Development of an evidence-based welfare approach for cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) under human care
Societal concern for animals under human care has influenced our approaches to advance animal welfare in a variety of contexts. The Animal Programs Department at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium sought partnership with the Center for Human-Animal Interactions Research & Education (CHAIRE) at The Ohio State University to develop a holistic welfare approach for the […]
Aggression and social support predict long-term cortisol levels in captive tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus Sapajus apella)
Many nonhuman Primates live in complex social groups in which they regularly encounter both social stressors such as aggression and social support such as that provided by long-term affiliative relationships. Repeated exposure to social stressors may result in chronically elevated cortisol levels that can have deleterious physical effects such as impaired immune function, cardiovascular disease, […]
Effects of parity and litter size on cortisol measures in commercially housed sows and their offspring
Breeding sows are regularly exposed to on-farm stressors throughout the duration of their production period. The impact of such stressors may differ for primi- and multiparous sows, as sows could learn to cope with stressors as they gain experience with them. If parity affects stress in sows, it may also impact their prenatal offspring through […]
Relationship between resilience and stress: Perceived stress, stressful life events, HPA axis response during a stressful task and hair cortisol
Background There is no consensus about how resilience is related to the different types of stress such as daily or chronic stress and psychopathology. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between resilience and the different measures of stress such as perceived stress, chronic stress, life events, HPA axis response during […]
Comparing hair cortisol concentrations from various body sites and serum cortisol in Holstein lactating cows and heifers during thermal comfort zone
Measuring cortisol in hair has recently been established as a reliable physiological index to evaluate chronic stress conditions in humans and many animal species. The aim of this study was to determine serum cortisol and the concentrations of hair cortisol from various body sites of lactating Holstein cows and heifers during thermal comfort zone. Forty-seven […]
Animal Temperament and Human Disturbance: Implications for the Response of Wildlife to Tourism
Studies on the response of wildlife to human disturbance generally focus on demographic changes or on physiological and behavioural modifications directly related to stress response. Yet fewer studies have explored whether the distribution of individual animals in response to human disturbance is influenced by temperament. Temperament represents the consistency of responses of individuals in reaction […]
Should stress management be part of the clinical care provided to chronically ill dogs?
As a consequence of their physical and/or psychological effects, on-going diseases may have the potential to induce chronic stress in dogs. Chronic stress may contribute to disease progression and negatively affect welfare. By investigating whether on-going illnesses cause chronic stress in dogs and exploring the relationship between hair cortisol and potential disease-dependent and disease-independent stressors, […]
Coat and claws as new matrices for noninvasive long-term cortisol assessment in dogs from birth up to 30 days of age
The last stage of fetal development and the neonatal period represent the most critical phases for the mammals’ offspring. In the dog, the knowledge about the final intrauterine fetal development and biology, as well as about the neonatal physiology, remains scarce. Hormonal changes occurring in the last intrauterine fetal phase and during the early neonatal […]
Factors determining the effects of human interaction on the cortisol levels of shelter dogs
The stress experienced by dogs admitted to animal shelters not only impacts welfare, but may lead to behavior that threatens successful adoptions. This stress is reflected in an elevation in the plasma cortisol levels of newly admitted dogs. We previously found 30 min of human interaction reduced the plasma cortisol response dogs showed to shelter […]