Comprensión del vínculo persona mayor-mascota como alternativa para la promoción de la salud / Understanding the elderly-pet bond as an alternative for health promotion / Compreensão do vínculo pessoa idosa-animal de estimação como alternativa de promoção da saúde

Introducción. El aumento de personas mayores en Colombia sumado a la pobreza y a la falta de soporte familiar y redes de apoyo para estas personas constituye un reto para el Estado. Ante esta problemática se exploran alternativas como la influencia de las mascotas en su salud. El objetivo de este manuscrito es comprender el vínculo persona mayor-mascota en la vida cotidiana y las implicaciones para su salud. Metodología: se trata de un estudio cualitativo con perspectiva etnográfica focalizada. Se realizaron 14 entrevistas semiestructuradas y observación a mayores de 60 años que conviven con mascotas en Medellín-Colombia. Participaron 8 mujeres, 6 hombres, entre 60 y 85 años. Mascotas: 17 perros y 7 gatos. Resultados: emergieron cuatro categorías principales: la mejor compañía, un día con la mascota, relación familia-mascota y beneficios de la mascota para la promoción de la salud de los mayores. Discusión: para los mayores lo más satisfactorio de tener mascota es su compañía, comparable a la de un hijo o un ser querido, seguido de la posibilidad que les brinda de expresar emociones placenteras, aumentar su interacción social y sentirse útiles y activos; beneficios que trascienden al resto de la familia. Conclusiones: el vínculo persona mayor-mascota es un coadyuvante para la promoción de la salud.

Introduction. The increase in the number of elderly people in Colombia, coupled with poverty and the lack of family care and support networks for these people, constitutes challenge for the State. Faced with this problem, alternatives such as the influence of pets on their health are being explored. The purpose of this article is to understand the elderly-pet bond in everyday life and the implications for their health. Methodology. This is a qualitative study with a focused ethnographic perspective. Fourteen semi-structured interviews and observation were conducted with people over 60 years of age who live with pets in Medellín, Colombia. Participants included 8 women and 6 men between the ages of 60 and 85. Pets: 17 dogs and 7 cats. Result. Four main categories emerged: the best company, a day with the pet, family-pet relationship and benefits of the pet in promoting the health of the elderly. Discussion. For the elderly, the most satisfying aspect of having a pet is its companionship, comparable to that of a child or loved one, followed by the possibility it gives them to express pleasant emotions, increase their social interaction and feel useful and active; benefits that transcend to the rest of the family. Conclusions. the elderly person-pet bond is an adjuvant for health promotion.

Introdução. O aumento da população idosa na Colômbia, aliado à pobreza e à falta de apoio familiar e de redes de apoio a essas pessoas, constitui um desafio para o Estado. Diante dessa problemática, são exploradas alternativas tais como a influência dos animais de estimação em sua saúde. Metodologia. Este é um estudo qualitativo com uma perspectiva etnográfica focalizada. Foram realizadas 14 entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação de pessoas com mais de 60 anos que vivem com animais de estimação em Medellín-Colômbia. Participaram 8 mulheres, 6 homens, com idade entre 60 e 85 anos. Animais de estimação: 17 cães e 7 gatos. Resultados. Emergiram quatro categorias principaiRs: a melhor companhia, um dia com o animal de estimação, relação família-animal de estimação e benefícios do animal de estimação para a promoção da saúde do idoso. Discussão. Para os idosos, o mais gratificante em ter um animal de estimação é a sua companhia, comparável à de uma criança ou de um ente querido, seguida da possibilidade que lhes oferece de expressar emoções agradáveis, aumentar a sua interação social e sentir-se úteis e ativos; benefícios que transcendem para o resto da família. Conclusões. O vínculo pessoa idosa-animal de estimação é coadjuvante da promoção da saúde.

Normativas para la protección de mascotas: situación de Colombia, Chile, Uruguay y México / Normatives for the protection of pets in Latin America: situation of Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and México

RESUMEN Actualmente, la sociedad se ha enfocado en la tenencia de mascotas para adquirirlas por compañía desestimando el deber de atender sus necesidades y hacerse responsable de sus acciones, debido a esto, grupos sociales sensibles a esta problemática, promueven cambios culturales y han influenciado los gobiernos de países de América Latina con el fin de formular e implementar directrices para proteger a las mascotas. En el presente artículo se comparan aspectos esenciales de las normativas de protección de mascotas de cuatro países de América Latina, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay y México. Se realizó una revisión narrativa de la literatura publicada y de los sitios web de los entes gubernamentales responsables de la formulación y puesta en marcha de las normativas de los cuatro países, con el propósito de establecer una comparación entre su contenido y su desempeño. Mediante esta revisión se identificaron diferencias en cuanto a los objetivos de las directrices y el proceso de su formulación. Se describen, además, los actores que intervinieron en el proceso de formulación, estructura, objeto y los resultados más importantes reportados en cada país a partir de la implementación de estas normativas.

