There is an increased demand for artificial insemination and shipping canine semen in clinical practice. However, we need to process the semen samples using centrifugation and dilution with extenders to help preserve the breeding dose and semen quality. Our objective was to determine a clinically relevant range of centrifugation and concentration parameters for processing canine semen. In the first experiment, we hypothesized that higher g force and longer treatment improves sperm recovery rates yet causes greater decline in semen parameters over a 48-hour cooling period. Our study design used the raw semen evaluations which served as each dog's own control. Sperm RR (%) was calculated post-centrifugation, and sperm viability (%, Nucleocounter® SP-100™), total and progressive motility (%, subjective and computer-assisted sperm analysis), and morphology (NM%, eosin-nigrosin staining) were assessed on initial raw semen (T0), post-centrifugation (T1), and 24 (T2) and 48 hours (T3) after cooling. Sperm losses were minimal and similar for all treatment groups (median >98%, P≥0.062). Spermatozoa viability was not different between centrifugation groups at any time point (P≥0.38) but declined significantly during cooling (T1 vs. T2/T3, P≤0.001). Similarly, total and progressive motility did not differ across treatments but declined in all groups from T1 to T3 (P≤0.02). In conclusion, our study showed that centrifugation within a range of 400g-900g for 5-10 minutes is appropriate for processing canine semen. In the second phase, we compared different sperm concentrations for cooled canine semen storage and hypothesized that lower concentrations would result in better semen quality. Individual ejaculates were divided into a control aliquot (CON) extended 1:3 vol:vol with a commercial extender. The remaining sample was centrifuged and extended to 200 x106 sperm/ml (C200), then serially diluted to 100, 50, and 25 x106 sperm/ml concentrations (C100-C25). Aliquots were cooled for 24h, then centrifuged and re-extended. Parameters were assessed in raw semen (T0), post-extension (T1), after 24h of cooling (T2), and after processing at 24h (T3). Cooling resulted in significant declines in STM and NM for all groups, and in decreased PMI for CON and C25-50. After cooling (at T2), PMI was significantly lower for C25 compared to all groups and higher for CON compared to C25-100 (p≤0.038). For the motility parameters and NM, C25 performed worse than all or most of the other groups. Comparing CON at T3 with C25-200 at T2, PMI, STM and NM for CON were significantly lower than C25-200, C200, and C100-200, respectively. In conclusion, our results show that cooling canine semen for 24h at 200 x106 sperm/ml final concentration after processing or extending 1:3 vol:vol without centrifugation is preferred based on highest PMI. If volume restrictions apply, processing raw semen and extending to the desired volume with higher sperm concentrations at the collection facility is superior to centrifugation and volume adjustment after 24h of cooled storage. / Master of Science / We need to process canine semen using centrifugation and dilution for cooled shipments or cryopreservation. This is due to the increased demand for shipping canine semen for artificial insemination. Our goal was to define an acceptable range of centrifugation and concentration parameters (gravitational (g) force and time and sperm/ml) without severe negative impact on semen quality. In the first experiment, we hypothesized that higher g force (900g vs. 400g or 720g) and longer treatment (10 min. vs. 5 min.) improves sperm recovery rates yet causes greater decline in semen parameters over a 48-hour cooling period. Initial raw semen evaluations served as each dog's own control. Sperm recovery rates post-centrifugation were similar between treatment groups. Sperm viability, motility and morphology were not different between centrifugation treatment groups but declined over time. In conclusion, our range of 400-900g for 5-10 minutes centrifugation provides clinically viable semen quality after up to 48 hours of cooled storage in dogs. In the second phase, we compared different sperm concentrations for cooled canine semen storage and hypothesized that lower concentrations would result in better semen quality. Individual ejaculates were divided into a control aliquot (CON) extended 1:3 vol:vol with a commercial extender. The remaining sample was centrifuged and extended to 200 x106 sperm/ml (C200), then serially diluted to 100, 50, and 25 x106 sperm/ml concentrations (C100-C25). Aliquots were cooled for 24h, then centrifuged and re-extended. Cooling resulted in significant declines in subjective total motility and normal morphology (NM, %) for all groups, and in decreased viability for CON and C25-50. After cooling, viability of the sperm cells was significantly lower for C25 compared to all other groups, and higher for CON compared to C25-100 (P≤0.038). For motility parameters and NM, C25 performed worse than all or most of the other groups. In conclusion, our results show that cooling canine semen for 24h at 200 x106 sperm/ml final concentration after processing or extending 1:3 vol:vol without centrifugation is preferred based on highest plasma membrane integrity (PMI) or sperm cell viability. If volume restrictions apply, processing raw semen and extending to the desired volume with higher sperm concentrations at the collection facility is superior to centrifugation and volume adjustment after 24h of cooled storage.

Previous studies of human oligodendroglial neoplasms have demonstrated the diagnostic and prognostic values of histomorphologic features and immunocytochemical markers. Primary spontaneous canine intracranial tumors share many of the biologic behaviors and pathologic features of their human counterparts. The objectives of this study were to determine if associations existed between five histomorphologic features (mitoses, cellular atypia, necrosis, vascular hypertrophy, and vascular proliferation), and three immunocytochemical markers (GFAP, EGFR, and Ki-67 labeling index) and the degree of malignancy, as defined by WHO grading criteria, of 15 canine oligodendroglial tumors. Of the histomorphologic variables examined, mitoses and cellular atypia were significantly greater in Grade III oligodendrogliomas than in Grade II oligodendrogliomas (p = 0.002, and p = 0.004, respectively), but no differences were noted between these features and Grade II oligoastrocytomas and Grade II or Grade III oligodendrogliomas. No significant associations were found between GFAP or EGFR immunoreactivity and tumor type or grade. The median percentage of Ki-67 immunoreactivity was significantly different between all tumor types and grades (p < 0.05), and was significantly higher in Grade III oligodendrogliomas than in both oligoastrocytomas (p = 0.014) and Grade II oligodendrogliomas (p = 0.006). Results of this study indicate that although mitoses and cellular atypia are useful histomorphologic features for the differentiation of tumors with oligodendroglial phenotypes, none of the variables examined reliably distinguished mixed gliomas from oligodendrogliomas. The presence of GFAP immunoreactivity in all tumor types suggests that oligodendroglial tumors may arise from a common multipotential cellular lineage. Similar to what has been demonstrated in humans, the Ki-67 labeling index correlated well with the degree of malignancy in the tumors studied. / Master of Science

A variety of neurologic illnesses including peripheral and cranial neuropathies, central vestibular disease, seizures and coma have been associated with hypothyroidism in dogs. Repeated studies have shown that there is loss of blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity in these animals. Current research has also shown the development cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in neurologically normal hypothyroid dogs; a finding that is related to BBB degradation. This derangement may be secondary to atherosclerosis and vascular accidents. One possible mediator of vasospasm and ischemic brain injury is endothelin-1 (ET-1). Another group of mediators of vascular dysfunction that has been found in CSF of dogs with various other CNS diseases is matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). The purpose of this study was to assay molecular markers that may contribute to disruption in the blood brain barrier in chronically hypothyroid canines. We hypothesized that BBB disruption in hypothyroidism is mediated by ET-1 and MMPs, as evidenced by increased concentrations of these proteins in CSF compared to controls. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) previously collected from 9 control and 9 experimentally induced hypothyroid dogs was used. Administration of I-131 was used to create the experimental model. CSF from time points 0, 6, 12, and 18 months post-induction were evaluated using an ELISA kit for endothelin-1. CSF from each time point was also evaluated using gelatinase zymography to detect MMP-2,9, and 14. The endothelin assay was able to detect ET-1 in CSF as determined by a spike and recovery method. However, ET-1 was undetectable in CSF of control and hypothyroid dogs at all time points. Constitutively expressed MMP-2 was detectable in all dogs at all time points. No other MMPs were detectable in CSF. ET-1 and gelatinase MMP,-9, and -14 are not primary mediators of BBB damage in chronically hypothyroid dogs. They could be involved secondarily and may be better evaluated with different assays or in temporal association with the development of clinical signs of neurologic dysfunction. Additional research is needed to confirm this finding and to evaluate biomarkers of non-vascular components of the BBB. / Master of Science

