ANSC 2303 Exam 1

Companion animals

species with special bond with humans who live in same proximity as them

Domestication

wild species adapt to human proximity due to selective breeding

Domestication Syndrome

physical and behavioral traits common with domesticated animals (floppy ears, curly tails)

Domestication of dogs

domesticated ~15,000 years ago from grey wolf by following hunters

Why were dogs domesticated

Humans used them for protection, herding, pest control, & pretige

Biophilia

The human desire to affiliate with other life in its many forms.

Domestication of Cats

Domesticated ~6,000 years ago from African Wildcats in the Middle East & Egypt by taking advantage of human food scraps and waste

Why were cats domesticated

humans recognized their value for pest control and used them on ships

Domestication of horses

Domesticated ~5000 BCE from Mongolia to Central Asia

Why were horses domesticated

Humans used them as a food source, riding, and working

Domestication of Rabbits

Domesticated around ~1500s from the European Rabbit in Western Europe/ Northwest Africa

Why were rabbits domesticated

humans used them for fur, meat, animal testing, and companions

Feral animals

genetically domesticated animals that escaped captivity and disrupt the ecosystem

Imprinting

learning process during an animal's critical period of socialization, can't be reversed, used in domestication of wild animals

Easy Traits for domestication

growing and maturing quickly, breeding easily, plant-based diet, adaptable to changing climates, living in herds, resist diseases

Why we own pets

attachment, relationships, respect for living things, identities, culture, practical uses

Benefits of Pet ownership

physical health benefits, help with trauma, mental health benefits

Drawbacks of pet ownership

cost, time, responsibility

Rise in pet ownership

Due to expansion of the middle class, shifting opinions of pet culture, and the Covid outbreak

Who owns pets

People with higher incomes, have children later in life, have higher education, and work from home

Why should we know current stats on pet ownership

resource planning, public health and population control, policy and advocacy, emerging issues, workforce training needs, business and marketing

Animal Welfare

How an animal is coping with their living conditions and environment

5 Freedoms

Freedom from hunger and thirst

Freedom from discomfort and exposure

Freedom from pain, injury, or disease

Freedom to express normal behavior

Freedom from fear and distress

5 Domains

Nutrition, environment, health, behavior, mental state

Basic Health and Functioning of companion animals

Evaluated by physical health status, productivity, growing/producing properly

Natural living

Animals should lead natural lives, perform natural behaviors, and live in proximity to cospecies

Affective states

how animals feel emotions

One Health

Ensures optimal health for all

Unitarianism

Benefit the most, harm the least

Agency

Make own choices, act independently, choice and control

Autonomy

Independence, make own decisions

Apathy

Lack of interest

Why do animals need agency and autonomy

animals can become apathetic, anxios, and/or stressed

Common welfare concerns for dogs

pedigree/ dog breeding practices, obesity, dog behavior and training, dog purchasing and relinquishment, lack of companionship/ left alone

Common welfare concerns for small mammals

space requirements, inappropriate diet, medical issues, lack of companions, inappropriate handling

Common welfare concerns for horses

diet, preventative care, hoof care, social contact, lack of outdoor access, harmful training, inappropriate equipment

Other welfare concerns

Cruelty, neglect, abuse, puppy mills, exposure to fear-provoking stimuli, cosmetic harmful practices

Piloerection

raised hackles, fur raised on body, neck, back, and tail

Affiliative Behavior

pleasing and appealing behaviors, strengthen social connections (play bow, roll on back)

Agnostic Behavior

Conflict, competition, threatening behaviors (growling, stiff body, snapping)

Appeasing Behaviors

de-escalate, non-threatening (sneeze, yawn)

relaxed behavior in dogs

neutral or wagging tail (right bias), ears forward, upright torso, soft eyes, open mouth, loose lips, approaching

fearful behavior in dogs

crouching, lowered head, low ears, lowered tail or wagging (left bias), barking, whining, hiding, flinch, whale eye, avoiding eye contact, lip licking

Fear

short-lived response to event with bodily changes

4 Fs

freeze, fawn, flight, fight

defensive aggression in dogs

lowered body, crouching, and snapping

offensive aggression in dogs

upright stance, stiff body, raised tail wag, barking, growling, staring, tight lips, barring teeth, raised fur, snapping

alert behavior in dogs

forward stance, eyes focused, stiff body, ears forward, barking, whining, paw lift

Stress

response to recognizable threat, short-term

Anxiety

response t chronic stressor, persistent, long-term, anticipates future threats

stress/ anxiety behavior in dogs

panting, drooling, lip-licking, pacing, hypervigilance, lack of activity, paw licking, excessive vocalizations, change in normal activities, tail wag (left bias)

frustration

want to obtain a goal, but can't, barren and unnatural environment, isolation from cospecies,

boredom

low arousal, avoidence, self-harming, abnormal behaviors, drowsy, slowed breathing, change in sleep

depressive state

lack of engagement, not attending basic needs, develops from boredom or deprivation in needs

adhedonia

lack of pleasure from positive stimuli

consequences of depression

mortality, illness, reduced reproduction, cognition

Cat whiskers

sensory recognition of environment, connected to nerves with emotional and sensory states, help movement in the dark