ABSTRACT Nowadays, society is focused on acquiring pets for the purpose of companionship, disregarding the duty of attending their needs and take responsibility for their actions. Consequently, social groups sensitive to this problem promote cultural changes and exert pressure on the governments of Latin American countries in order to formulate and implement guidelines to protect pets. This article compares essential aspects of pet protection regulations in four countries in Latin America, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico. A narrative review of published literature and the websites of the government entities responsible for the formulation and implementation of the regulations in the four countries was carried out with the purpose of establishing a comparison between their content and their performance. Through this review, differences regarding the objectives of the guidelines and the process of their formulation were identified. The actors that intervened in the process of formulation, structure, object, and what is more important, results reported in each country since the implementation of these regulations are also described.

Diferencias de Género en Distintas Dimensiones del Vínculo Humano- Perro: Estudio Descriptivo en Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires / Gender Differences in Diverse Dimensions of the Human-Canine Bond: A Descriptive Study in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires / Diferenças de Gênero em Distintas Dimensões do Vínculo Humano-Cão: Estudo Descritivo em Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Resumen Las mujeres parecen presentar más respuestas de afecto positivo hacia los animales. Sin embargo, hombres y mujeres refieren tener un vínculo intenso con sus mascotas. Los estudios sobre el tema han recibido diversos cuestionamientos. Considerando esto, se realizó un estudio descriptivo que comparó hombres y mujeres adultos custodios de perros (n=425) en tres grupos etarios (i.e., jóvenes, mediana edad y mayores), en seis dimensiones relacionales (i.e., interacción, cercanía emocional, costos, antropomorfismo, voluntad de adaptación y beneficios). Las mujeres mostraron mayores puntajes de cercanía emocional y antropomorfismo. Además, solo los hombres jóvenes mostraron mayor percepción de costos que las mujeres jóvenes. No se observaron diferencias en las demás dimensiones de acuerdo con el sexo del custodio. Se discute la significancia de los resultados considerando algunos aspectos sociocognitivos potencialmente implicados.

Abstract Women seem to show more positive affection responses toward animals. However, men and women reported having an intense bond with their pets. Studies on the topic have been questioned for different reasons. Taking this into account, a descriptive study was carried out, comparing adult male and female dog-owners (n=425) belonging to three age groups (i.e., young, middle-aged, and seniors), in six relational dimensions (i.e., interaction, emotional closeness, costs, anthropomorphism, will to adapt, and benefits). Women scored higher in emotional closeness and anthropomorphism. Only young men showed a greater perception of costs than young women. No differences were observed regarding the sex of the dog-owner in the other dimensions. The article discusses the significance of the results, considering some potentially involved socio-cognitive aspects.

Resumo As mulheres parecem apresentar mais respostas de afeto positivo aos animais. Contudo, homens e mulheres referem ter um vínculo intenso com seus animais de estimação. Os estudos sobre o tema vêm recebendo diversos questionamentos. Nesse sentido, foi realizado um estudo descritivo que comparou homens e mulheres adultos donos de cães (n=425) em três grupos etários (jovens, idade média e mais velhos), em seis dimensões relacionais (interação, aproximação emocional, custos, antropomorfismo, vontade de adaptação e benefícios). As mulheres mostraram maiores pontuações de aproximação emocional e antropomorfismo. Além disso, somente os homens jovens mostraram maior percepção de custos que as mulheres jovens. Não foram observadas diferenças nas demais dimensões de acordo com o sexo do dono. Foi discutida a significância dos resultados considerando alguns aspectos sociocognitivos potencialmente implicados.

La oxitocina en el vínculo humano-perro: Revisión bibliográfica y análisis de futuras áreas de investigación / Oxytocin in the human-dog bond: Review of the literature and analysis of future investigation fields

El perro (Canis familiaris) ha sido la primera especie domesticada por el hombre como resultado de un proceso interactivo de miles de años, el cual produjo relaciones de competencia, cooperación y coevolución. Durante este proceso, los perros han adquirido habilidades comunicativas que favorecieron su relación con los humanos, la cual representa una expresión de apego. El rol de la oxitocina ha sido destacado en la formación de los vínculos de apego y en los comportamientos prosociales que facilitan las relaciones intraespecies. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de las investigaciones focalizadas en los efectos de la oxitocina sobre las interacciones entre humanos y perros. Se discuten los resultados en función de hallazgos de investigaciones referidas a la oxitocina y sus efectos intraespecies, así como en función de desarrollos en Antrozoología en general. Se destaca el posible rol de la oxitocina en distintos aspectos del vínculo humano-perro, como el efecto mascota, la cercanía emocional, el antropomorfismo y las respuestas a las características neoténicas. Finalmente, se describen posibles campos de investigación.

