This observational study was conducted to evaluate the anatomic relationship between the proximocaudal femoral joint capsule insertion and the femoral caudolateral curvilinear osteophyte (CCO), across ancient and modern domestic and non-domestic canids. Museum specimens of proximal femora were screened for presence of remnant enthesophytes of the caudal joint capsule insertion (first inclusion criterion) and then for the CCO (second inclusion criterion). The initially screened population included 267 dry bone specimens: Six Canis species, hybrid coyote × domestic dog, and five vulpines (three Vulpes species, one Urocyon, and one Nyctereutes). Proximocaudal joint capsule insertion remnant enthesophytes were limiting at n = 19 specimens: Seven ancient domestic dogs, four modern coyotes, two ancient coyotes, two modern hybrid coyote × dog, two modern red foxes, and two modern raccoon dogs. The joint capsule enthesophytes are associated with inflammation, but are observed far less frequently than the CCO. The CCO is seen radiographically but is visible more frequently by direct inspection. The primary inclusion criterion necessarily was a visible caudal joint capsule insertion; spatial relationships of the CCO can be assigned with confidence only when a capsule insertion line can be recognized clearly. We demonstrate that the anatomic CCO associates with the joint capsule insertion being nonspecific and species-independent. A joint capsule insertion-CCO spatial relationship across species is an important new observation, strongly indicating that both are pathological features. Our data indicate need for new research to characterize the canid coxofemoral joint and its overt and incipient pathology in a phylogenetic context. Anat Rec, 302:2164–2170, 2019.

Dogs and humans have through domestication and co-evolution established a close relationship and can communicate and understand each other. The objective of the present study was to deepen the understanding of the communication between dogs and humans, with focus on the vocalized communication. The study was based on video and audio recordings of dog-human communications from a total of 36 dogs in their home environment. The mean gap size in the communication ranged from 0.651.16 seconds and the overlap in communication had a percentage range of 14-50 %. These results are within the frame of other species communication with turn-taking. With these considerations, it clearly indicates that turn-taking occurs in interspecies communication between dogs and humans. The present study suggests that dogs intentionally communicate through vocalisation with their owners to gain the attention of the owner. In addition, age and sex of the dog influence their communication with their owners.

Bakgrund: Djur som använts i vårdande syfte är ett historiskt tillvägagångssätt för att främja hälsa hos människan. De vanligaste orsakerna till att vårdhundar används inom sjukvård är att öka motivation och välbefinnande, lindra depression samt att öka lust till fysisk aktivitet och träning. Då ensamhet och psykisk ohälsa är vanligt förekommande bland äldre på särskilda boenden så är det av vikt att sjuksköterskan kan lära sig mer om alternativa metoder för att hjälpa de äldre att kunna skapa en meningsfull vardag med hjälp av alternativa metoder såsom användning av vårdhund. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka hur individer på särskilda boenden för äldre påverkas av vårdhund. Metod: En litteraturöversikt genomfördes. Tretton artiklar identifierades som lämpliga relaterat till syftet. Artiklarna hämtades från databaserna CINAHL complete, PubMed och Ageline med hjälp av relevanta sökord. Artiklarna sammanfattades i en matris samt analyserades och presenterades under fyra rubriker och en underrubrik. Resultat: Resultaten framställde fyra teman; Det första var social påverkan, där vårdhundens påverkan på deltagares sociala liv, kommunikation, upplevd ensamhet samt engagemang undersöktes. Det andra temat, psykiskt hälsa, granskade huruvida vårdhund hade någon påverkan på den psykiska hälsan hos deltagare. Exempelvis depression, ångest och apati. Livskvalitet, tema tre, där belyses huruvida vårdhunden har någon verkan på deltagares livskvalitet, under samt efter avslutad intervention. Det fjärde och sista temat, uppvisat humör och beteende, hanterar deltagares allmänna beteende och humör i anknytning till kontakt med vårdhund. Slutsats: Resultaten visade goda förutsättningar kring hur vårdhunden påverkar äldre på särskilda boenden. I alla resultatteman visade vårdhunden ha en positiv påverkan på deltagare, vilket är väsentligt då de olika teman belyser olika ämnen och problem som äldre upplever. Däremot uppmärksammas även vikten av fortsatt forskning och förbättrad terminologi för vetenskaplig evidens. Därutöver är det viktigt att beakta de problematiska aspekter som vårdhunden kan betinga, exempelvis separation mellan vårdtagare och hund.

Combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms often require the use of complementary therapeutic aids, such as service dogs, to assist them in their recovery in addition to traditional evidence-based therapy. Anecdotal literature was available on the use of service dogs, but quantitative research has not been conducted to answer the question of what the impact was of the use of service dogs on reducing symptoms of PTSD among combat and non-combat veterans. Attachment theory was one of the most common theoretical frameworks for exploring the use of service dogs for treating combat PTSD. The theoretical framework for this study was derived from Bowlby's theory on attachment and the work done with Ainsworth to review the possible correlations between secure and insecure attachment styles and the impact of using service dogs. Three surveys were selected to measure PTSD related symptoms, service dog tasks, and attachment styles of the 64 participants to be able to look at PTSD-related symptoms and attachment theory in relation to service dog tasks. This study did not show a difference between combat veterans and non-combat veterans who use service dogs in the reduction of PTSD-related symptoms, but the study did show that there was a positive relationship between PTSD-related symptoms and the use of service dogs. Participants' answers supported anecdotal reports of the positive effect of the use of service dogs. The results of the current research provide implications for positive social change by providing important information in relation to service dogs could improve the quality of life and more manageable psychological symptoms, and that attachment styles should be considered as a mitigating factor which was missing in previous research.

Livestock guardian dogs – or “LGDs” – are commonly used by domestic sheep ranchers and reduce the need for killing wild carnivores to protect livestock. LGDs are mostly used in the United States to reduce the number of livestock killed by coyotes, but whether they can prevent killing by larger carnivores like wolves and grizzly bears is unclear. It is important to identify which behavioral traits and LGD breeds work best for guarding livestock so that ranchers can protect their stock and environmentalists can enjoy a greater number of wild animals on the landscape. This study investigated the effectiveness of different LGD breeds in the Western U.S. to help determine how best to use LGDs. I investigated (1) which LGD breed works best for each predator, (2) if LGD breeds behave differently, (3) how carnivores respond when LGDs and sheep move through their home ranges, and (4) whether having good LGDs makes ranchers more accepting of predators. I compared common U.S. breeds of LGD with three exotic breeds used primarily in other countries with wolves and grizzly bears. From 2013 – 2016 data was collected on sheep that were killed and what killed them, how different LGD breeds behaved, what carnivore species were present near sheep grazing with LGDs, and ranchers’ attitudes towards LGDs and large carnivores throughout Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Results of the study show that all three of the exotic breeds of LGD are better at protecting sheep from certain predators than LGD breeds commonly used in the U.S. There are also some breed differences in LGD behavior that may help ranchers make better decisions about which LGD breed is best for them. Sheep grazing with LGDs seemed to drive-off wolves, but they also attracted smaller carnivores. Also, ranchers’ attitudes about LGDs are generally very positive, but they don’t affect attitudes about wolves and grizzly bears. Below, I discuss these and other findings in terms of both ecology and wildlife management.

