Dataset Information

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) grieve over the loss of a conspecific.

ABSTRACT: Behavioural reactions towards a dead conspecific have been observed rarely in wild canids and there is no documented scientific evidence of grief in pet dogs. A quantitative analysis of grief-related responses in both dogs and owners was conducted, using the validated online Mourning Dog Questionnaire. The survey was completed by 426 Italian adults who had owned at least two dogs, one of whom died while the other was still alive. This research aims to explore whether, how and what a dog may experience over the loss of a companion dog. Multiple logistic regression indicates that both a friendly or parental relationship between two dogs but also the fact that dogs used to share food and the owner's grief and anger are principal predictors of negative behavioural changes. According to dog owners' answers, the surviving dog after the death of the companion dog changed both in terms of activities ("playing", "sleeping", and "eating") and emotions (fearfulness), which occurred as a function of the quality of the relationship between the two animals. By contrast, the time the two dogs had spent together had no effect on the behaviours of surviving dog. Owner perceptions about their dog's reactions and emotions were not related to the memory or suffering of the event that tended to diminish over time. These findings indicate that a dog may show grief-related behavioural and emotional patterns when a close conspecific dies, with aspects of the latter possibly related to the owner's emotional status.

SUBMITTER: Uccheddu S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8873218 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) grieve over the loss of a conspecific.

Uccheddu Stefania S Ronconi Lucia L Albertini Mariangela M Coren Stanley S Da Graça Pereira Gonçalo G De Cataldo Loriana L Haverbeke Anouck A Mills Daniel Simon DS Pierantoni Ludovica L Riemer Stefanie S Testoni Ines I Pirrone Federica F

Scientific reports 20220224 1

Behavioural reactions towards a dead conspecific have been observed rarely in wild canids and there is no documented scientific evidence of grief in pet dogs. A quantitative analysis of grief-related responses in both dogs and owners was conducted, using the validated online Mourning Dog Questionnaire. The survey was completed by 426 Italian adults who had owned at least two dogs, one of whom died while the other was still alive. This research aims to explore whether, how and what a dog may expe ...[more]

PMID: 35210440

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Project description:Canine diarrhea is a common intestinal illness that is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and canine diarrhea may induce morbidity and mortality of domestic dogs if treated improperly. Recently, viral metagenomics was applied to investigate the signatures of the enteric virome in mammals. In this research, the characteristics of the gut virome in healthy dogs and dogs with diarrhea were analyzed and compared using viral metagenomics. The alpha diversity analysis indicated that the richness and diversity of the gut virome in the dogs with diarrhea were much higher than the healthy dogs, while the beta diversity analysis revealed that the gut virome of the two groups was quite different. At the family level, the predominant viruses in the canine gut virome were certified to be Microviridae, Parvoviridae, Siphoviridae, Inoviridae, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, and others. At the genus level, the predominant viruses in the canine gut virome were certified to be Protoparvovirus, Inovirus, Chlamydiamicrovirus, Lambdavirus, Dependoparvovirus, Lightbulbvirus, Kostyavirus, Punavirus, Lederbergvirus, Fibrovirus, Peduovirus, and others. However, the viral communities between the two groups differed significantly. The unique viral taxa identified in the healthy dogs group were Chlamydiamicrovirus and Lightbulbvirus, while the unique viral taxa identified in the dogs with diarrhea group were Inovirus, Protoparvovirus, Lambdavirus, Dependoparvovirus, Kostyavirus, Punavirus, and other viruses. Phylogenetic analysis based on the near-complete genome sequences showed that the CPV strains collected in this study together with other CPV Chinese isolates clustered into a separate branch, while the identified CAV-2 strain D5-8081 and AAV-5 strain AAV-D5 were both the first near-complete genome sequences in China. Moreover, the predicted bacterial hosts of phages were certified to be Campylobacter, Escherichia, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Moraxella, Mediterraneibacter, and other commensal microbiota. In conclusion, the enteric virome of the healthy dogs group and the dogs with diarrhea group was investigated and compared using viral metagenomics, and the viral communities might influence canine health and disease by interacting with the commensal gut microbiome.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have the potential to act as disease reservoirs for wildlife and are important sentinels for common circulating pathogens. Therefore, the infectious disease seroprevalence among domestic dogs in northern Botswana may be indicative of pathogen exposure of various wildlife species. The objective of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of Ehrlichia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., Dirofilaria immitis, canine adenovirus, canine parvovirus, and canine distemper virus in domestic dogs as proxies of disease prevalence in the local wildlife in the Okavango Delta region of Botswana. Statistical analysis assessed crude and factor-specific seroprevalence proportions in relation to age, sex, and geographical location as predictors of seropositivity. Logistic regression was used to identify adjusted predictors of seropositivity for each of the pathogens of interest. RESULTS:Samples from 233 dogs in a total of seven locations in Maun, Botswana, and surrounding villages were collected and serologically analyzed. No dogs were seropositive for B. burgdorferi, while low seroprevalence proportions were observed for Anaplasma spp. (2.2%) and D. immitis (0.9%). Higher seroprevalence proportions were observed for the tick-borne pathogen Ehrlichia spp. (21.0%), and 19.7% were seropositive for canine adenovirus (hepatitis). The highest seroprevalence proportions were for canine parvovirus (70.0%) and canine distemper virus (44.8%). The predictors of seropositivity revealed that adults were more likely to be seropositive for canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, and canine parvovirus than juveniles, and location was a risk factor for canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, and Ehrlichia spp. CONCLUSIONS:Results indicate that increasing tick control and vaccination campaigns for domestic dogs may improve the health of domestic animals, and potentially wildlife and humans in the Okavango Delta since viral and vector-borne bacterial pathogens can be transmitted between them.

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Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) grieve over the loss of a conspecific.

Publications

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) grieve over the loss of a conspecific.

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