Assessment of Stress Caused by Environmental Changes for Improving the Welfare of Laboratory Beagle Dogs.

ABSTRACT: Animal stress is influenced by environmental factors, yet only a few studies have evaluated the effects of environmental stress on captive dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of environmental and social enrichment on the stress levels of captive dogs housed in a lab. We assessed stress levels in eight Beagle dogs by measuring their body weight, cortisol levels, a stress hormone, the alkaline phosphatase activity in serum, the number of steps per hour, as well as clinical sign observations in a changed environment for 6 weeks. Four dogs assigned to a control group were raised alone in a relatively narrow place without toys; four dogs assigned to an experimental group were raised together in a relatively large place with toys. The body weight of the control group remained unchange

SUBMITTER: Lee GH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10044678 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature