USER-ALT Amir Zakian and others , Lorestan University , Khorramabad , Iran
There is growing interest in the use of unconventional options to support wound healing in veterinary patients . Saliva of the medicinal leech ( Hirudo medicinalis ) has been shown to contain a number of bioactive substances that appear to influence the regeneration of skin tissue . The authors applied leeches to fullthickness experimental incisions in laboratory rodents . Their findings showed faster collagen remodelling and wound healing , and a lower inflammatory response , in the leech therapy group than in control animals or those with wounds given other forms of topical treatment .
Evaluation of music therapy in reducing stress in hospitalised cats
USER-ALT Juliane Paz and others , Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre , Brazil
Music has been shown to produce beneficial physiological effects in several animal species . In dogs , for example , it has been shown to reduce signs of stress . The authors therefore investigated whether it would have the same effects in cats . Hospitalised cats were exposed to both classical music and ‘ cat-specific ’ music based on frequencies similar to the feline vocal range . No significant differences in behavioural signs of stress were detected by blinded observers between the two trial groups and the controls . However , cats in the classical music group showed a reduction in respiratory rates , while the cat-specific music group showed more frequent positive social interactions .
Impact of optical impressions on owners ' dog-feeding practices
USER-ALT Ronja Nitsch and Petra Kölle , Ludwig Maximilian University , Munich , Germany
Up to 60 % of pet dogs are overweight . When owners attempt to tackle their pet ' s obesity , the results are often disappointing . Possible reasons may include an owner ' s concern about causing their dog hunger-induced distress or losing its affection . The authors investigated how strategies that appeared to increase the amount of food present in the dog ' s bowl affected the owner ' s feeding practices . They instructed owners to feed their dogs using bowls of different sizes , shapes and colours . Their results suggest that owners are more likely to overfeed their pet if the food is given in a bowl with a wider diameter and a flatter angle to the side wall . The authors suggest that taking account of visual perceptions of the food bowl ' s volume may be important in encouraging owners to modify their feeding practices .
10 Veterinary Nursing Journal