In light of its title, ""The Petting Zoo,""? many of the poems in this collection exist on the page as animals, domestic ones mostly like cats and dogs and birds. Animals that have been tamed and trained to eat out of bowl or Petri dish, shit in certain places, and animals that have grown accustomed to the habitual pet and good good bird affirmation of owner. Katy wanna cracker? To be looked at. To be fed. To be loved. These poems are personal. They are an attempt to articulate the desires of a speaker who is in a constant state of trying to understand the world and the obsessive concerns that decorate her life: think memory, think past, think brother, think sex, think nature, empathy, imagination, abortion, old dog, abortion, love, all of which show up time and time and again throughout the collection. Touch and to be touched, to be whole and yet to break. These poems, perhaps, approach what it means to be alive, and even more specific, what it means to be alive and working through the aftermath of the past and day-to-day that for the speaker often feels broken and incomplete. / Master of Fine Arts

Objective: Dosing intervals of 12 and 24 hours for atenolol have been recommended, but an evidentiary basis is lacking. To test the hypothesis that repeated, once-daily oral administration of atenolol attenuates the heart rate response to isoproterenol for 24 hours, we performed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over experiment. Animals: Twenty healthy dogs Procedures: Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (P) and then atenolol (A), [1 mg/kg PO q24h] or vice versa. Treatment periods were 5-7 days; time between periods was 7 days. Heart rates (bpm) at rest (HRr) and during constant rate [0.2 μg/kg/min] infusion of isoproterenol (HRi) were electrocardiographically obtained 0, 0.25, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after final administration of drug or placebo. A mixed model ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of treatment (Tr), time after drug or placebo administration (t), interaction of treatment and time (Tr*t) as well as period and sequence on HRr and HRi. Results: Sequence or period effects were not detected. There was a significant effect of Tr (p <0.0001) and Tr*t (p <0.0001) on HRi. Atenolol significantly attenuated HRi for 24 hours but did so maximally at 3 hours (least squares means ± SE, A: 146±5 bpm, P: 208±5 bpm); the effect at 24 hours was small (A: 193±5, P: 206±5). Atenolol had a small but significant effect (p <0.0001) on HRr. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: The results of this study support a dosing interval that is less than 24 hours. / MS / This thesis was designed to test the effects of the drug atenolol on heart rate in dogs. Atenolol is used to reduce the heart rate of dogs with cardiovascular disease. The study used 20 dogs that were given oral capsules in both a placebo (no drug) and atenolol phase of the experiment. The study was designed to control for other causes of slower heart rate and make sure that the investigator did not know which treatment was given to a dog. Placebo dogs had a high heart rate response to the drug isoproterenol whereas atenolol treated dogs had a statistically significant lower heart rate response compared to placebo over a 24 hours period of time. The difference between treatments was small after 24 hours and further work is needed to determine the best time interval between doses of medication.

Syftet med studien var att få en djupare förståelse om på vilket sätt läshunden kan bidra till att förbättra barns läsförmåga. Studien använder sig av en metainspirerad innehållsanalys. Metaanalys användes för att samla in information till studien samt att kunna dra slutsatser om tidigare forskning. Innehållsanalys användes för att skapa teman och kodning, med hjälp av innehållsanalys kan man skapa en djupare mening med textens innehåll. Artiklarna från resultatdelen samlades in från vetenskapliga databaser där alla artiklar är peer-reviewe.   Studien undersöker på vilket sätt kan en läshund bidra till att positivt påverka barns läsförmåga? Är det hunden i sig som påverkar barnets läsförmåga eller är det miljön? Resultat visar på att läshunden påverkar barn positivt både psykiskt, fysiskt och socialt. Resultatet visar även på att det är läshunden som påverkar barnen positivt och inte miljön de vistas i under lästiden. Slutsatsen man kan dra av denna studie är att läshunden visar på en positiv påverkan på barn och har givit oss förståelse om på vilket sätt läshunden påverkar barnen.

Foram utilizados trinta cães do sexo masculino, da raça Pastor Alemão, adultos de diferentes idades. Os animais foram doados por Centros de Controle de Zoonoses, consultórios, clínicas e hospitais veterinários dos municípios de São Paulo (SP) e Petrolina (PE), sendo que os animais eram necropsiados no próprio local de coleta, onde eram previamente pesados e mensurados. Inicialmente, promovíamos uma incisão única, da região mentoniana ao períneo. As cavidades craniana, oral, torácica, abdominal e pélvica eram abertas, expondo seus respectivos órgãos, que tinham suas dimensões determinadas com o auxílio de paquímetro milimetrado e/ou fita métrica milimetrada, enquanto sua massa era aferida com o uso de balança analítica de precisão digital. Os resultados foram tabulados, os animais separados em três grupos, conforme as dimensões de altura e comprimento corporais, promoveu-se o teste de correlação linear de Pearson, sendo que com todas as variáveis que correlacionaram-se, efetuou-se as análises de variâncias para determinar a existência de diferença entre as médias. Foram cruzadas as variáveis dos órgãos com os parâmetros corporais e com a idade, além de confrontar dados referentes aos próprios órgãos e destes com órgãos homólogos ou com seus pares, como é o caso do globo ocular, dos lobos tireoideanos, dos rins, das glândulas adrenais, dos ureteres, dos testículos, dos ductos deferentes e dos lobos pancreáticos. Com relação aos dados corporais, obteve-se correlação significativa entre altura e comprimento corporais (resultado que demonstra padrão de longilinidade, onde seu esquadro corporal de perfil mostra-se retangular, sendo que quanto mais alto é o animal, mais longo ele será), altura corporal e altura do tórax, comprimento corporal e altura do tórax, altura corporal e altura abdominal, comprimento corporal e altura abdominal, largura do tórax e largura abdominal, altura corporal e altura da cabeça, comprimento corporal e altura da cabeça, largura do tórax e largura da cabeça, e altura abdominal com altura da cabeça. Com relação à organologia, foram obtidas as seguintes correlações: altura do globo ocular direito com altura do globo ocular esquerdo, comprimento do globo ocular direito com comprimento do globo ocular esquerdo, massa do globo ocular direito com massa do globo ocular esquerdo, altura com comprimento laríngeos, comprimento com largura laríngeos, comprimento com massa laríngeos, largura com massa laríngeos, altura com comprimento cardíacos, altura com massa cardíacas, comprimento com massa cardíacos, altura com largura da traquéia, comprimento com largura da traquéia, altura com massa da traquéia, largura com massa da traquéia, altura da traquéia com altura corporal, altura traqueal com comprimento corporal, comprimento da traquéia com altura corporal, largura traqueal com altura corporal, largura da traquéia com comprimento corporal, massa traqueal com comprimento corporal, altura com largura diafragmáticas, altura com massa diafragmáticas, largura com massa diafragmáticas, espessura com massa do fígado, comprimento com massa do duodeno descendente, massa do duodeno descendente com altura corporal, comprimento com massa do baço, espessura do lobo pancreático direito com espessura do lobo pancreático esquerdo, altura da glândula adrenal direita com altura da glândula adrenal esquerda, comprimento da glândula adrenal direita com altura da glândula adrenal esquerda, largura da glândula adrenal direita com largura da glândula adrenal esquerda, massa da glândula adrenal direita com massa da glândula adrenal esquerda, altura do rim direito com altura do rim esquerdo, comprimento do rim direito com comprimento do rim esquerdo, largura do rim direito com largura do rim esquerdo, massa do rim esquerdo com comprimento do rim direito, massa do rim direito com massa do rim esquerdo, comprimento do ureter direito com altura corporal, comprimento do ureter direito com comprimento corporal, diâmetro do ureter direito com diâmetro do ureter esquerdo, massa do ureter direito com massa do ureter esquerdo, largura com massa prostáticas, espessura da glande com espessura da raiz e do corpo penianos, altura do testículo esquerdo com altura do testículo direito, comprimento do testículo direito com comprimento do testículo esquerdo, comprimento do ducto deferente direito com comprimento do ducto deferente esquerdo, diâmetro do ducto deferente direito com diâmetro do ducto deferente esquerdo, massa do ducto deferente direito com massa do ducto deferente esquerdo. / They made use of 30 dogs, male, breed: German Shepherd, adults from different ages. The donation of the animals were done by Zoonoses, clinics, offices and veterinarian hospitals in São Paulo(SP) and Petrolinea (PE), being necropsyed at the same place of their collect where they were previously weighted and listed. Inicially was done just one incision from mentoniana to perineum. The skull cavity, oral, chest, abdominal and pelvic were opened exposing their respectives organs, that had their dimensons detemined by the auxiliary of a paquimeter and/or a millimetered measuring tape, while its mass was compared by the use of corporal lenght was done a linear correlation test of Pearson, as with all of the changeablewhich were correlated, the analyses were done by variancies. To determine the existence between the médium average difference. It was crossed the changeable of the organ to the corporal parameters in relation to the age, besides confronting the data referent to the own organs and from these to homologo organs or with their pairs, as the use of eye bail tireoideans lobes, kidneys, adicional glands, ureters, testicles from different ductos and pancreatics lobes. Refering to the corporal data, they obtained significative correlation between corporal height and lenght. Results that shows pattern of longilinity, where its outline corporal square shows itself retangular, as taller the animal is as longer it will be,corporal height, chest height, corporal lenght and chest height, corporal height and abdominal height, chest and abdominal width, corporal and head height, chest and head width, abdominal and head height. Referent to organologic , they obtained the following correlations: right eye bail height with left eye bail height, right eye bail lenght with left eye bail lenght,right eye bail mass with left eye bail mass, laringean lenght, laringeans lenght and width, lenght with laringeans mass, width with laringeos mass, height with cardiac lenght, height with cardiac mass, windpipe width, lenght width windpipe, height with windpipe mass, width with windpipe mass, height windpipe with corporal height, windpipe width with corporal lenght, windpipe mass with corporal lenght, diafragmatics height and width, height abd diafragmatic mass, width with diafragmatic mass. Thickness with mass descendent duodeno with corporal height, spleen mass, right panceatic lobe, thickness with left pancreatic lobe thickness, right adrenal gland height with left adrenal gland height, right adrenal gland lenght with left adrenal gland lenght, right adrenal gland width with left adrenal gland width, right adrenal gland mass with left adrenal gland mass, right kidney height with left kidney height, right kidney lenght with left kidney lenght, right kidney width with left kidney width, left kidney mass with right lidney lenght, right kidney mass with with left kidneymass, rightureter lenght mass, prostatic width mass, thickness of the gland with thickness root of the penial body, with the right ureter lenght with corporal lenght, right ureter diameter with left ureter diameter, right ureter mass with left testicle height with right testicle height, right testicle lenght with left testicle lenght, right deferent duct lenght, diameter of the right deferent duct with diameter of the left deferent duct lenght, mass of the right deferent duct with mass of the deferent duct.