Bakgrund: Djur har sedan länge använts för terapeutiska syften och under 1900-talet växte djurassisterad terapi fram. Hundar anses vara lämpliga terapidjur då de uppvisar beteenden som människor kan tolka tillmötesgående och kravlösa. När en hund används för att uppnå tydliga och planerade behandlingsmål som utvärderas kallas det för hundassisterad terapi (eng. dog-assisted therapy, DAT). Evidensen gällande användandet av DAT inom fysioterapi är begränsad. Syfte: Denna studie syftade till att undersöka fysioterapeuters upplevelser och erfarenheter av att använda vårdhund inom fysioterapi. Studien avsåg även att belysa på vilket sätt vårdhund används som en del av den fysioterapeutiska behandlingen. Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie utfördes. Fem fysioterapeuter från olika verksamheter rekryterades med ett ändamålsenligt urval och ett snöbollsurval. Databearbetningen utfördes med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Den kvalitativa innehållsanalysen resulterade i fem kategorier; ”När vårdhund blir aktuellt”, ”Vårdhund som behandlingskoncept vid fysioterapi”, ”Vårdhundens nyanserade inverkan”, ”Det unika med vårdhundsassisterad terapi” och ”Strategier för att möjliggöra utvärdering”. Vårdhunden ansågs fungera bra som motivator och distraktion för att möjliggöra habiliterande, rehabiliterande eller underhållande träning av fysiska samt psykiska funktioner. Däremot fanns det oklarheter om effekten var kortvarig eller varaktig över tid. Slutsats: Den rådande uppfattningen av DAT inom fysioterapi var övervägande positiv. Mer forskning krävs för att konstatera effekt, nytta och implementering. Sammanfattningsvis rekommenderar ändå informanterna i denna studie att fler fysioterapeuter skulle inkludera DAT i sin behandling, då den kan bidra till ökad fysisk aktivitet och välmående hos svårmotiverade patienter. / Background: Animals have been used for therapeutic purposes throughout history and animal-assisted therapy emerged in the 1900’s. Dogs are considered to be appropriate animals to utilize in therapeutic interventions, due to their attentive and unpretentious behaviour towards humans. When a dog is used in an intervention with a distinct and planned goal that’ll be evaluated it’s called dog-assisted therapy (DAT). The evidence regarding DAT-use within physiotherapy is limited.  Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore physiotherapists views and experiences regarding DAT. The study also intended to inquire how physiotherapists utilized DAT in their interventions.  Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted. Five physiotherapists were recruited through purposive sampling and a snowball sampling. To analyse data a qualitative content analysis was performed. Result: The analysis resulted in five categories: ”When the care-dog becomes relevant”, ”Care-dog as a treatment concept in physiotherapy”, ”The nuanced impact of the care-dog”, ”The uniqueness of care-dog-assisted therapy” and ”Strategies to enable evaluation”. The care-dog was considered to be a great motivator and distraction to enable habilitation, rehabilitation or preservation training of both physical and psychological factors. However, there was uncertainty concerning whether the effect was short- or long-term.  Conclusion: The view of DAT-use within physiotherapy was predominantly positive. More research is needed to establish the effects, benefits and implementation. In summary, the participants in this study recommend that other physiotherapists would include DAT in their treatment, because it could contribute to increased physical activity and wellbeing in unmotivated patients.

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Domestication is accompanied by marked changes in the phenotype of the domesticated form of a species relative to its wild ancestor. The domestic dog and its wild ancestor, the wolf, are a widely used model system to study the effects of domestication on cognition and behaviour. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the behavioural responses of wolves (Canis lupus) and domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) to different odour stimuli. To this end, wooden logs were impregnated with one of four odours and repeatedly placed into the enclosure of a wolf or dog pack. The dogs (n=10) and wolves (n=9) both performed a significantly higher number of interactions with the wooden logs when these were impregnated with real blood compared to the blood odour component trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, the fruity odour iso-pentyl acetate and the solvent diethyl phthalate. No significant difference in the frequency of interactions per animal was found between the wolves and dogs with any of the four odour stimuli. Sniffing was the most frequent behaviour in both wolves and dogs, followed by licking, biting, toying, and pawing. The only qualitative difference in behaviour was that the dogs, but not the wolves, displayed guarding behaviour when presented with the odorized wooden logs. The results of the present study suggest that domestication had little, if any, effect on olfactory behaviour in domesticated dogs. The results also indicate that odour-impregnated wooden logs are a suitable method of olfactory enrichment for captive wolves and domestic dogs.