Use of Accelerometer Activity Monitors to Detect Changes in Pruritic Behaviors: Interim Clinical Data on 6 Dogs.

ABSTRACT: Veterinarians and pet owners have limited ability to assess pruritic behaviors in dogs. This pilot study assessed the capacity of the Vetrax^® triaxial accelerometer to measure these behaviors in six dogs with pruritus likely due to environmental allergens. Dogs wore the activity monitor for two weeks while consuming their usual pet food (baseline), then for eight weeks while consuming a veterinary-exclusive pet food for dogs with suspected non-food-related skin conditions (Hill's Prescription Diet^® Derm Defense^TM Canine dry food). Veterinarians and owners completed questionnaires during baseline, phase 1 (days 1-28) and phase 2 (days 29-56) without knowledge of the activity data. Continuous 3-axis accelerometer data was processed using proprietary behavior

SUBMITTER: Wernimont SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5795410 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature