Presentation Details
Edibles During Veterinary Visits Impact on Canine Stress

Allyson S.Ebernell, Lisa M.Gunter.

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Abstract


While routine veterinary care is necessary, veterinary visits are typically stressful experiences for companion animals. The most prevalent intervention aimed to improve dog welfare during these visits is counterconditioning with the use of edibles (i.e. dog treats, whipped cream, peanut butter).This study aims to evaluate owned dogs’ experiences at a general veterinary clinic when presenting for non-illness medical care and explore if a relationship exists between the amount of food dogs consume and their welfare during the visit. Dogs in this study received a physical examination by a veterinarian with edibles offered throughout. Edibles consumed were recorded in grams and measured relative to dogs’ total weight in kilograms. Before, during, and after the examination, physiological measures were collected, such as respiratory rate, tympanic membrane temperature, and heart rate, along with the owners’ perceptions via a survey. Preliminary results and conclusions from these data will be discussed. This study allows us to investigate an often-used intervention in veterinary clinics in order to increase our understanding of its effect and dogs’ overall welfare during these visits.
 

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