH 44130 From: IN%"hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk" 7-JAN-1998 16:47:17.29 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: UFAW Change of address PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBERS Universities Federation for Animal Welfare The Old School Brewhouse Hill Wheathampstead Herts AL4 8AN UK Tel +44 (0) 1582 831818 Fax +44 (0) 1582 831414 Our email and web sites remain the same ********* UFAW Web site******** http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~ufaw3/ ***************************** Robert C Hubrecht hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBERS Deputy Director UFAW Universities Federation for Animal Welfare The Old School Brewhouse Hill Wheathampstead Herts AL4 8AN UK Tel +44 (0) 1582 831818 Fax +44 (0) 1582 831414 ********* UFAW Web site******** http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~ufaw3/ ***************************** From: IN%"bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no" "Bjarne O. Braastad" 8-JAN-1998 05:08:12.75 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: Disturbance and appetite Dear colleagues, Have you considered effects of handling on stress mechanisms in the animals. Although they may be accustomed to handling, they might still get stress reactions in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, probably influenced by emotional physiological reactions. Increased or prolonged cortisol production would decrease appetite. Also effects on brain serotonin levels, e.g. related to fear or frustration, may reduce appetite. If the animals have experienced prenatal stress (i.e. their mothers were stressed during some part of their pregnancy, or even during mating), they may have a reduced number of glucocorticoid receptors in their hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which would give a poor negative feedback of the stress response in the HPA axis, making it more prolonged. Such prenatal stress effects is probably common in farm animals (incl. reindeer), although it is mainly studied in rodents and primates. We are now working on behavioural and endocrinological effects of prenatal stress in farmed blue foxes, and have found quite marked effects. Bjarne Braastad . ************************************************************* Bjarne O. Braastad (Dr.Philos.) Dept. of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5025, N-1432 Aas, Norway e-mail: bjarne.braastad@ihf.nlh.no fax: +47 64 94 79 60 phone: +47 64 94 79 80 http://www.nlh.no/Institutt/IHF/presside/Braastad.htm ************************************************************* From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 8-JAN-1998 06:05:07.60 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" CC: Subj: Population density and Psychoneuroimmunity I think the issues raised by the discussion on Rats and Population Control are of immense importance. A good summary of the subject is Chapter 6 (pp 75-91) of J. A. Gray's The Psychology of Fear and Stress. CUP 1987. He sets out some ideas on the relationship of sexual reproduction to stress and the General Adaptation Syndrome. The immunological responses to "stress" are also discussed. N.Carlson discusses this in The Physiology of Behaviour, Allyn and Bacon, 5 th ed., 1994 (pp 359-370). Broadly the responses to overcrowding in relation to territory and food supply are signalled, experienced and engineered in a great variety of ways according to the species. In essence fertility declines and mortality rises. Male infanticide, cannibalism, dominant female breeding rights, infertility, epidemic disease. dispersal, migration all seem to be part of the response to the urgent need to reduce population. This ground swell of ethology breaks on the beach of my veterinary Practice in a number of ways. For example implacable of bitch fighting which I view as a mechanism for pack dispersal driven by a female 'epideictic role' (in this case driving out a bitch competitor) which is unnaturally constrained within the walls and fences of a finite territory. I regularly deal with the cat "colony" and its diseases. I do not share the roseate romantic view of some that this is a feline Eden. To me the farm cats or crowded cat refuge can resemble a gulag in which cats are trapped around the food supply and necessary shelter like wild life around a diminished water hole. They are under stress and the chronic ailments are a reflection of a diminished immunity. The fact that they adapt to a modus vivendi as they huddle in their allotted space and file from bed to feed bowl and thence to toilet is not a measure of acceptance. The same thing happens in prisons. There is not much choice. Dispersal is not an option as the colony is where it is in default of humans nearby being anxious to entice the cats with alternative warmth and nourishment. Kittens are eaten, sometimes by mothers, sometimes by a male with some echo of a male epideictic role. Occasionally over the years dog breeders have suddenly experienced loss of fertility. Failure to conceive, smaller litters, fading litters. All this in scrupulously clean, caring, well nourished management regimes. At the same time bacterial pathogens mysteriously appear in cultures from puppies and genital tracts. I believe that these events have been related to either the peaking of numbers in the breeding establishment or stresses amongst the dogs themselves. The recovery from the difficulties has always (to my mind) owed as much to reduction in numbers as to antibiotics. On the subject of psychoneuroimmunology (Carlson's term) I have long held the view that sleep deprivation is an important factor in susceptibility to infection The paradigm is the dog with intensely irritant pyodermatitis. The pathogen, staphylococcus pyogenes, is easily suppressed by an antibiotic within two or three days. It almost immediately recurs in many cases. It is often deemed necessary to continue antibiotic treatment or 6 weeks or more! I think the lengthy period of treatment mirrors the time in takes for immunosuppression to be reversed after the removal of a sleep disrupting (and whatever else) stressor. Given that the body is engaged in a constant battle to restrain the pathogens that swarm normally within the tissues and the blood (I was greatly impressed in the 60's by the concept of ' la bacteremie habituelle de la digestion' ) it is now not surprising to me that abscesses occur in the livers of feedlot cattle. pneumonia in the lungs of overworked horses and oxen or that the farm cats at home had pus filled eyes and died back to a handful from time to time when I was young. An interesting paper (if I could easily get and read it) would be:- Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr 1996 Jan;109(1):28-31 Effect of premortal stress on the endogenous microbial contamination of broiler carcasses. [Article in German] Mengert U, Fehlhaber K Institut fur Lebensmittelhygiene der Veterinarmedizinischen Fakultat, Universitat Leipzig. A study was undertaken to determine the interrelation between premortal stress and endogenic contamination. In 370 broilers the influence of transport, of a 48-h rest period and of an additional heat stress on the bacterial translocation was investigated. Even the normal transportation caused a contamination rate of nearly 50 per cent. 10 per cent of the transported animals suffered from a bacteriaemia induced by stress. The control group showed a significantly lower contamination rate. The rest time reduced the frequency of contamination. Heat stress did not have an influence on the contamination rate. The conclusion is that stress is aggravating the microbial risk for the consumer of poultry meat. Further research is necessary for characterizing the process of endogenic contamination. (f course one question is what happens if you take them in small groups in capacious containers with perches etc etc). This all has enormous relevance to nursing care and the provision of comfort and tranquillity and resting contentment and secure safe sleep for animals. OK. I am rambling. But I think the study of the ethology of creatures does have huge relevance to welfare and underlies more perceived problems than than we are aware of. Robin Walker From: IN%"Beat.Wechsler@fat.admin.ch" "Beat Wechsler" 8-JAN-1998 07:52:28.20 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca", IN%"Stephan.Pfefferli@fat.admin.ch", IN%"walser@weihenstephan.de" CC: Subj: Job announcement A post-doc position is vacant at our research station in Taenikon, Switzerland. As the research will be done on commercial farms, applicants should be able to speak German. The job is therefore announced in German only, sorry. Beat Wechsler Stellenangebot Das Bundesamt fur Veterinarwesen sucht in Zusammenarbeit mit der FAT per 1. April 1998 oder nach Vereinbarung eine(n) Ingenieur-Agronom(in) oder Tierarzt/Tierarztin, Post Doc fur die Vorbereitung eines Forschungsprojektes zur ganzheitlichen Beurteilung (Okonomie, Okologie, Tiergesundheit, Produktequalitat) tiergerechter Haltungsformen von landwirt-schaftlichen Nutztieren. Anforderungen: ? Abgeschlossenes Hochschulstudium und Doktorat in Agrar- oder Veterinarwissenschaft ? Gute Kenntnisse in Haltungsfragen von Nutztieren und Betriebswirtschaft ? Deutsch oder Franzosisch als Muttersprache mit Kenntnissen der anderen und der engli-schen Sprache ? Eignung als Projektleiter(in) Wir bieten: ? Moglichkeit zur interdisziplinaren Zusammenarbeit und zur Qualifikation in den Wissens-bereichen Betriebswirtschaft, Okologie, Tiergesundheit und Verfahrenstechnik ? Arbeitsplatz mit einer zeitgemassen Informatikausrustung ? Personalrestaurant ? Der Aufgabe entsprechende Besoldung Anstellungsdauer: Befristet auf ein Jahr, Beschaftigungsgrad: 80-100 %. Kann fur die Ubernahme der Projekt-leitung verlangert werden, sofern das Folgeprojekt bewilligt wird. Bewerbungen: Eidgenossische Forschungsanstalt fur Agrarwirtschaft und Landtechnik, Personaldienst, CH-8356 Tanikon. Auskunft: Dr. Stephan Pfefferli, Leiter der Sektion Agrarwirtschaft, Tel. 052/368 32 31, E-Mail: Stephan.Pfefferli@fat.admin.ch. --------------------------------------------------------------- Beat Wechsler Swiss Federal Veterinary Office Testing Station for Animal Housing Systems CH-8356 Taenikon - Switzerland SMTP: Beat.Wechsler@fat.admin.ch X.400: G=Beat;S=Wechsler;O=fat;A=admin;C=ch Phone: ++41 52 368 31 31 From: IN%"luescher@vet.purdue.edu" "Andrew Luescher" 8-JAN-1998 09:00:58.94 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Veterinary Behavior Residency/Graduate Position, Purdue University Please, make the following information available to all interested:=20 VETERINARY BEHAVIOR RESIDENCY/GRADUATE POSITION Position of "Kenneth Scott Fellow in Animal Behavior and Population Medicine" Institution: Purdue University Address: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences 1248 Lynn Hall, W. Lafayette, IN 47907-1248 The Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine is offering a three to four year clinical residency/graduate program in Veterinary Behavioral Medicine, beginning July 1, 1998. The objectives of this residency are: =A7 To advance the clinical skills of the resident in behavioral medicine of companion and food animals =A7 To provide necessary training to meet the credentials for the ACVB Board certification =A7 To support research leading to a MSc or PhD degree =A7 To promote an understanding of animal learning, training, and human-animal interactions =A7 To provide experience in teaching veterinary and veterinary technology students, practicing veterinarians, and the public. These objectives are met under the supervision of an ACVB diplomate and in co-operation with other residents by giving the resident primary care responsibility for behavioral cases admitted through the small and large animal hospitals. The learning issues of these cases are dealt with in depth through resident and student rounds. In addition, journal clubs and resident seminars contribute to the education of the resident. The behavior clinic at Purdue University is a newly established referral center, and the caseload at the present time is small but building. Aside from clinical behavioral medicine, it offers services in preventive behavioral medicine, grief counseling, and public and professional education. Contacts with many-board certified faculty members in various medical disciplines will allow for a broad scope of the resident's education. Purdue University's community practice provides a model for integration of a behavioral service into small animal practice.