USER-ALT Julie Daniels and others , University of Edinburgh , UK
Behavioural problems are the reason for thousands of dogs being rehomed each year in the UK . This highlights the need for behaviour modification therapy , but there is no statutory regulation of this practice and no official register of canine behaviour therapists . The authors report an online survey completed by 235 dog owners , detailing their experiences of behavioural therapy . Few owners appreciated the distinction between dog trainers and qualified behaviourists or noticed any difference in their ability to deal with their pet ’ s problems . Behaviourists were significantly more likely to use reward-based therapies than ‘ balanced ’ training involving a combination of reward and punishment .
Journal of Veterinary Behavior https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . jveb . 2022.11.011
Survey of cat owners ' experience of at-home medication
USER-ALT Samantha Taylor and others , International Cat Care , Tisbury , UK
Cat owners often have difficulty in administering medicines to treat their animals . Cats may refuse to ingest the medication , spit it out or run away . Even oral medications intended to be easier to administer may not be swallowed willingly . The authors investigated how widely these problems occur via an online survey , which was completed by 1,724 ordinary cat owners and 783 others with significant experience of cat management , such as veterinary professionals . More than a third of owners reported being unable to complete a course of medication . Half of these said problems in administering medicines had altered their relationship with the cat . As many owners reported being bitten or scratched , the authors recommend that veterinary professionals give more advice and support to clients to help them treat their cats .
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery https :// doi . org / 10.1177 / 1098612X221083752
Potential value of sea buckthorn as a treatment for type 2 diabetes
USER-ALT Rudolf Dupak and others , Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovakia
Sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides ) is a thorny shrub found throughout temperate Europe and Asia . Its berries contain a range of antioxidative compounds , which may have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties . The authors investigated the effects of feeding a dried sea buckthorn berry extract to Zucker diabetic fatty rats , a strain with a leptin receptor mutation bred as a laboratory model for type 2 diabetes in humans . This treatment delayed the appearance of hyperglycaemia , reduced water intake and suppressed the accumulation of sorbitol in the lenses of the rats ' eyes . The authors propose that regular consumption of sea buckthorn berries could improve diabetes symptoms in other species .
Research in Veterinary Science https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . rvsc . 2022.08.022
14 Veterinary Nursing Journal