Perching

a cat seeking a high, elevated location to observe

spraying

cat uses hind end to urinate on an object

flehmen

cat uses open mouth to retain scents to roof of mouth

relaxed behaviors in cats

upright head and tail, forward ears, normal pupils, meowing, purring, approaching, loose body

fearful behaviors in cats

lowered head and tail, crouching, sideways or backwards ears, dilated pupils, hissing, growling, freezing, avoidence, piloerection

defensive aggression in cats

lowered head, tucked tail, crouching, sideways or backward ears, dilated pupils, hissing, growling, piloerection, biting, swatting

Offensive aggression in cats

lowered head and tail, arched back, abdomen raised, sideways or backward ears, pupils dilated, hissing, growling, yowling, lip licking, freezing, biting, swatting

fear/ anxiety in cats

over/under grooming, overstimulation, hypervigilant, lack of awareness, excessive meowing, lack of engagement, eating more/less, avoidence

How to tell the difference of playful or aggressive behavior

watch for reciprocation, vocalizations, interactions after

scent marking in cats

recognition of stimuli, release pheromones as markers by scratching, rubbing, or spraying

reproductive behaviors in cats

sensing or indicating reproduction ready by spraying, rubbing, or flehmen

relaxed behavior in rabbits

ears in breed specific location, limbs outstretched, loafing, flopping, standing on hind limbs, binky, purring, clicking, oinking

FAS/ negative affective state in rabbits

ears pinned back, flattening abdomen with limbs under, thumping, lunging, biting, boxing stance, screaming, snorting, growling, teeth grinding

relaxed behaviors in rodents

lose body, ears in species position, grooming, eating, playing, exploring, ultrasonic "laughing", bruxing

FAS? negative affective state in rodents

arched back, piloerection, ears rotating, biting, pacing, hiding, freezing, chattering

malfunction behaviors

abnormal phycology, brain development, or neurochemistry due to captive environment

maladaptive behaviors

normal behaviors in abnormal environments, "zoochosis"

self-directed behaviors

overgrooming, feather plucking, self-mutualization

redirected bahaviors

suckling on others, wool pulling, vacuuming

displacement behaviors

normal behavior out of context

sterotypic behaviors

compulsive, repetitive, indicator or stress or frustration

locomotor stereotypies

body movement in repetitive manner (pacing, jumping)

oral stereotyoes

use of the mouth performing functionless repetitive behavior while not eating (cribbling, bar biting)

Whiskers on horses

protects horses' eyes and muzzle, help navigate blind spot

Equine vision

dichromatic vision, 2 types of visual cones in eyes, can see yallow/ blue

Parasympathetic activation

returns to relaxed state following a negative stressor

Flehmen in horses

curls back upper lip exposing front teeth while inhaling through nostrils, moves scent through vomeronasal organ

Yawning

tiredness or displacement activity occurring during stressor to relieve tension

Maintenance behaviors in horses

stomping, head tossing, rolling, grooming

Ingestive/ exploratory behaviors in horses

pawing, browsing, licking, sniffing, touching a stimulus with muzzle

flight response in horses

freezing, bolting, shying, spinning

fight response in horses

head threat, kick threat, push/ bump, chase, bite, kick, rear, strike

relaxed behaviors in horses

neutral, slightly lowered head, sideways or forward ears, neutral tail, standing, one leg resting, no vocalizations, normal eyes, relaxed nose, mouth closed or drooped

feaful behaviors in horses

high head, forward ear flicking back, raised or swishing tail, standing, freezing, moving sideways, pawing, snort, blow, neigh, triangular eyes with prominent wrinkle, flared nostrils, mouth tightly closed

conflict behaviors in horses

competing motivations occurring during riding results in stress

learned helplessness

little to no control over stressful conditions, unresponsive to cues or stimuli

3 Fs in horses

Forage, Friends, and Freedom

Locomotor ARBS in horses

social contact, freedom to move and make choices, pacing, circling, weaving, head shaking, tossing, and nodding

Oral ARBS in horses

forage based diet 24/7, cribbling, wind suckling, wood chewing, lip smacking, biting directed at body

anthropomorphism

ascribing human characteristics to animal behaviors

anthropomorphism consequences

underlying motivations unaddressed, human responses may increase intensity of behavior, flight/ fight response

approaching

let animals come to you, slowly approach from the side, get lower with smaller dogs and cats

petting interactions

pay attention to body language, follow recommended guidelines, use soft slow strokes, remember individual preferences