=20 The residency position is integrated into the Purdue Center for Human Animal Bond, which is a leading research center assessing the quality and implications of the human animal bond. The residency is combined with either a MSc or PhD program. The research project will be an epidemiological study on pet management, behavior and welfare, and may concern less traditional pets such as parrots. An inter-departmental supervisory committee will review the progress of the resident at regular intervals. Applicants must have a DVM degree or equivalent and have completed at least a 1-year internship or one year in practice. They should have an interest in behavior as well as in epidemiology. Application materials should include a complete resume, and a letter indicating the reasons for seeking this program, the area of research interest, and the ways in which this training will be applied. Three letters of reference from professors or practicing veterinarians, and a university transcript also need to be included. The application package should be mailed to Dr. R. Richardson, Dept. Veterinary Clinical Sciences, at the above address. Interested candidates may request additional information by contacting Dr. A. Luescher, Director, Animal Behavior Clinic. Telephone 765-494-8775. E-mail luescher @ vet.purdue.edu Purdue University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Applications from minorities are encouraged. Please, contact me if you have any questions. Thank you. Andrew Luescher From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 8-JAN-1998 09:56:10.59 To: IN%"bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no" "'Bjarne O. Braastad'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca'" CC: Subj: RE: Disturbance and appetite/escape and reward Bjarne's response has prompted me to consider the effect of serotonin on appetite. It may be that the 'experience' of satiety or satisfaction due eating is expressed like many other pleasurable experiences, as a result of raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. I have suggested to students that escape and avoidance behaviours are often intensely rewarding, even euphoria inducing and indeed potentially addictive. (Vide bungay diving etc.) I was intrigued, therefore, to pick up a reference to this topic last year. Here is part of the abstract:- Neuroscience 1993 Feb;52(4):919-925 A neurochemical and behavioral investigation of the involvement of nucleus accumbens dopamine in instrumental avoidance. McCullough LD, Sokolowski JD, Salamone JD Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-1020. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine in the performance of a lever press avoidance task in the rat. In this task, 0.5 mA shock was presented for 5 s every 30 s, but the rat could escape shock presentation, or avoid the shock for 30 s, by pressing a lever. In the first experiment, dialysis probes were implanted into the nucleus accumbens of rats previously trained on the avoidance procedure, and also two groups of untrained rats. On the day after dialysis probe implantation, rats trained to press a lever to avoid shock (n = 10) were exposed to a 45 min avoidance test session. Untrained rats were either exposed to periodic shock (n = 9) or the control procedure in which lights were dimmed but no shock was presented (n = 8). Performance of the avoidance task led to significant increases in extracellular dopamine and dopamine metabolites. There was a significant positive correlation between increases in extracellular dopamine and the number of avoidance responses emitted. In the second experiment, groups of rats were trained on the lever press avoidance procedure. After training, rats received intra-accumbens injections of the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine or ascorbic acid vehicle. Dopamine depletion produced by 6-hydroxydopamine injection led to a substantial decrease in lever pressing to avoid or escape shock. These results indicate that dopamine in nucleus accumbens is important for operant avoidance responding, and that the involvement of accumbens dopamine in instrumental behavior is not unique to positively reinforced responses. SNIP Now I know I tend to go on about this a TAD but the serotonin mechanisms seem to be at the 'top' of a cascade of chemistry leading to a sensation of reward. This cascade goes through opioid mechanisms and ends in dopaminergic events largely in the nucleus accumbens. In short may it be the case that the deer effectively 'escapes' or 'thinks' it escapes and is flooded with relief (ie elevated n. accumb. dopamine.) Being so 'flooded' might also give a sensation of satiety (just as serotonin reuptake inhibitors can depress appetite). Eating being the main or foreground motivation of such a ruminant it is most noticeably affected by the 'pseudo repletive' effect. Robin. I have been wrestling with the problem of anorgasmia due to SSRI's (such as Prozac) Metaphorically of course! It may be that a drug induced serototonin/dopamine satiety sort of preempts the oragsmic pleasure peak? -----Original Message----- From: Bjarne O. Braastad [SMTP:bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no] Sent: 08 January 1998 11:15 To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca Subject: Re: Disturbance and appetite Dear colleagues, Have you considered effects of handling on stress mechanisms in the animals. Although they may be accustomed to handling, they might still get stress reactions in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, probably influenced by emotional physiological reactions. Increased or prolonged cortisol production would decrease appetite. Also effects on brain serotonin levels, e.g. related to fear or frustration, may reduce appetite. If the animals have experienced prenatal stress (i.e. their mothers were stressed during some part of their pregnancy, or even during mating), they may have a reduced number of glucocorticoid receptors in their hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which would give a poor negative feedback of the stress response in the HPA axis, making it more prolonged. Such prenatal stress effects is probably common in farm animals (incl. reindeer), although it is mainly studied in rodents and primates. We are now working on behavioural and endocrinological effects of prenatal stress in farmed blue foxes, and have found quite marked effects. Bjarne Braastad . ************************************************************* Bjarne O. Braastad (Dr.Philos.) Dept. of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5025, N-1432 Aas, Norway e-mail: bjarne.braastad@ihf.nlh.no fax: +47 64 94 79 60 phone: +47 64 94 79 80 http://www.nlh.no/Institutt/IHF/presside/Braastad.htm ************************************************************* From: IN%"mb0u5038@liverpool.ac.uk" 9-JAN-1998 01:18:55.26 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Post Grad Research Request Firstly, a happy new year to all, and best wishes for everyone in their respective fields. To those who can possibly point me in the right direction. I am present a final year undergrauate marine biologist, and am looking for a masters, possibly a Phd in Behavioural science. I have wishes to study in Pennsylvania (USofA). Not for lack of trying, but I have had no joy in finding institutions that offer the relavant course, taught or researched. Maybe as a Britsh student, I am unfammiliar with the American system. 1)Would it be possible for a Masters/Phd student in the states contact me, so I can discuss how funding and applying for funds is achieved. 2)It would be extremly helpful if somone knows of any institutions in the tri-state area (NY PA NJ) that offer the type of course that I am looking for. Yours Faithfully Geoffrey Gibbs Geoffrey Lester Gibbs. The University of Liverpool, Port Erin Marine Biological Laboratories, Port Erin, Isle of Man, GB. ~Hottriangle@hotmail.com ~mb0u5038@liv.ac.uk ~http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/2962 From: IN%"bmduys@bio.vu.nl" "bianca" 9-JAN-1998 05:14:14.19 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: primates Hello, I need information or articles about intergroup encounters of primates and also the risk of infanticide during these encounters. Thanks, Bianca Duijs Biology student (Ethology & Socio-ecology) From: IN%"SHULL.ELIZABETH_A@hospital.vet.utk.edu" 9-JAN-1998 08:45:32.35 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Reply to: VETERINARY BEHAVIOR RESIDENCY/GRADUATE POSITION, P Congratulations!! We need more residency programs!!! Elizabeth From: IN%"boissy@clermont.inra.fr" "Alain Boissy" 9-JAN-1998 11:12:14.23 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: ISAE'98 Dear colleague, We would like to remind ISAE members that abstracts for ISAE'98 must be submitted to the congress secretariat by the end of january (isae98@clermont.inra.fr).=20 We look forward to seeing you in clermont-Ferrand next summer! Yours sincerely. Alain Boissy LAHM INRA Centre de Theix T=E9l. (33) (0) 473 62 42 98 F-63122 Saint-Gen=E8s-Champanelle Fax (33) (0) 473 62 41 18 / 45 36 From: IN%"reedd@cjnetworks.com" 10-JAN-1998 14:37:25.49 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Ethology" CC: Subj: Python eating habits To all that can help- I have an 8 1/2 year old Royal Python. He eats mice and gerbils, and he will not eat them unless he is the one to kill them. Normal behavior from what I understand. He strikes kills and eats. But then in the last two months if he did not strike in the face or if he let go before he started to eat he eats tail first, from everything I have heard this is not normal behavior. Is it a concern or maybe just an uncommonly discussed phenomenon? If it is a problem I would like to know the problem and what can be done. Thank you Also, just a curiosity from my observations of my python. Is a heavy shaking as from tensed muscles before a strike a normal sight seen in striking animals. Even the same shake when swallowing. If so is this just a side effect from the muscles being so tense, or does it have a purpose at all. I would think that in the wild such a convulsion would be a hindrance making an animal known to it's prey. Any thoughts or knowledge on this subject. Again I thank you for your time Maren *************************************** Maren Davis Future Ethologist Topeka Kansas (785) 354-1556 reedd@cjnetworks.com ____________________ From: IN%"n93kkj@nat.ou.dk" "Kenneth Kragh Jensen" 11-JAN-1998 14:57:20.30 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Inro of myself :-) Hi! (I was "asked" to introduce myself so I will) My name is Kenneth and I'm a student of biology at Odense University in Denmark. My interest is mainly birds, and I'm going to do my final project in birdcommunication starting in February (I have not decided the exact subject yet). I've done a bachelorproject (by Danish standard) in bird song dialects (Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella), wich is a quite exiting subject in ethology, but difficult to study. From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 11-JAN-1998 16:10:24.41 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" CC: Subj: Chocolate Ingestion and Withdrawal Dear All, Having broached the subject of Population Density as an important Ethology topic I was about to mention Hedonic Dysregulation and Deficit as perhaps another crucial area of investigation. A boisterous meat/feet seeking missile of a Border Collie has just given me the overture to my theme. "Bailey" is an 18 month old male who comes to 'work' with one of my assistants. A few days ago he stole a chocolate cake from his mistress's kitchen sideboard. The cake contained 6 oz of dark cooking chocolate. The dog is only around 23 kg in weight and my mathematics finally achieved a dose figure of 107 mg of theobromine per kilo. Fortunately no fatalities are recorded for a dose of less than 200 mg/ kilo. the xanthines (caffeine, theophilline and theobromine) are well known as stimulants in humans. The toxicity in the dog which has problems with elimination of theobromine is not so well known. Within 8 hours and for a period of 36 hours Bailey simply raced around his home with his toys in his mouth. In his owner's words:- Admittedly, Bailey is quite a 'hyper' dog, but he became unusually so for the next thirty-six hours. Normally, he likes to play rough and tumble games where he is pushed over and chased, but this time he wasn't interested in us; he only wanted to run around the house with his toys for literally hours. The following morning when he was let out, he ran up and down the garden at full speed for half an hour, came in to rest for five minutes, and then began again. I took him to work with me, where he peed all over the floor on several occasions; normally he goes to the door when he needs to go out, so I can only assume that this time he did not realise he needed to go out until it was too late. This continued for the rest of the day, and to my relief he had started to calm down by the time I went to bed - I didn't fancy being kept awake for hours by the sound of the dog running round the house. [The phenomenon which was most striking and of most interest from a behaviour viewpoint was the profound depression which followed.] He was a totally different dog the next day - miserable and depressed. Off his food and did not want to play at all - not even with his favourite squeaky toy. Even the cry of 'CATS!', which normally results in him hurling himself out of the back door to look for his sworn enemies, made no impression on him except a slight raising of his head and a big sigh. All he wanted to do was lie on the sofa and be miserable; this continued all day. (Snip) An inescapable conclusion is that the dog was suffering severe 'withdrawal symptoms'. We know that the methylxanthines enhance norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitter systems via effects on cAMP. The overall effect would seem to be intense arousal and enhanced reward (euphoria). It would appear that (with all due care and caution) a possible model for reward and withdrawal might be found in the dog. Behavioural measurements might be devised to demonstrate different emphases of reward bias in different breeds. Robin Walker. From: IN%"jon.day@bbsrc.ac.uk" "jon.day" 12-JAN-1998 06:21:04.87 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: IOB Congress 1999 - your thoughts? ISAE input into the Institute of Biology congress 1999: THE QUALITY OF LIFE