<p>Through this project -“Projekt Pedadoggen”- I have tested dog training as a pedagogical resource at Daily activities. The study was made together with a group of persons with intellectual and neuropsychiatric disabilities, whose daily activities consist of running a day-care centre for dogs. Each participator of the project trained a dog towards a specific goal. This goal was individually formulated by each participator from his or her specific interest. The participators chose to set up a show, which was planned and performed by them selves. </p><p>At the end of the project the participators were interviewed about their experiences of taking part on the project. Together with notes from the training, these interviews were the foundation of the hermeneutic influenced analysis. The theoretical outpost touches job satisfaction, work-integrated learning and the role of the pedagogue. </p><p>The main conclusion is that dog training can create good conditions for personal development which favour both the work-integrated learning and the lifelong learning. The role of coaching creates opportunities for personal development, among other things by giving the participators opportunities to plan, to work towards a goal, to read and adjust another individual, to improvise, to learn about exercise psychology, etcetera. The training with dogs creates lots of opportunities for interaction, for examples between the participator and participator, between the participator and the dog, and between the participator and people outside the work place. A positive aspect which was stressed by the participators is their own job satisfaction as well as the job satisfaction of the dog. They also stressed the special friendship which can develop between human and dog.</p>

Through this project -“Projekt Pedadoggen”- I have tested dog training as a pedagogical resource at Daily activities. The study was made together with a group of persons with intellectual and neuropsychiatric disabilities, whose daily activities consist of running a day-care centre for dogs. Each participator of the project trained a dog towards a specific goal. This goal was individually formulated by each participator from his or her specific interest. The participators chose to set up a show, which was planned and performed by them selves. At the end of the project the participators were interviewed about their experiences of taking part on the project. Together with notes from the training, these interviews were the foundation of the hermeneutic influenced analysis. The theoretical outpost touches job satisfaction, work-integrated learning and the role of the pedagogue. The main conclusion is that dog training can create good conditions for personal development which favour both the work-integrated learning and the lifelong learning. The role of coaching creates opportunities for personal development, among other things by giving the participators opportunities to plan, to work towards a goal, to read and adjust another individual, to improvise, to learn about exercise psychology, etcetera. The training with dogs creates lots of opportunities for interaction, for examples between the participator and participator, between the participator and the dog, and between the participator and people outside the work place. A positive aspect which was stressed by the participators is their own job satisfaction as well as the job satisfaction of the dog. They also stressed the special friendship which can develop between human and dog.

Då vårdhundar är en relativt ny företeelse i Sverige har vi genom en mikro-etnografisk fallstudie studerat Ludvika kommuns Projekt vårdhund och haft som syftet att undersöka vad en vårdhund kan ha för arbetsuppgifter och vilka eventuella effekter dessa arbetsuppgifter kan ha för brukarna. Frågeställningarna som studien hade var: Vad kan syftet med en vårdhund vara? Vilken evidens använder sig projektet av i praktiken? Hur ser interaktionen mellan vårdhundsteamet och brukarna ut? Studien utfördes genom intervjuer med teamet och observationer. En vårdhund kan användas i rehabiliterande syfte, fungera som både en social och motiverande faktor och öka det psykiska välbefinnandet. Evidensen som projektet förlitar sig på är oxytocinets verkan och effekter som har en dokumenterad effekt när det gäller att minska oro, aggressivitet och öka det psykiska välbefinnandet. Vi fick se interaktionen mellan teamet och brukare där vi såg hur brukarna blev glada och motiverade att röra på sig när Alfred kom på besök. Vi ser att arbetet med vårdhundar kan föra med sig ett salutogent synsätt. Mer forskning kring sambandet mellan oxytocin och relationen mellan djur och människa behövs enligt oss då det i dagens läge inte finns någon forskning som definitivt kopplar ihop dessa. Vi har märkt att replikering kring detta område kan vara svårt då förutsättningar skiftar och att alla hundar och människor är olika.