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LD2668 .T4 1954 E9 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1978 A35 / Master of Science

LD2668 .T4 1962 M43

The well-known field of engineering psychology, also known as human factors engineering, utilizes psychologists to solve Engineering's problems that concern the behavior of humans in their operation and control of engineering systems such as military aircraft. To limit psychology's relation to engineering this way is, however, counterproductive. Psychology requires a broader conceptualization of engineering psychology, a subfield of psychology, within which the psychologist's major concern is with the behavior of psychoengineering systems that affect the reliability, validity and safety of psychological research and practice. In contrast with human-factor systems, the psychoengineering systems include healthy and unhealthy, human and animal subjects. The affiliated problems are not those of the engineering industry. This study in engineering psychology concerned the safety of two electrical stimulation systems that are used on animals, chiefly dogs, in punishment and escape/avoidance conditioning procedures of psychology. The study referenced two safety questions. First, is the electricity, when applied externally to the ventral neck of the animal, capable of stimulating carotide sinus and vagus nerves to the point of dangerously disrupting systemic blood pressure and sinus rhythm? Second, is the electricity capable of damaging the epidermis when it is applied repeatedly to the same two points of contact? Of forty-two anesthetized dogs, half were tested with a punishment system; the remainder were tested with an escape/avoidance system. Each was stimulated for five seconds, five times, at each of five intensities. Inter-stimulus interval was about thirty seconds. Systemic blood pressures and electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded. Control and experimental biopsies were taken for histological examinations of electrified and unelectrified specimens. Each animal's neck was examined grossly each day for ten days following the stimulation runs. None of the gross examination reports was positive. An exact binomial test supported the hypothesis that tissue samples from control and experimental biopsies did not differ histologically. Repeated measure ANOVAs were used to detect significant differences in systolic pressures, diastolic pressures, and R to R intervals of the ECG throughout stimulation runs. While there were some statistically significant results, there was no clinical significance, especially with regard to safety hazards.

There are increasing concerns that some pedigree breeding practices compromise canine welfare; with many breeds affected by inherited disorders likely due to adherence to breed standards that encourage exaggerated conformations. Consequently, calls for quantitative limits to be included in breed standards have been advocated to safeguard against conformations that are detrimental to canine welfare. This thesis explores the relationships between extreme conformation and disease-risk, to identify the most at-risk conformations currently being selected for, and recommend healthy 'limits'. Three conformation-related disorders of high welfare importance were investigated; brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) and corneal ulceration. Seven hundred dogs entering the RVe's small animal referral hospital were recruited over 14-months; their conformations quantified using established protocols and disease-status assessed. Generalised linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated for the first time that: (1) relatively shorter muzzles and relatively thicker necks increased the risk of BOAS; (2) relatively longer backs, miniaturisation and being overweight increased the risk of IVDE; and (3) the presence of nasal folds, relatively short muzzles, relatively larger eyelid openings and the presence of exposed sclera increased the risk of corneal ulcers. To test the risk estimates generated from this population, a second study of BOAS was carried out in a non-referral population. Short muzzles and thick necks were confirmed to be risk factors for BOAS, with two further lifestyle risk factors identified: obesity and neutering. A questionnaire-based study discovered an owner-perception of BOAS being 'normal for the breed' that may hamper efforts to reduce its prevalence in the future. As such, educational interventions to change attitudes may be required. The results of these studies are hoped to instigate and inform future breed standard revisions, and influence those within the breeding community to change current breeding practices to improve canine welfare by selecting for more moderate, lower-risk morphologies.

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

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