Dear members of the ISAE, In my role as the ISAE representative at the Institute of Biology (IOB), I have been asked whether the ISAE would like to have an input into the organisation of Congress 1999. This conference is a major multidisciplinary Congress which is supported by a large commercial exhibition. The Congress will involve five parallel sessions on each of three days, and will centre around Health Issues, Food Issues and Environmental issues. Each day will begin with a Plenary lecture, before delegates split into their specialist sessions. They will then come together again at the end of the day for a Panel session, involving a key academic, an industrial scientist and a politician. We have been invited to become involved in the organisation of the conference. Whilst the IOB will keep overall control of the programme, individual Affiliated Societies, such as the ISAE, may offer suggestions for speakers. Dr. Mike Appleby has suggested that any conference dealing with The Quality of Life should also include debate on the quality of life of animals, and has offered himself as a speaker. IOB has given agreement to this and will provide support for one ISAE nominated delegate. We have already proposed that the ISAE input will be into the day dealing with Biological Research and Food Issues in the parallel session entitled The Future of Intensive Farming, or indeed a separate symposium run by us. We are also able to nominate one or more other speakers to strengthen the ISAE representation. The suggested levels of input from Affiliated Societies are as follows: 1. Organise and sponsor a whole session 2. Sponsor one or more overseas speakers 3. Sponsor one or more UK speakers 4. Sponsor one or more postgraduates to attend 5. Promote the conference amongst your membership 6. Take a stand 7. Allow the Societies name to be used in the promotional literature If members have a strong view on how ISAE should be represented at this Congress or wish to become involved in the organisation (or participate), could they please contact me at the address below (NOT via the applied-ethology server please). Yours Faithfully, Jon Day. ================================== Dr. Jon E. L. Day Consumer Sciences Department Institute of Food Research Reading Laboratory Earley Gate Reading RG6 6BZ United Kingdom Tel: [+44] (0)118 9357000 Fax: [+44] (0)118 9267917 E-mail: jon.day@bbsrc.ac.uk ================================== From: IN%"postmaster@neyrial.com" "=?iso-8859-1?Q?Administrateur_syst=E8me?=" 12-JAN-1998 06:40:30.45 To: IN%"applied-ethology-error@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Non_remis=A0=3A_RE=3A_Disturbance_and_appetite=2F?= =?iso-8859-1?Q?escape_and_reward?= This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD1F5F.9A1D5650 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Your message To: 'Bjarne O. Braastad'; 'applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca' Subject: RE: Disturbance and appetite/escape and reward Sent: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 16:53:15 +0100 did not reach the following recipient(s): DYNAVET@NAT.FR on Mon, 12 Jan 1998 13:40:08 +0100 Impossible de remettre le message =E0 cause d'un =E9chec de communication MSEXCH:IMS:Euralliance's:NEYRIAL:CLERMONT 0 (001202AA) Trop de connexions directes ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD1F5F.9A1D5650 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Bjarne's response has prompted me to consider the effect of serotonin on appetite. It may be that the 'experience' of satiety or satisfaction due eating is expressed like many other pleasurable experiences, as a result of raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. I have suggested to students that escape and avoidance behaviours are often intensely rewarding, even euphoria inducing and indeed potentially addictive. (Vide bungay diving etc.) I was intrigued, therefore, to pick up a reference to this topic last year. Here is part of the abstract:- Neuroscience 1993 Feb;52(4):919-925 A neurochemical and behavioral investigation of the involvement of nucleus accumbens dopamine in instrumental avoidance. McCullough LD, Sokolowski JD, Salamone JD Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-1020. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine in the performance of a lever press avoidance task in the rat. In this task, 0.5 mA shock was presented for 5 s every 30 s, but the rat could escape shock presentation, or avoid the shock for 30 s, by pressing a lever. In the first experiment, dialysis probes were implanted into the nucleus accumbens of rats previously trained on the avoidance procedure, and also two groups of untrained rats. On the day after dialysis probe implantation, rats trained to press a lever to avoid shock (n = 10) were exposed to a 45 min avoidance test session. Untrained rats were either exposed to periodic shock (n = 9) or the control procedure in which lights were dimmed but no shock was presented (n = 8). Performance of the avoidance task led to significant increases in extracellular dopamine and dopamine metabolites. There was a significant positive correlation between increases in extracellular dopamine and the number of avoidance responses emitted. In the second experiment, groups of rats were trained on the lever press avoidance procedure. After training, rats received intra-accumbens injections of the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine or ascorbic acid vehicle. Dopamine depletion produced by 6-hydroxydopamine injection led to a substantial decrease in lever pressing to avoid or escape shock. These results indicate that dopamine in nucleus accumbens is important for operant avoidance responding, and that the involvement of accumbens dopamine in instrumental behavior is not unique to positively reinforced responses. SNIP Now I know I tend to go on about this a TAD but the serotonin mechanisms seem to be at the 'top' of a cascade of chemistry leading to a sensation of reward. This cascade goes through opioid mechanisms and ends in dopaminergic events largely in the nucleus accumbens. In short may it be the case that the deer effectively 'escapes' or 'thinks' it escapes and is flooded with relief (ie elevated n. accumb. dopamine.) Being so 'flooded' might also give a sensation of satiety (just as serotonin reuptake inhibitors can depress appetite). Eating being the main or foreground motivation of such a ruminant it is most noticeably affected by the 'pseudo repletive' effect. Robin. I have been wrestling with the problem of anorgasmia due to SSRI's (such as Prozac) Metaphorically of course! It may be that a drug induced serototonin/dopamine satiety sort of preempts the oragsmic pleasure peak? -----Original Message----- From: Bjarne O. Braastad [SMTP:bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no] Sent: 08 January 1998 11:15 To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca Subject: Re: Disturbance and appetite Dear colleagues, Have you considered effects of handling on stress mechanisms in the animals. Although they may be accustomed to handling, they might still get stress reactions in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, probably influenced by emotional physiological reactions. Increased or prolonged cortisol production would decrease appetite. Also effects on brain serotonin levels, e.g. related to fear or frustration, may reduce appetite. If the animals have experienced prenatal stress (i.e. their mothers were stressed during some part of their pregnancy, or even during mating), they may have a reduced number of glucocorticoid receptors in their hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which would give a poor negative feedback of the stress response in the HPA axis, making it more prolonged. Such prenatal stress effects is probably common in farm animals (incl. reindeer), although it is mainly studied in rodents and primates. We are now working on behavioural and endocrinological effects of prenatal stress in farmed blue foxes, and have found quite marked effects. Bjarne Braastad . ************************************************************* Bjarne O. Braastad (Dr.Philos.) Dept. of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5025, N-1432 Aas, Norway e-mail: bjarne.braastad@ihf.nlh.no fax: +47 64 94 79 60 phone: +47 64 94 79 80 http://www.nlh.no/Institutt/IHF/presside/Braastad.htm ************************************************************* ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD1F5F.9A1D5650-- From: IN%"pkabai@ns.univet.hu" "Kabai Peter" 13-JAN-1998 02:30:32.96 To: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" CC: IN%"bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no" "'Bjarne O. Braastad'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca'" Subj: RE: Disturbance and appetite/escape and reward Bjarne and Walker raised an important issue, which might also be relevant to the "feelings in animals" discussion we had in this group. (By the way, have anybody summerized the outcome of that brain storming?) We also found a significant increase in dopamine bindig in the basal ganglia of birds just 30 minutes after taste aversion training (Stewart, Kabai et al, Neuroscience, 1996 70:7-14) and our yet unpublished data show that inhibiting dopaminergic cells in the same area diminishes learning performance. What we do not know, however, whether in this case the role of dopamine is specific to memory formation, or has a more general, alerting function. It is quite interesting, that these two aspects of learning seem to come together on the cellular level. Besides the well known "be alert, something good or bad is happening" overall physiological state (which could be translated as feeling or emotion) something similar is happening in the very network, where memory is formed. Seems, that certain dopaminergic cells warn these networks to pay special attention to the incoming signal pattern. They are rightfully called "tutor cells". The network is like a bunch of mathematicions sitting in a bunker analysing signal patterns without any knowledge about the outside world. And then suddenly somebody calls them (these are the tutor cells) and alerts them to pay special attention now, because this moment is a life or death situation. So they hurry up, analyse and store that segment of information safely. Is it emotions at the cellular level? Well, I am not the guy to unswere this question. _________________________________________________ from: Peter Kabai (pkabai@ns.univet.hu) Behavioural Biology Research Group Institute for Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine H-1400 Budapest, POB 2, HUNGARY www.univet.hu ************************************************* On Thu, 8 Jan 1998, Robin Walker wrote: > Date: Thu, 08 Jan 1998 15:53:15 +0000 > From: Robin Walker > > Bjarne's response has prompted me to consider the effect of serotonin > on appetite. It may be that the 'experience' of satiety or satisfaction due > eating is expressed like many other pleasurable experiences, as a result > of raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. > > I have suggested to students that escape and avoidance behaviours are > often intensely rewarding, even euphoria inducing and indeed potentially > addictive. (Vide bungay diving etc.) > From: IN%"fentress@is.dal.ca" 13-JAN-1998 07:01:20.04 To: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker", IN%"pkabai@ns.univet.hu" "Kabai Peter" CC: IN%"bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no" "'Bjarne O. Braastad'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca'" Subj: RE: Disturbance and appetite/escape and reward > Bjarne and Walker raised an important issue, which might also > be relevant to the "feelings in animals" discussion > we had in this group. (By the way, have anybody summerized > the outcome of that brain storming?) I concur with Peter that these are important issues that are being raised. Links between "motivation", "emotion", and "learning" deserve much more attention (via "tutor cells"?). The attempt to link these, rather arbitrary, categories to cellular and biochemical substrates is potentially a very valuable exercise for the applied ethology group to become involved with. One obvious reason is that unless we attain sensitive measures of behavioral "phenomena" we have no appropriate guidelines, or even definitions, for "mechanisms". Dopamine and serotonin clearly are two substances that demand the attention of behavioral workers - including those who evaluate behavior in both adaptive (happy) and maladaptive (unhappy) contexts. The "meaning" of these substances will not be discovered on the biochemists bench alone. Thus, I share Peter's sense of delight that people like Bjarne and Walker (and Kabai!) are opening discussions in this forum. I hope others might join in. In this context, the comparative data (e.g. birds and mammals) might be especially revealing - certainly "ethological". Keep those tutor cells firing! John > > We also found a significant increase in dopamine bindig > in the basal ganglia of birds just 30 minutes after taste > aversion training (Stewart, Kabai et al, Neuroscience, 1996 > 70:7-14) and our yet unpublished data show that inhibiting > dopaminergic cells in the same area diminishes learning > performance. > > What we do not know, however, whether in this > case the role of dopamine > is specific to memory formation, or has a more general, > alerting function. It is quite interesting, that these > two aspects of learning seem to come together on the > cellular level. Besides the well known "be alert, something > good or bad is happening" overall physiological state > (which could be translated as feeling or emotion) something > similar is happening in the very network, where memory > is formed. Seems, that certain dopaminergic cells warn these > networks to pay special attention to the incoming signal > pattern. They are rightfully called "tutor cells". > > The network is like a bunch of mathematicions sitting in a bunker > analysing signal patterns without any knowledge about the > outside world. And then suddenly somebody calls them > (these are the tutor cells) and alerts them to pay > special attention now, because this moment is a life or death > situation. So they hurry up, analyse and store that segment > of information safely. Is it emotions at the cellular level? > > Well, I am not the guy to unswere this question. > > _________________________________________________ > from: Peter Kabai (pkabai@ns.univet.hu) > Behavioural Biology Research Group > Institute for Zoology, > University of Veterinary Medicine > H-1400 Budapest, POB 2, HUNGARY > www.univet.hu > ************************************************* > On Thu, 8 Jan 1998, Robin Walker wrote: > > > Date: Thu, 08 Jan 1998 15:53:15 +0000 > > From: Robin Walker > > > > Bjarne's response has prompted me to consider the effect of serotonin > > on appetite. It may be that the 'experience' of satiety or satisfaction due > > eating is expressed like many other pleasurable experiences, as a result > > of raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. > > > > I have suggested to students that escape and avoidance behaviours are > > often intensely rewarding, even euphoria inducing and indeed potentially > > addictive. (Vide bungay diving etc.) > > John C. Fentress, Ph.D. Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia CANADA B3H 4J1 lab: 902 494-3603 fax: 902 494-6585 From: IN%"nicholas@ibg.uit.no" "Nicholas Tyler" 13-JAN-1998 07:20:21.85 To: IN%"deermail@majordomo.srv.ualberta.ca", IN%"fignet@leeds.ac.uk", IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: IN%"jmarnemo@online.no" Subj: Disturbance and appetite: edited correspondence Dear Colleagues on and , We would like to thank all of you who responded to our message 'DISTURBANCE AND APPETITE'. We have received lots of really good ideas. An edited version of the correspondence follows, together with a copy of our original message. The various messages are grouped more or less logically under the following headings: 1. SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR OBSERVATIONS 2. UNFAMILIAR TREATMENT OR HOUSING 3. INFECTION 4. DISRUPTION OF RUMEN FUNCTION 5. HYPERGLYCAEMIA 6. CENTRAL MECHANISMS 7. ORIGINAL MESSAGE Nicholas Tyler and Jon Martin Arnemo SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR OBSERVATIONS From Filip Mulkens, filip.mulkens@agr.kuleuven.ac.be: We use the same drugs in combination with buprenorphine in pigs. As far as I can estimate we don't see a reduction in appetite due to the anesthesia, on the contrary: the first thing that the pigs want to do after recovery is eat. I can imagine that if reindeer are kept in an extensive way they can be very disturbed by the manipulation by humans. This can be an explanation for the reduction of DDMI that you see in the 'placebo-group' (treatment (iii)). We sometimes have difficulties to anesthetize pigs when they are too excited: because medetomidine acts on the same receptors as norepinephrine. From Mike Appleby: ... when I was immobilising red deer on Rhum it was Fiona Guinness's strong opinion that Immobilon reduced appetite of deer for several days, so she was cautious about darting any animal in winter that wasn't in very good condition. I did in fact have one stag die - a couple of days after darting in winter - which she hadn't checked beforehand and said afterwards was in too poor condition to be darted. She put that death down to depression of appetite. I don't know of any background info on this, but it seems relevant. From Sam Coleman: In Oklahoma we have routinely seen animals (cattle) drop to 85% of ad libitum intake when simply constrained to digestion/metabolism stalls. If indwelling catheters are used (jugular), then I have seen them fall to 50%.. .... The effect lasted throughout the 7-10 day trial. With indwelling catheters, we may have had some physiological problems such as low level infection. In the metabolism stalls, we routinely allow 10 days for acclimation, but the intake comparisons I was making (85% of freestall) occurred for 7 days following the 10 day adaptation. From R.D.Brown: Van Der Eems, K. and R. D. Brown (1986) Effect of caffeine sodium benzoate, ketamine hydrochloride, and yohimbine hydrochloride on xylazine hydrochloride-induced anorexia in white-tailed deer. J. Wildl. Diseases 22(3): 403-406. Does were given rompun alone (1mg/kg BW, i.m.); or rompun (1 mg/kg) followed by caffeine sodium benzoate (10 mg/kg); or rompun (0.5>mg/kg) and ketamine (4.5 mg/kg); or rompun (1 mg/kg) followed by yohimbine (0.125 mg/kg)in a Latin Square design with treatments two weeks apart. There was no group that was handled without drugs. DMI/unit BW for 4 days pre-treatment was compared with 4 days post-treatment. A significant decrease in DMI was found only on the first day following treatment. Percent decrease in DMI/unit BW were rompun alone 47%; rompun/caffeine 36%; rompun/ketamine 31%; and rompun/yohimbine 36%. Those deer administered rompun/ketamine were not sufficiently sedated at that dose (max volume to get into the Telinject dart). The caffeine treatment had no effect on recovery time; the use of yohimbine improved recovery time. Our results suggested that using ketamine, caffeine or yohimbine did not effect the drug-induced anorexia, but that the anorexia lasted only one day. I have no idea as to why the deer are anorexic, especially your non-drugged but handled deer. UNFAMILIAR TREATMENT OR HOUSING From R.D.Brown: Perhaps results were influenced by the time of year? Perhaps hypothermia or hyperthermia might be part of the problem? Or does handling without drugs so stress the deer that they too go off feed due to stress, whereas the drugged deer go off feed for some other reason? Reply to Brown: Time of year: there was no statistically significant differences between results from summer and winter trials. Hypothermia or hyperthermia: the animals were kept in semi-roofed outdoor paddocks at all times and would have been comfortably inside the thermoneutral zone during all trials. Handling 'stress': all the animals were old adult females accustomed to being handled, led on a halter, etc. Hourly sampling for 25 h would in practice have been a novel experience for them (though they'd undergone 10 min. x 6 h sampling several times a few years previously) but they were not jumpy or skittish or particularly rebellious. From Colin Mackintosh: Were these animals in indivdual pens? How long had they been indoors and habituating to their environment? What degree of handling were they used to? The animals were housed in individually in adjacent semi-outdoors pens in which they could all see each other all the time. Reply to Mackintosh: Our animals were housed individually in adjacent semi-outdoors pens in which they could all see each other all the time. They were introduced into these paddocks on 13th. January and remained there until the end of the experiment (October). The first sedations were carried out on 22nd. February. All the animals used in these trials had been exposed to a variety of different treatements and procedures during the preceeding five years. Of course, the actual procedures involved in the present experiment were new to them ... but they did not appear unusually nervous or skittish. INFECTION From Colin Mackintosh: I was wondering if you have had an infection run through the group which coincided with the trial which could have been introduced by the handling or preciptated by the stress. Did you cannulate them for sampling? Do flush the lines with heparinised saline? Some time ago we had a problem on one B/S run when the flushing fluid got contaminated with bacteria and most of the animals had a mild septicaemia. A few got endocarditis, found at necropsy. Alternatively, what are the chances of a mild viral infection? Reply: The animals were cannulated for sampling and the lines were flushed with heparinsed saline each time a sample was withdrawn. So there is a risk of A low level of infection. On the other hand, our experiment involved five separate trials over eight months, so we'd have been unlucky (or very lucky) to have a similar infection every time. In addition, infection would not explain the drop in DDMI in either the saline group (control, treatment (iii)) or the sedation but no sampling group (treatment (ii)). DISRUPTION OF RUMEN FUNCTION from David Kyle .... the only worry I have is the reduction of rumen flora numerically or the way the gut system may be affected for longer periods, even although the drugs are flushed out quickly. It is always easy to spend others peoples money by suggesting experiments (espec. from the comfort of an office and your initial data freely given) but what if there was an imobilisation via an unseen darter and the process of resus. was carried out with minimal intervention, no blood samples/handling etc. would there be such a long recovery to normal feed? Can I ask how the blood was taken i.e. by sampler on the deer or by re-handling each time? Feeding patterns may have been disturbed. It may have been a help to see how the urine composition changed and how fast. ( I realise this would mean difficulty in sampling!) Did you count the rumen movements if any during immob.? How long did the deer take to "dung" after treatment and was there any sign of scour or dryness? reply to David J.Kyle Rumen flora. Do you know the Aagnes et al. paper I mentioned in my original message? They showed a 50% reduction in numbers of viable anaerobic bacteria in the rumen of reindeer after 24 h complete starvation (and 95% reduction after 4 days), together with corresponding changes in rumen pH, VFA concentration etc. Our deer, of course, were not completely starved: they ate at least something everyday, but one can still ask: What might have been the effect on dry matter intake of disturbance to the rumen microbial environment induced by undernutrition?. The answer is unclear. Sletten and Hove (Rangifer 10: 31-27, 1990) fed reindeer calves lichens ad lib. for 11 days, restricted lichens for 3 days and then subjected them to two days complete starvation before offering them (group-wise) concentrates (including RF-80, the same as we used) or lichens ad lib. The calves' mean consumption of lichens was 750 g DM on day 1 of refeeding, FALLING to a mean of 500 g DM on each of the subsequent four days. Consumption of RF-80 was 1000 g DM on day 1 and 1200 g DM on each of the subsequent four days. In other words, not a particularly marked effect and one which, in any case, could be explained by the fact that RF-80 was a novel feed for these animals and one would, therefore, expect them to be sceptical of it. I think it is remarkable that they achieved asymptotic consumption after only one day. Mathiesen et al. (Rangifer 4: 28-33, 1984) starved lichen-fed reindeer for three days before offering them mill-waste. One of three animals in the experiment wouldn't eat the stuff. The other two ate it, but several days passed before their consumption reached its asymptote. Once again, however, the situation was complicated by the fact that mill waste was a novel feed. Rumen pH returned to normal within 24 h of re-feeding. 