Dog (Canis familiaris) has been the first species to be domesticated by humans. This was the result of an interactive process that took place throughout thousands of years and led to competence, cooperation and coevolution relationships. Through a convergent evolution process, dogs have been able to acquire social abilities, similar to those of humans, which enabled particular communication ways between the two species. Dogs' remarkable ability to understand human social and communicative behaviors (even better than genetically related species, such as primates) favored their relationship with humans. Although some debate arose about the accuracy of the concept attachment, evidence of the most recent investigations on behavioral and endocrine responses in human-dog interactions have supported the idea that this relationship represents an expression of attachment. The oxytocin role has stood out in the formation of attachment bonds and in prosocial behavior that encourages intraspecies relationships. It achieves this by inducing maternal behaviors in a persistent fashion, influencing on pairing and increasing interpersonal trust through eye contact, empathy, etc. Moreover, the participation of oxytocin in the social bond processes is complex, as it has shown to play multiple roles. Oxytocin influences on the stress by reducing the cortisol levels, modulates the amygdala activity linked to fear, and increases the pain threshold, among other actions. Research in the human-animal interaction field, or Anthrozoology, has highlighted the companion animals' contribution to people wellbeing and particularly the buffering effect on daily life stress. The idea that living with an animal can have a positive influence on human health has been called pet effect and has been studied understanding physiological, psychosocial and therapeutic aspects. We carried out a systematic bibliographic review of the empiric studies about human-dog interactions in which oxytocin levels were assessed or oxytocin was administered, in dogs and / or humans. We present the employed procedures and the main results, and analyze the limitations and relevance of the investigations' findings, as well as their consistencies and contradictions. The results are discussed in function of the findings related to oxytocin and its intraspecies effects, and also in function of the development in Anthrozoology in general. The possible role of the oxytocin in the different aspects of the human-dog relationship is analyzed. Among these aspects we highlight: the pet effect, and the reported benefits of the relationship human-companion dog, mainly related to a decrease in stress symptoms; anthropomorphism and the mental states attribution necessary so that pet keeping makes sense; and the cute response, which implies an instinctive reaction to give parental care as a response to the infantile scheme, thought to be involved in the origin of pet keeping. The oxytocin role as an underlying neuroendocrine substrate that explains the benefits of the positive social experience that implies the human-dog bond and promotes the strengthening of this reciprocate and shared bond is emphasized. Finally, new lines of investigation are considered, such as the empiric study of the relationship of this neurohormone with the anthropomorphism and the response to the infantile scheme. We lay stress on the importance of developing studies with samples that include humans and dogs of different ages, with the object of assessing the influence of age on the response to oxytocin. We also make a point of the relevance of carrying out comparisons in relation to the human and dog gender, which has been usually controlled rather that investigated. Furthermore, we discuss the validity of the techniques employed to measure and administer the oxytocin. We make recommendations about these techniques and their use for considering the investigations goals. We highlight the least invasive methods such as the urine oxytocin measure, which are related to a more spontaneous behaviors and are more in agreement with animal welfare.

Sobrepoblación aanina y felina: tendencias y nuevas perspectivas / Canine and feliee overpopulation: trends and new perspectives

A través de una revisión sistemática de la literatura, publicada entre 1973 y 2009, se consultaron las siguientes bases de datos, a saber: ScienceDirect, Ebsco, Springerlink y Medline, para la búsqueda de la información. Como palabras clave se utilizaron: perros de libre ambulación, vínculo animal-humano, población de mascotas, sobrepoblación y control de población. Además se consultó el banco de publicaciones de la Sociedad Mundial para la Protección Animal (WSPA) y la Organización Internacional de Epizootias (OIE). El objetivo de esta revisión fue presentar una posición crítica sobre la problemática de la sobrepoblación de mascotas, su percepción cultural y la relación hombre-animal. Asimismo, los fracasos asociados con esta relación, estableciendo posibles soluciones sin desconocer nuestro marco cultural. Se obtuvo un total de dieciséis referencias, a las que se aplicó los criterios de inclusión y exclusión; los artículos que cumplieron estos criterios son los que constituyeron la unidad de análisis de esta revisión. A medida que aumente nuestro conocimiento acerca de la tenencia responsable de las mascotas, mejorarán nuestros vínculos afectivos con estas. Solo a través de la educación sanitaria se puede adquirir el conocimiento necesario para evitar fracasos con respecto a una tenencia adecuada, de allí la responsabilidad y el papel fundamental que ejerce el médico veterinario en la comunidad.

Through a systematic review of literature comprising publications between 1973 and 2009, the following databases were consulted: Science Direct, EBSCO, Springer Link and MEDLINE. Key words used included stray dogs, animal-human bond, pet population, overpopulation and population control. The databases of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and the International Organization of Epizootics (OIE) were also consulted. The objective of the present review was to present a critical position about the pet overpopulation problem, cultural perception and relationships between human and animals, and failures associated with this relationship with the purpose of establishing possible solutions to the problem taking into consideration cultural issues. A total of 16 references were found, which, we applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Articles that met these criteria are those that constitute the unit of analysis of this review. As the knowledge about responsible ownership of pets is increased, the bond with them is enhanced. Only through health education, it is possible to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to avoid failures with respect to proper keeping. In this respect the veterinarian plays a pivotal role with his community.