Dam (Canis familiaris)Welfare throughout the Peri-Parturient Period in Commercial Breeding Kennels

Abstract

Poor dam welfare throughout the peri-parturient period can also negatively affect that of their offspring. This study aimed to identify changes in physical, physiological, and behavioral metrics indicative of dam welfare throughout the peri-parturient period. Dams (n = 74) from eight U.S. Midwest commercial breeding (CB) kennels were tested at 6 and 1 week prepartum, and 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. At each time point dams underwent a stranger approach test, physical health assessment, hair collection for hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and fecal collection for fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), fecal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and parasite detection. Linear mixed-effects models indicated dams exhibited more affiliative behaviors towards the stranger at 4 weeks postpartum than 6 weeks prepartum (p = 0.03), increased HCC from 4-weeks to 8 weeks postpartum (p = 0.02), and increased FGM from 1 week prepartum to 8 weeks postpartum (p = 0.04). At each respective time point, the percentage of dams with intestinal parasites was 11%, 4%, 23%, and 15%. Most changes are likely due to increased energy requirements and hormonal variations. However, deviations from expected changes may have resulted from changes in environment and/ or management, which should be explored in future studies.

Description

Publication history: Accepted - 10 October 2022; Published - 18 October 2022.

Keywords

dog, welfare, commercial dog breeding, cortisol, immunoglobulin A, behavior, peri-parturient period, gestation, lactation

Citation

Romaniuk, A.C., Barnard, S., Weller, J.E., Weng, H.-Y., Dangoudoubiyam, S. and Croney, C. (2022) ‘Dam (Canis familiaris) Welfare throughout the Peri-Parturient Period in Commercial Breeding Kennels’, Animals. MDPI AG. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202820.

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