'Remote delivery' of drugs. I agree that our experimental design was complicated by the fact that we handled the animals, thereby introducing another variable. However, the trouble with delivering drugs by projectile syringe, as I am sure you appreciate, is that one has poor control over both the dose given and the rate at which it is taken up. Of course, there are all these 'back-pack' systems which you people in Scotland have developed .... No data on urine or rumen movements. Nor can I tell you how soon after reversal the animals dunged. However, there was no sign of scour, dryness or any other abnormality. HYPERGLYCAEMIA From Jeff Fyffe: Did you measure blood glucose? It is well known that Xylazine (another alpha-2 agonist) will raise blood glucose in red deer at least, with a subsequent reduction in feeding pattens for the next 24 hours. I routinely see depression of appetite in red deer and elk after the useof xylazine at 1.0mg/Kg, for 24 hours but after that they return to normal feeding pattens. From Colin Mackintosh: Medetomidine is an alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist similar toXylazine which is known to cause a decrease in plasma insulin, an increase in plasma glucose and depress food intake for 24 to 48 hoursafter injection. Unless the administration of an antagonist like yohimbine is done immediately after xylazine injection the insulin, glucose and appetite affects occur. Therefore the reduction in food intake for the animals treared with medomidate is not surprising. However the reduction in the unsedated animals is surprising. It would seem that the stress of handling and blood-sampling has had a dramatic affect on them. In retrospect it is a pity you did not have unhandled controls. Reply to Fyfe, Macintosh: Simpson et al. Vet. Rec. 1983, Vol.112, No.16, p.385 pointed out that 'The appetite depressant effect of xylazine is thought to be caused by depressed plasma insulin levels and .... xylazine induced hyperglycaemia and hypoinsulinaemia is mediated by a2 adrenergic receptors, possibly in b-cells of pancreatic islets.' Medeotmedine, like xylazine, is an a2-adrenoreceptor agonist and not surprisingly, therefore, we recorded elevated plasma glucose levels shortly after administration of medetomedine in all the drugged animals. However, glucose levels returned to normal in all animals within 12-24 h, which perhaps rules out hyperglycaemia as a potential cause of the prolonged (up to 5 days) anorexia? We collected blood samples from in-dwelling catheters, i.e. involving re-handling each time. Once again, however, the last sample was collected 25 h after the start of each trial, so it seems unlikely that disturbance of feeding patterns can explain prolonged anorexia. CENTRAL MECHANISMS From Bjarne Braastad e-mail: bjarne.braastad@ihf.nlh.no: Have you considered effects of handling on stress mechanisms in the animals.Although they may be accustomed to handling, they might still get stress reactions in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, probably influenced by emotional physiological reactions. Increased or prolonged cortisol production would decrease appetite. Also effects on brain serotonin levels, e.g. related to fear or frustration, may reduce appetite. If the animals have experienced prenatal stress (i.e. their mothers were stressed during some part of their pregnancy, or even during mating), they may have a reduced number of glucocorticoid receptors in their hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which would give a poor negative feedback of the stress response in the HPA axis, making it more prolonged. Such prenatal stresseffects is probably common in farm animals (incl. reindeer), although it ismainly studied in rodents and primates. We are now working on behavioural and endocrinological effects of prenatal stress in farmed blue foxes, andhave found quite marked effects. From Robin Walker: Bjarne's response has prompted me to consider the effect of serotonin on appetite. It may be that the 'experience' of satiety or satisfaction due eating is expressed like many other pleasurable experiences, as a result of raised dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. I have suggested to students that escape and avoidance behaviours are often intensely rewarding, even euphoria inducing and indeed potentially addictive. (Vide bungay diving etc.) I was intrigued, therefore, to pick up a reference to this topic last year. Here is part of the abstract:- McCullough LD, Sokolowski JD, Salamone JD A neurochemical and behavioral investigation of the involvement of nucleus accumbens dopamine in instrumental avoidance. Neuroscience 1993 Feb;52(4):919-925. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine in the performance of a lever press avoidance task in the rat. In this task, 0.5 mA shock was presented for 5 s every 30 s, but the rat could escape shock presentation, or avoid the shock for 30 s, by pressing a lever. In the first experiment, dialysis probes were implanted into the nucleus accumbens of rats previously trained on the avoidance procedure, and also two groups of untrained rats. On the day after dialysis probe implantation, rats trained to press a lever to avoid shock (n = 10) were exposed to a 45 min avoidance test session. Untrained rats were either exposed to periodic shock (n = 9) or the control procedure in which lights were dimmed but no shock was presented (n =8). Performance of the avoidance task led to significant increases in extracellular dopamine and dopamine metabolites. There was a significant positive correlation between increases in extracellular dopamine and the number of avoidance responses emitted. In the second experiment, groups of rats were trained on the lever press avoidance procedure. After training, rats received intra-accumbens injections of the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine or ascorbic acid vehicle. Dopamine depletion produced by 6-hydroxydopamine injection led to a substantial decrease in lever pressing to avoid or escape shock. These results indicate that dopamine in nucleus accumbens is important for operant avoidance responding, and that the involvement of accumbens dopamine in instrumental behavior is not unique to positively reinforced responses. Now I know I tend to go on about this a TAD but the serotonin mechanisms seem to be at the 'top' of a cascade of chemistry leading to a sensation ofreward. This cascade goes through opioid mechanisms and ends in dopaminergic events largely in the nucleus accumbens. In short may it be the case that the deer effectively 'escapes' or 'thinks' it escapes and is flooded with relief (ie elevated n. accumb. dopamine.) Being so 'flooded' might also give a sensation of satiety (just as serotonin reuptake inhibitors can depress appetite). Eating being the main or foreground motivation of such a ruminant it is most noticeably affected by the 'pseudo repletive' effect. I have been wrestling with the problem of anorgasmia due to SSRI's (such as Prozac) Metaphorically of course! It may be that a drug induced serototonin/dopamine satiety sort of preempts the oragsmic pleasure peak? Reply to Walker: The key seems to be that 'serotonin reuptake inhibitors can depress appetite'. Can you provide me with some references concerning this - perhaps even in ruminants? Reply from Walker: Bray, G.A. Drug Treatment of obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1992, 55, 538S- 544S (sic) is given as a reference by Carlson. Nicholas Dodman at Tufts has used SSRIs in the horse and may now of its effects in cattle. similarly Petra Mertens at Munich. may be able to help. The email addresses are:- Nicholas Dodman Petra Mertens I have just had a thought! It may be that the hedonic effect of extra dopamine dampens the motivation for 'chewing' ie the pleasure of the mechanics of eating rather than a central satiety effect. Recent work on Hedonic Dysregulation by workers such as Koob point out that raised CRF has an effect on sensitisation. Stress makes addiction more likely by effects such as glucocorticoid reduction of dopamine metabolism. Herein might be a explanation of the two or three day period of reduced intake. After all horses do not crib bite because they are hungry. They are deprived of a solid 16 hours of grazing (the equine equivalent of chewing gum?) ORIGINAL MESSAGE Dear Colleagues, CAN DISTURBANCE REDUCE APPETITE IN RUMINANTS? We recently investigated the medium term (1-5 days) effects of chemicalimmobilization on daily dry matter intake (DDMI) in reindeer. We have aproblem with the results and I wonder whether anyone can give us a clue totheir interpretation? We routinely use chemical immobilization for capturing reindeer in Norway. Our drugs, medetomidine hydrochloride with ketamine for immobilization andatipamezole hydrochloride for reversal of immobilization, give highly satisfactory results in the short term: the animals are first completely immobilized but get up on their feet and are capable of walking in adirected manner usually within 12 min. of i.m. injection of the atipamezole(Tyler et al. 1991, Acta. vet. scand. 31: 479-488). So far so good. We then carried out trials (in summer and in winter) to examine medium term effects of these drugs on reindeer; in particular, to test the effect of immobilization on DDMI in the animals. Animals, all non-pregnant, non-lactating adult females which were accustomed to being handled (though not necessarily in the manner applied here), were subjected to three treatments: (i) animals were immobilized for 60 min. before their morning feed and then, after reversal, blood samples were collected at hourly intervals for 25 h. (ii) animals were immobilized for 60 min. before their morning feed and then, after reversal, they were left undisturbed. (iii) animals were injected with saline before their morning feed, left alone for 60 min. and then subjected to blood sampling at hourly intervals for 25 h. We found that in 24 out of 25 cases the treatment resulted in a significant reduction in DDMI compared to pre-trial control periods (corrected fornormal seasonal variation in DDMI). The mean reduction in DDMI following treatment (i) was 34.8% over 2.2 days and 49.4% over 2.8 days in summer and winter, respectively. Corresponding values for treatment (ii) were 29.0%over 1.8 days and 26.9% over 1.4 days. Treatment (iii) - injection of saline followed by sampling - resulted in a mean reduction in DDMI of 22.2%over 2.2 days. In every case, the greatest reduction in DDMI in occurred on the day of thetrial itself. Thereafter, also in every case, appetite slowly increased each day until reaching pre-trial levels after 1-5 days (individual variation between animals). The problem. Why did it take so long for the animals to return to full appetite? It seems unlikely that this could have been solely a direct effect of the drugs employed for two reasons. First, we recorded qualitatively similar effectsin the control group (treatment iii) in which no drugs were administered. Second, both medetomidine and atipamezole are rapidly cleared from the bloodstream. Neither drug, injected into reindeer at the concentrations used here, was detectable in plasma after 150 and 300 minutes, respectively (Ranheim et al. 1997, J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 20: 350-354). We began to wonder whether the slow return to full appetite might indicate some disturbance of rumen function. Profound changes occur in populations of rumen microbes during four days' complete starvation in reindeer (Aagneset al. 1995, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61: 583-591). However, our animals did not starve completely, so it seems unlikely that the answer lies here. We imagine that people working in behaviour and animal production must be concerned with factors - including, perhaps, non-routine handling of animals - which can result in a significant reduction in feed uptake. If anyone can give us a clue about what kinds of effects might produce a slow return to full appetite like we have seen, we'd be most grateful. Nicholas Tyler and Jon Martin Arnemo. Nicholas Tyler Department of Biology, University of Tromso, N-9037 Tromso, Norway tel.(direct): +47 77 64 47 88 fax.: +47 77 64 56 00 mobile phone: +47 90 57 72 98 From: IN%"shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at" 13-JAN-1998 14:08:57.14 To: IN%"shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at" "The Shrew Side" CC: IN%"MAMMAL-L@SIVM.SI.EDU", IN%"ECOLOG-L@UMDD.UMD.EDU", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca", IN%"ETHOLOGY@SEGATE.SUNET.SE", IN%"MGD@hq.iucn.org" "IUCN", IN%"wildside@neti.saber.net" Subj: FRESH: "The *Big* Shrew Update 1998" Please excuse my cross-posting. This announcement goes to "Mammal-L", "Ecolog-L", "Ethology", "Applied Ethology", and "Wildlife Ecology Digest". Members of the "Shrew Talk Newsgroup" should have already received it. If you know of anybody else interested, I would be grateful if you could forward this message, if appropriate, and spread the word. ______________________________________________________________________ The Shrew (ist's) Site: http://members.vienna.at/shrew anounces the 'Big 1998 Update', which many of you who sent in their contributions have been waiting for. The site has been online since autumn 1996. ______________________________________________________________________ First, a big "Thank You" to all of you who have visited and supported the Shrew (ist's) Site so far. It's hard to believe we're going into our third calendar year, having been around since autumn 1996. The word for 1997 was "busy." I appreciate all of your letters, stories, photos, suggestions and orders. I'm sorry I was not able to get some of the stories and photos onto the Web as soon as they arrived, and the Shrew Talk archives sometimes were weeks behind. I am starting 1998 with the announcement of "The Big Update". The whole site has been refreshed and many new features have been added. "The Shrew (ist's) Site" aims to not only be a place for zoologists specialized in the biology of shrews (Soricidae, Insectivora, Mammalia) and a scholarly forum, but also to provide public awareness of shrews, furnish enjoyable "shrewdness" and to serve an educational purpose. Many visitors to the site enjoy reading in depth about scientific work with shrews. The pages are composed of numerous contributions by a great number of people that thought it worthwhile to share their experience, scientific records and illustrations. The feedback received in 1996-1997 (according to the bulk of appreciative mails, the reviews or pointers in magazines, the encouraging guestbook entries, the active participation in the newsletter and the obvious number of site visitors) has shown that this forum is "working" and likely to expand its functions. ______________________________________________________________________ Main Features of The Shrew (ist's) Site: (Page description below). *********************************************************************** o Shrew Talk: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewtalk.html o Shrew Photo Gallery: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/fotos.html o Shrewists on E-mail: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewemail.html o Shrew Bibliography: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewbib.html o Shrew Facts & Folklore: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/culture&myths.html o Shrew Leisure Site: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/leisure.html ************************************************************************ *Following the links from these Main Pages will lead you through 7 Mb of shrew data. ______________________________________________________________________ *"The Big Update", 8 January 1998: Number of visitors: >5800, 7 Mb of Data (Links to new pages from: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/news.html) Updates: o New Shrewists on E-mail, fax numbers and addresses o Shrew Talk: Volume 1, Issues 1-29 are archived. Newcomers can now read back-issues o The Photo Gallery has been improved and photos by W. Van Devender, Cecil Schwalbe and others were added (approx. 30 new photos of North American and Eurasian shrews) o The Leisure Site shows more Computer Art, Killer Shrews , the Shofixti, and Shrewboy's "metabolically active wear" o There is a link to a Hanta Virus site from "The Shrew You Find" o Information about the Euro-American Mammal Congress 1998 and its Insectivore Symposia o The Dictionary has a few additions: e.g. Chippewa, Klamath New Pages: o Fish Predating on Shrews (with a photo of a trout choked on a shrew) o Constructing the Giftshop o Room for Proposals & Jobs o Sponsorship is possible o List of Copyright Holders o The Macedonian Museum of Natural History ______________________________________________________________________ *Best to check the whole site if you have not done so in a while! In addition to the above, you will find many more new features. Some images have been reduced in size for quicker loading and pages have been restructured. All pages have a new header that will save you from getting lost. I hope that everything works... ********************************************************************** Description of the Shrew Main Pages: ********************************************************************** o Shrew Talk: (Last count of number of recipients = 307). This is an E-mail Newsletter / Digest open to professionals and "the seriously interested." Recipients: Remember that your subscription to to the "Shrew Talk" Newsletter is not identical to registration for "Shrewists on E-mail". If you cannont find your name on the online list, but wish to be listed, please contact me. ______________________________________________________________________ o Shrew Photo Gallery: Over a hundred of unique photographs of American, Eurasian and African shrew species. ______________________________________________________________________ o Shrewists on E-mail: (Last count of registrated members = 195). This is a list of scientists involved in the research of the biology of shrews and small mammal ecology. Registered members: Please check if your email address and your personal data are correct on this page. ______________________________________________________________________ o Shrew Bibliography: An introduction to the bibliography on CD-ROM and several pages of selected reference lists. ______________________________________________________________________ o Shrew Facts, Stories & Folklore: These pages contain the "far side" of shrew biology. A conglomerate of facts and legends. ______________________________________________________________________ o Shrew Leisure Site: For your amusement and relaxation :-) ______________________________________________________________________ *LEARN, COMMUNICATE, ENJOY, LINK, PROMOTE or CRITISIZE...* ======================================================================= Dr. Werner Haberl Editor, SHREW TALK (http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewtalk.html) Hamburgerstr. 11, A-1050 Vienna, Austria Email: shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at URL: http://members.vienna.at/shrew (The Shrew (ist's) Site) The Shrew Bibliography (> 6000 references) ======================================================================= From: IN%"hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk" 14-JAN-1998 05:33:40.23 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Dog behaviour video/photos/drawings I am looking for high quality video suitable for publication in a video we are producing (Hi-8 or better and without timecodes etc) of dogs showing dominance stance over subordinate dogs (ie high posture vs low posture, T-shape etc), body charging and displacements. Drawings or photographs would also be useful Can any one help? I am not currently receiving the ethology list messages so please send any replies directly to hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk With thanks Robert C Hubrecht hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk PLEASE NOTE UFAW's NEW ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBERS Dr R Hubrecht Deputy Director UFAW Universities Federation for Animal Welfare The Old School Brewhouse Hill Wheathampstead Herts AL4 8AN UK Tel +44 (0) 1582 831818 Fax +44 (0) 1582 831414 ********* UFAW Web site******** http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~ufaw3/ ***************************** From: IN%"taznik@webtv.net" 14-JAN-1998 07:50:36.14 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Introductions Hi everyone- My name is Karen Palmiter and I have worked for the Southwestern Michigan Humane Society for the last 6 years. My job basically comprises most of the medical and behavior problems of the animals coming into our shelter and those who stay with us on a long term basis. As those of us at shelters know, the problems of shelter animals (both medically and behaviorly) can be far more involved and complex than those of animals in stable environments. I hope to be able to provide some insight into shelter animal behavior as well as absorb any knowledge I can from those of you on the list. I look forward to future discussions and hope that I can be a productive member of the group. Thank you. Karen Palmiter Southwestern Michigan Humane Society From: IN%"JBrody@compuserve.com" "James F. Brody" 14-JAN-1998 08:42:57.41 To: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" CC: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" Subj: Chocolate Ingestion and Withdrawal Robin: I have memories of injecting microliter amounts of glutamic acid onto attack sites in cat hypothalamus back in 1970 (printed someplace in Nature). The cats bit hell (not chewing but a sustained bite) of anesthetized rats for about 10 minutes and then became catatonic (no pun!= ) for 6-8 hours later. Glutamate can cause cellular lesions; we may have chemically burned holes in their brains; glutamate, a powerful and high turnover excitatory transmitter, also rapidly and irreversibly changes to= GABA, a powerful inhibitory substance that appears to play an important role in suppressing anxiety. Sounds like the same cycle exhibited by yo= ur dog. Sounds like the same excitation-inhibition pattern described by Goodwin and others as pervasive through nature. Thanks for the reminder and good luck! Jim Brody From: IN%"wattsjon@duke.usask.ca" "Jon Watts" 14-JAN-1998 11:25:36.30 To: IN%"pkabai@ns.univet.hu" "Kabai Peter" CC: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker", IN%"bjarne.braastad@nlh10.nlh.no" "'Bjarne O. Braastad'", IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "'applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca'" Subj: Chinese Room Hello Peter, Your analogy of a network of neurons being like a bunch of mathematicians in a bunker who don't know anything but occasionally get prompted by "tutor cells" to pay attention is very interesting. I don't know what it says about animal feelings one way or the other though. It somewhat reminds me of John Searle's "Chinese Room" argument. [quick explanation: Alan Turing proposed a way to judge whether a machine could be considered to possess a mind, or sentience, or thoughts (or possibly some ineffable substance beyond the mere ability to compute). Basically the idea is that if a person gets to communicate via a keyboard with either an unseen person or a machine, neither of which is obliged to respond truthfully, and that person cannot tell reliably which is which, then you would have to credit the computer with cognitive abilities comparable to a person. Searle responded with the hypothetical case of a person in a sealed room receiving input in some unfamiliar set of symbols (as Chinese writing appears to a person who does not know the languge). The person in the room processes the symbols according to a detailed set of instructions which are found in the room, and generates a response which is passed out of the room. Searle proposed this argument to show how a machine might pass the Turing Test without actually understanding anything. To show, in other words that true cognition is more than just computation. He argues that the person in the Chinese Room gives a good impression to an outsider of being able to understand and converse in written Chinese without actually possesing any knowledge of the language or any computational skill other than that required to follow a very detailed set of instructions.] Anyhow, I was wondering if the Chinese Room argument is applicable to the behaviour of natural neural networks in animals' brains. i.e. that you couldn't PROVE that any particular behaviour of the animal was evidence of "awareness" or "feelings" if you couldn't show that the activity required something more than neurological computation. Yeah, I know many of us feel that we don't need to prove things we just KNOW to be true. I was just wondering whether such proof is logically impossible or whether we just haven't hit on a practical way to get it yet. Thoughtfully.. Jon ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jon Watts (___) ) ) University of Saskatchewan |o o|___________/ ( Dept of Herd Medicine O \#/ | ) and Theriogenology |bser| | Statistical | ( Western College of Vet. Med. |vati| | analysis | ) 52 Campus Drive |ons.| \___________/| *& Saskatoon ------ || || %$#@ S7N 1B4 / \ || || ^*@*~ Canada &^%%#$@ wattsjon@duke.usask.ca "The Holy Cow" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Tue, 13 Jan 1998, Kabai Peter wrote: > > Bjarne and Walker raised an important issue, which might also > be relevant to the "feelings in animals" discussion > we had in this group. (By the way, have anybody summerized > the outcome of that brain storming?) > > We also found a significant increase in dopamine bindig > in the basal ganglia of birds just 30 minutes after taste > aversion training (Stewart, Kabai et al, Neuroscience, 1996 > 70:7-14) and our yet unpublished data show that inhibiting > dopaminergic cells in the same area diminishes learning > performance. > > What we do not know, however, whether in this > case the role of dopamine > is specific to memory formation, or has a more general, > alerting function. It is quite interesting, that these > two aspects of learning seem to come together on the > cellular level. Besides the well known "be alert, something > good or bad is happening" overall physiological state > (which could be translated as feeling or emotion) something > similar is happening in the very network, where memory > is formed. Seems, that certain dopaminergic cells warn these > networks to pay special attention to the incoming signal > pattern. They are rightfully called "tutor cells". > > The network is like a bunch of mathematicions sitting in a bunker > analysing signal patterns without any knowledge about the > outside world. And then suddenly somebody calls them > (these are the tutor cells) and alerts them to pay > special attention now, because this moment is a life or death > situation. So they hurry up, analyse and store that segment > of information safely. Is it emotions at the cellular level? > > Well, I am not the guy to unswere this question. From: IN%"billcamp@cdsnet.net" 14-JAN-1998 11:55:40.15 To: IN%"hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk" CC: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: RE: Dog behaviour video/photos/drawings Excerpted from the Pet Behavior Newsletter, 97-4. These are great studies and contain some dominant-submissive behavior and a fairly energetic fight. plus a great example of how the alpha male leads without any dominant displays or bullying. Bill Campbell BehavioRx Systems P.O. Box 1658 Grants Pass, OR 97528 The Year of the Dog Videos These fine video accounts of "How Puppies Develop in a Pack of Wild Dogs" and "How Puppies are Raised in a Pack of Wild Dogs," which were reviewed in Volume 1997-1, are available direct from Germany for $60.00. payment by credit card (Visa/MC). Joachim Leidhold Hindenburgstr. 26 - 79102 Freiburg, Germany Fax- 011-07-61-23-115 >I am looking for high quality video suitable for publication in a video we >are producing (Hi-8 or better and without timecodes etc) of dogs showing >dominance stance over subordinate dogs (ie high posture vs low posture, >T-shape etc), body charging and displacements. Drawings or photographs >would also be useful >Can any one help? I am not currently receiving the ethology list messages >so please send any replies directly to hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > >With thanks > >Robert C Hubrecht >hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > >PLEASE NOTE UFAW's NEW ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBERS > >Dr R Hubrecht >Deputy Director UFAW >Universities Federation for Animal Welfare >The Old School >Brewhouse Hill >Wheathampstead >Herts >AL4 8AN >UK > >Tel +44 (0) 1582 831818 Fax +44 (0) 1582 831414 > > >********* UFAW Web site******** > http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~ufaw3/ >***************************** From: IN%"JGMORRIGAN@imail.nsac.ns.ca" "Jane G Morrigan" 14-JAN-1998 12:13:25.52 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: heart-rate monitor for cows Dear "dairy cow behaviour" people: I'm wondering if anyone might suggest a practical means of measuring heart-rate of cows as they are handled in the lead-up chute to the kill-box in a slaughterhouse? I'm wanting to look at particular stressors such as air-exhaust noise from hydraulic doors, and electric prodding. It takes only 5-8 minutes for each group of 5-6 cows to be moved through the chute, so I need something which either doesn't touch the cow at all (some sort of remote sensor), or is quick and easy to slip on and off (and at the same time is easy to read and doesn't itself stress the cow much) one cow in each group. This is for a behaviour experiment for my MSc thesis. I'm interested in assessing "welfare risk" for cull dairy cows who end up in a slaughterhouse. I'd really appreciate any suggestions re equipment, and also any advice on the general topic if you have the time! Thanks a lot. Jane Morrigan Nova Scotia Agricultural College Truro,N.S. Canada From: IN%"alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr" 14-JAN-1998 16:23:05.04 To: IN%"alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr" CC: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: Dog behaviour video/photos/drawings Alain-Bernard WEISS wrote: > > Robert Hubrecht wrote: > > > > I am looking for high quality video suitable for publication in a video we > > are producing (Hi-8 or better and without timecodes etc) of dogs showing > > dominance stance over subordinate dogs (ie high posture vs low posture, > > T-shape etc), body charging and displacements. Drawings or photographs > > would also be useful > > Can any one help? I am not currently receiving the ethology list messages > > so please send any replies directly to hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > > > > With thanks > > > > Robert C Hubrecht > > hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > > > Hello everyone, I am also interested in such a video/photos/drawings for french students. Thank you to e-mail directly. Dr Alain WEISS 50 av de garossos 31700 BEAUZELLE FRANCE4 alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr From: IN%"alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr" 14-JAN-1998 16:34:29.20 To: IN%"alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr" CC: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: Dog behaviour video/photos/drawings Alain-Bernard WEISS wrote: > > Robert Hubrecht wrote: > > > > I am looking for high quality video suitable for publication in a video we > > are producing (Hi-8 or better and without timecodes etc) of dogs showing > > dominance stance over subordinate dogs (ie high posture vs low posture, > > T-shape etc), body charging and displacements. Drawings or photographs > > would also be useful > > Can any one help? I am not currently receiving the ethology list messages > > so please send any replies directly to hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > > > > With thanks > > > > Robert C Hubrecht > > hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk > > > Hello everyone, I am also interested in such a video/photos/drawings for french students. Thank you to e-mail directly. Dr Alain WEISS 50 av de garossos 31700 BEAUZELLE FRANCE4 alain.weiss@wanadoo.fr From: IN%"ccmluisa@cen.buap.mx" 14-JAN-1998 17:16:16.91 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" CC: Subj: MAMMALS. I´m Ilyanna from Mexico I need to approve a subjet, to lie working with a researcher for 6 weeks on this summer, to start my thesis. I´m interested in behavior between mammals and medicinal plants, but if this mammals has been breeding and it´s extinction danger, will be better. You don´t have to pay me a salary, but if there is a scholarship, will send me information. thanks, Ilyanna E. Rodríguez Berman From: IN%"jswanson@oz.oznet.ksu.edu" "JANICE SWANSON" 14-JAN-1998 17:39:23.96 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: ISAE - France Dear Colleagues, I would like to encourage our membership who have had experiences with working in developing and third world countries to submit an abstract to the international section of this year's ISAE summer meeting. Also, most importantly, to encourage our membership from developing countries to share their experiences on how the field of applied ethology has made or can make contributions in international development. We are often caught up in the issues and problems occuring in affluent industrialized nations that we forget about the what the rest of our world is dealing with. I believe we could have a very stimulating session and possibly expand our scope of interest. If you have any questions about the session please contact me (jswanson@oz.oznet.ksu.edu) or Pierre Le Neindre (Pierre where's your e-mail address in the membership directory?) about the session. The January deadline for abstract submission is approaching. Janice Swanson jswanson@oz.oznet.ksu.edu 785-532-1244 phone From: IN%"rudy.demeester@ping.be" "De Meester" 15-JAN-1998 01:08:27.09 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: normal behaviour of cats Rudy De Meester dr. med. vet. sint anna 100 9220 Hamme Belgium rudy.demeester@ping.be Hello, Does anyone knows the meaning of the following behaviour in cats? A cat starts walking, stops after a short while, looks around, looks straight in front of her, puts the tail straight up, eventually a little curve at the top, has some contractions of the anogenital regio, without visibly producing any fluids, starts " wiping" the back feet for a while and continues her initial walk. What does it means and does this also occurs in other felidae? Thanks a lot. From: IN%"Susanne.Waiblinger@vu-wien.ac.at" "Susanne Waiblinger" 15-JAN-1998 02:56:15.83 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: losses by changing system Hello, Does anybody knows literature with a statement about the percentage of cows, which have serious problems when changing from tie stable to loose housing system, so that they have to be slaughtered or sell. Thanks for a reply. Christoph Menke From: IN%"Frank.Odberg@rug.ac.be" "Frank Odberg" 15-JAN-1998 04:58:29.66 To: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology" CC: Subj: oestrus detection cows A student is looking for the following. Does somebody know where to find it and how to get a copy? It's nowhere on databanks in this country. Schofield, S.A.: Oestrus detection methods and oestrus behaviour of dairy cows in different environments. Thesis (Ph.D.? M.Sc.? B.Sc.?) University College of North Wales, 1988. Author? (1976): Factors influencing A.B. conception rates. VI. Intensity of oestrus behaviour and errors in the diagnosis of oestrus. New Zealand J. of Exper. Agriculture, 4, 1, 21-25. Two papers by Esslemont, R.J.: A.D.A.S.Q. Rev., 1974, 12, 175-184 idem 1974, 15, 83-95 (cannot find out which journal it is) Many thanks! Prof.Dr. Frank O. Odberg University of Ghent Dpt. of Animal Nutrition, Genetics, Production and Ethology Heidestraat 19 B-9820 Merelbeke Belgium tel: +32-(0)9-2647804 fax: 7849 From: IN%"heather@jukebox.demon.co.uk" "Heather J. Cole" 15-JAN-1998 05:44:35.14 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: ghost puppies hello all! i am desperately seeking information on phantom pregnancy in bitches. my ten month old mutt has been recently diagnosed with having a phantom pregnancy. her symptoms include enlarged mammary glands with milk production, lots of whining and maintenance of close proximity to me, and recently a tendency to hide in very small places such as under this desk. her first season was in october/november. the mammary glands have been enlarged pretty much since then but her behavioural changes have only been noticeable these past few weeks. does a phantom pregnancy result from the body's assumption that it IS pregnant after being in season (because in nature the chances of a bitch not becoming pregnant during a season are so low)? will a phantom pregnancy necessarily come to an end without intervention? what is the best form of intervention? one vet advised me to starve my mutt and deprive her of water for 24 hours. does this really work? yesterday after banning her from under this desk where there are many wires and things, she became quite anxious, pacing and whining. i then built her a little "den" under a bookshelf in the livingroom which seemed to reduce her anxiety but i worry that maybe i am making things worse by encouraging such behaviour? any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated! cheers, heather j. cole From: IN%"FoodFarm@aol.com" "FoodFarm" 15-JAN-1998 07:17:18.87 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: Ghost puppies Dear Heather, Re the problem with "Mutt" - our neighbour called in the vet for a similar phantom pregnancy concerning his dog. The dog had made a nest in the barn with some old blankets and had collected her playthings (squeaky toys, etc) in the nest. She also had milk. Our local vet said the simplest cure was to take away her toys and her "nest". It seemed a hard cure - but worked almost within 24 hours. The dog got her toys back after a few days. This occured some three years ago and she hasn't had a phantom pregnancy since. Hope this helps, Norman From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 15-JAN-1998 07:57:13.58 To: IN%"heather@jukebox.demon.co.uk" "'Heather J. Cole'" CC: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" Subj: Now this is not the place to second guess your veterinarian's advice! However,I have just this second transmitted a post on the subject to a colleague and you may read it. There 4 or 5 "treatments" which your vet can chose and apply according to his/her assessment of need. 'Dear J***, I think the term pseudopregnancy or pseudocyesis (Gr. kuesis -gestation) is half wrong! The symptoms of lactation, abdominal enlargement, nesting and even straining! can occur over a period of 6 to 12 weeks post oestrus. I think biologists regard the whole thing as normal and indeed adaptive in a pack where co-operative suckling could enhance pup survival chances. Clients tend to be worried about milk,a loss of appetite, apparent depression, snappy temperament and above all highly destructive nesting . The digging into floors, furniture and wall coverings can be spectacular and expensive. I tend to describe the condition to the client as "post-natal depression" and only regard the mental anguish as a treatable proposition if it is not assuaged by the alternative pup items such as toys or vegetables. The depression is interesting and I wonder if it is related to dopamine reduction. necessary to disinhibit prolactin production. Reduced dopamine would lower the threshold for vomiting which could facilitate epimeletic puking of food for pups. A general reduction in motivation to hunting for food (via appetite reduction) might assist in keeping the bitch in and around the nest. In this context I have noticed and so have others that the bitch in psuedonursing mode is not highly motivated to work. The collie might run out a way for the sheep then just stop, lose interest and come back. I have wondered if so working a bitch might not prove aversive and troublesome in the long term. This physiological state lasts for between one and three weeks. Robin -----Original Message----- From: Heather J. Cole [SMTP:heather@jukebox.demon.co.uk] Sent: 15 January 1998 11:30 To: applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca Subject: ghost puppies hello all! i am desperately seeking information on phantom pregnancy in bitches. my ten month old mutt has been recently diagnosed with having a phantom pregnancy. her symptoms include enlarged mammary glands with milk production, lots of whining and maintenance of close proximity to me, and recently a tendency to hide in very small places such as under this desk. her first season was in october/november. the mammary glands have been enlarged pretty much since then but her behavioural changes have only been noticeable these past few weeks. does a phantom pregnancy result from the body's assumption that it IS pregnant after being in season (because in nature the chances of a bitch not becoming pregnant during a season are so low)? will a phantom pregnancy necessarily come to an end without intervention? what is the best form of intervention? one vet advised me to starve my mutt and deprive her of water for 24 hours. does this really work? yesterday after banning her from under this desk where there are many wires and things, she became quite anxious, pacing and whining. i then built her a little "den" under a bookshelf in the livingroom which seemed to reduce her anxiety but i worry that maybe i am making things worse by encouraging such behaviour? any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated! cheers, heather j. cole From: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "Jeff Rushen" 15-JAN-1998 08:59:22.88 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: research on unsubscribing behaviour Does anyone know of any research that has been done comparing applied-ethology with other lists in terms of the frequency of "incorrect unsubscribing behaviour"? Defined as (for those who, apparently, do not appreciate the point): any attempt to unsubscribe by sending the message to applied-ethology instead of applied-ethology-REQUEST@SASK.USASK.CA From: IN%"ilsmith@utkux.utcc.utk.edu" "Ione Smith" 15-JAN-1998 09:20:33.00 To: IN%"rushenj@EM.AGR.CA" "Jeff Rushen" CC: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: RE: research on unsubscribing behaviour Jeff Rushen wrote: > > Does anyone know of any research that has been done comparing > applied-ethology with other lists in terms of the frequency of "incorrect > unsubscribing behaviour"? I don't believe any controlled studies have been performed at the present time. However, my clinical impression is that the use of similar addresses (e.g., "applied-ethology" vs. "applied-ethology-request", as compared to "vetethic" vs. "listserv") is an important risk factor for the expression of this behavior. Ione -- Ione L. Smith, DVM -- Department of Comparative Medicine -- -- University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine -- -- phone (423) 974-5839 -- FAX (423) 974-5640 -- ================================================== http://funnelweb.utcc.utk.edu/~ilsmith/SVME.html The Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics http://funnelweb.utcc.utk.edu/~ilsmith/ethics.html for all sides of the AR/AW/anti-AR debate ================================================== Reality is whatever refuses to go away when I stop believing in it. -- Philip K. Dick From: IN%"n.ambrose@bham.ac.uk" 15-JAN-1998 09:42:25.29 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: normal behaviour of cats Probably not the answer you are looking for but my male cat displays a similar behaviour, down to the tail curve and foot 'wiping'. Moments afterwards the room is filled with the smell of wiskers cat food! He then turns to face any human in the human in the room, gives a innocent look, to say 'it wasn't me, honest!'. Can't quite understand the benefit of the back feet 'wiping' either. Cheers Neil > Rudy De Meester dr. med. vet. > sint anna 100 9220 Hamme > Belgium > rudy.demeester@ping.be > Hello, > Does anyone knows the meaning of the following behaviour in cats? > A cat starts walking, stops after a short while, looks around, looks > straight in front of her, puts the tail straight up, eventually a little > curve at the top, has some contractions of the anogenital regio, without > visibly producing any fluids, starts " wiping" the back feet for a while > and continues her initial walk. What does it means and does this also > occurs in other felidae? Thanks a lot. Neil Ambrose Department of Biomedical Science and Ethics The University of Birmingham Edgabaston Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 414 5390 (W) 0589 236 345 (M) Email - N.Ambrose@bham.ac.uk - Main mail Please note sending unsolicited commercial email to any of the above addresses will incur a stlg10 administration fee. From: IN%"miklosa@ludens.elte.hu" 15-JAN-1998 10:27:32.16 To: IN%"APPLIED-ETHOLOGY@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: NEW JOURNAL From: MX%"bes@pk.she.de" "Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology" 15-JAN-1998 17:13:21.67 To: MX%"miklosa@ludens.elte.hu" CC: Subj: "Animal Cognition": complete version! ***************************************************************************** "Animal Cognition" - Call for Papers ****************************************************************************** Dear Colleague, It is my pleasure to inform you of a forthcoming new journal, ANIMAL COGNITION, to be edited by me and published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York. ANIMAL COGNITION is an interdisciplinary journal publishing current research from various backgrounds and disciplines (ethology, behavioral ecology, animal behaviour and learning, cognitive sciences, comparative psychology and evolutionary psychology) on all aspects of animal (and human) cognition in an evolutionary framework. ANIMAL COGNITION publishes original articles, empirical and theoretical work, reviews, short communications, and correspondence on the mechanisms and evolution of biologically based cognitive-intellectual structures. It aims to establish the course of the evolution of "intelligence," of the mechanisms, functions, and adaptive value of basic and complex cognitive abilities - the evolution of intelligent behavior and intelligent systems from invertebrates to humans. Papers on the following topics are in particular welcome: * How do animals categorize and recognize individuals, food, spatial and time patterns? * How do animals form concepts? * Which rules of logic and decision are used and how do these work? * What satisficing heuristics do animals use? * How do animals reason about their social world? * How do animals learn by observation, imitation and instruction? * Mechanisms of mate choice * Animal time perception and use * Causality detection * Innate reaction patterns * Innate bases of learning * Numerical competence and frequency expectancies * Learning and formation of rules * Symbol use * Problem solving * Animal thinking * Use of tools * Modularity of the mind * How do these topics relate to the natural ecology of the species concerned? Experiments and field studies with animals and humans and the comparative method will be given preference but simulation models and theoretical analyses will be also considered. Chief editor: Tatiana Czeschlik Editors: Richard Byrne (St. Andrews), Juan Delius (Konstanz), Jean-Louis Deneubourg (Brussels), Luc-Alain Giraldeau (Montreal), Marc Hauser (Cambridge, USA), Adolf Heschl (Vienna), Adam Miklosi (Goed), Irene Pepperberg (Tucson), Dietmar Todt (Berlin), Jacques Vauclair (Marseille) From the very beginning, in the summer of this year, the journal also will be available in a full-text electronic edition in Springer's LINK project. This will enable you to add to your paper (at no cost!) such supplementary electronic material as color illustrations, videos, animations, large quantities of data, and sound files - indispensable information especially in this field. You will find all relevant information on ANIMAL COGNITION - its aims and scope, editorial board members, address of the editorial office, instructions for authors, etc. - already available on Springer's web site at: http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/10071/index.htm Although there is wide, general agreement in the scientific community on the need for a journal exclusively devoted to all aspects of ANIMAL COGNITION, the start of a new journal is always a difficult enterprise before it takes off the ground. Its success depends solely on you and your papers. Thus, make ANIMAL COGNITION your journal by submitting your best manuscripts for speedy publication. If you have any questions or comments or would like to submit a manuscript, please contact me by e-mail, fax, or postal mail at the address shown below. I am looking forward to our collaboration. Yours sincerely, Tatiana E. Czeschlik, Ph.D. Chief Editor ANIMAL COGNITION Springer-Verlag Tiergartenstr. 17 D-69121 Heidelberg GERMANY Fax: +49 6221 409840 e-mail: BES@pk.she.de ****************************************************************** *************************************************************************** Tatiana Czeschlik Editorial Office "Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology" & new: "Animal Cognition" Muehltalstr. 9 D-69121 Heidelberg Germany Phone +49 6221 47 50 86 FAX +49 6221 40 98 40 email: BES@pk.she.de ******************************************************************************* If you can't reach me at the BES Editorial Office you might try (Tues to Thurs) Dept Psychology office :Tel +49 6421 28-3628 University of Marburg (Secr.:+49 6421 28-3638) Gutenbergstr. 18 email: czeschli@mailer.uni-marburg.de D-35037 Marburg priv: Tel +49 6421 23748 ******************************************************************************** From: IN%"robin@coape.win-uk.net" "Robin Walker" 15-JAN-1998 13:03:15.77 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" "Applied Ethology Network (E-mail)" CC: Subj: The Heuristics of Hedony Dear those of you interested in the Wellbeing of Animals, [It is going to be hard to compete with the excitement of Applied Ethology's main purpose (which is to complain about people's manner of subscribing and unsubscribing) but here goes:-] There does seem to be a steady convergence of the topics of emotionality, memory,reward, feelings, etc in the literature of the last 5 years. Hedony is a subject which comes with its own philosopher, Epicurus, and a fine sense of struggle against the nasty Stoics and Right wing Christians who deny and despise the notion of reward or pleasure for reasons which always are revealed as ruling class fear that ordinary folk might want some joy in life! Resting contentment seems to have two components. A basic feeling of reward just from being. Plus a resting level of security which is absolutely critical for sleep and recuperation. To give the minds of my students the flavour of a homeostasis of pleasure/ reward/joy/whatever I invite them to see emotional balance or resting contentment as a floating bobbin in an oxygen meter. The updraft of gas is balanced by the pull down of gravity. Satiety is the governor that prevents reward from going off scale. The natural body under normal stimulus maintains the necessary equilibrium. Gross over indulgence blunts and destroys pleasure and the artificial violence of certain drugs burns out the mechanisms of restraint. Perhaps the most important issue in Behavioural Studies is the power of associative stimuli to control, evoke and switch off reward chemistry. The checks and balances of resting contentment and its tidal surge in appropriate circumstances seem to share centres and circuits as if God or the Creative evolutionary process w as a very parsimonious electrician who would not put in extra l or dedicated lines if the shared or party lines could suffice. Consequently the experience of such emotions as fear, frustration, revulsion, love, bonding and craving seems to be tightly interlaced in the "extended amygdala". From the great body of work on addiction we can draw insight into the understanding of animal well being. Such papers as Drug Abuse: Hedonic Homeostatic Dysregulation, G. F. Koob and M. Le Moal, Science Vol. 278 3 Oct 1997 would reward anyone interested. What emerges from this type of study are the propositions that addiction, craving, need, affective withdrawal, depression and despair are "feelings" which animals share with us. Furthermore..."dysregulation of hedonic homeostasis can also occur with compulsive use of non-drug reinforcers. Similar patterns of spiralling distress-addiction cycles have been observed with pathological gambling, compulsive exercise, compulsive sex, and others..." It is not difficult for a veterinary behaviourist or ethologist to see the animal counterparts. The diagnosis and treatment of stereotypies, separation distress, and frustrative rage could be inspired and illuminated by such study. I have Ethology and Psychopharmacology Eds. S.J Cooper and C.A. Hendrie 1994 Wylie at my elbow and in spare moments am sifting through the experiments described in the 18 chapters. It is evident that this painstaking and ' not a bit soft' branch of Ethology needs to do it all again! The effects of anxiolytics on hedonic regulation as inhibitors of reward or enhancers of frustrative vigour, and the effects of serenics or antidepressive agents on both motivation and demotivation tend to have protean and unsuspected effects on the results and interpretations. The reward from this demanding bed side reading is not insomnia but as sense of contentment as the peculiar cases of the day begin to make sense. For example I heard yesterday of the two Jack Russell bitches which fight savagely when one attempts to leave the room with their joint male owner and the Valium therapy which or two weeks seemed to work and then made everything much worse..... ...no! Not disinhibition....but rather enhanced frustration.... but goodnight for now, Robin From: IN%"hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk" 15-JAN-1998 14:24:49.08 To: IN%"billcamp@cdsnet.net" CC: IN%"Applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" Subj: RE: Dog behaviour video/photos/drawings Many thanks for your help Robert C Hubrecht hubrecht@ufaw.org.uk PLEASE NOTE UFAW's NEW ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBERS Dr R Hubrecht Deputy Director UFAW Universities Federation for Animal Welfare The Old School Brewhouse Hill Wheathampstead Herts AL4 8AN UK Tel +44 (0) 1582 831818 Fax +44 (0) 1582 831414 ********* UFAW Web site******** http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~ufaw3/ ***************************** From: IN%"rman@cmn.net" 15-JAN-1998 14:41:48.17 To: IN%"applied-ethology@sask.usask.ca" CC: Subj: RE: The Heuristics of Hedony Robin thank you for sharing your readings. Very illuminating. This type of discussion is the reason I signed-up for the list :). Thanks again, Sasha Nelson rman@cmn.net > > Such papers as Drug Abuse: Hedonic Homeostatic Dysregulation, > G. F. Koob and M. Le Moal, Science Vol. 278 3 Oct 1997 would > reward anyone interested. What emerges from this type of > study are the propositions that addiction, craving, need, affective > withdrawal, depression and despair are "feelings" which animals > share with us. > I have Ethology and Psychopharmacology Eds. S.J Cooper and > C.A. Hendrie 1994 Wylie at my elbow and in spare moments > am sifting through the experiments described in the 18 chapters.