Does the absence of zoo visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic impact Gorilla behavior?

Whether or not primates are behaviorally affected by the presence of visitors in a zoo setting is a question of great relevance to zoo animal well-being. The situation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic provided an unusual opportunity to examine how the absence of visitors impacts behavior. We took advantage of this opportunity to study the behavior of a gorilla troop during periods of no-visitors compared to our long-term database on gorilla behavior during normal zoo operations. While there were notable individual differences in response to visitors, we found no significant relationship between presence of visitors and behavior. These results suggest that the presence of visitors does not have a significant impact on behavior and well-being of zoo-housed gorillas.

Stress-free vet visits: considering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Visits to the small animal veterinary practice are typically stressful for many animals, especially where they already have an anxious or fearful disposition. Although the purpose of the visit is to improve the animal's welfare (by improving physical health and wellbeing), there may be an impact on the animal's mental health and emotional state. The current pandemic situation has made vet visits even more difficult, because a number of options for preparing for the visit, or carrying out the visit itself, have not always been available. This article considers techniques for minimising fear, anxiety and stress in companion animals being treated at the vet practice, through preparation, protocols and procedures. Principles of good practice when helping animals to have the least stressful experience during a vet visit are considered. Additional special measures for particularly anxious or fearful animals are also discussed. The identification of stress-reducing protocols is largely based on the low-stress handling techniques identified in research and the importance of these as perceived by veterinary staff. Changes within the practice that have impacted animals' anxiety levels, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, are identified and considered. Reflections concerning the pandemic experience, as provided to the author by a number of veterinary surgeons and nurses, are recorded and considered as the basis for further research. Consideration is also given to the feasibility and value of retaining some changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes in the haematological profile in dogs owned by owners with COVID-19

The study was performed over a period of approximately 3 months in two private clinics in Iasi, on an umber of 43 dogs of different breeds and ages whose owners were diagnosed in the last 3 months, prior to the study, with SARS CoV 2. The main change from a behavioral point of view was the change in eating habits, respectively the increase in food consumption, a fact confirmed by 86% of respondents. It was also found that there was a very significant statistical correlation between the diagnosis of relative neutrophilia and relative eosinopenia in the investigated dogs.

COVID 19 - induced stress in dogs owned by elderly people

The study was conducted over a period of 2 months, between March and May 2020, in collaboration with 3 private clinics in Moldova region on 23 dogs of different breeds, sex and ages, paraclinically examined by hematological and biochemical tests. The inclusion criterion in the study was the ownership of all subjects by elderly persons affected.by COVID 19 limitations during the emergency state in Romania. The study aimed to establish the correlation between the limited walking time in dogs and the level of stress induced by it. Each subject underwent 2 paraclinical check-ups in term of hematological testing and cortisol dosage at the end of March and beginning of May. Also, a control group of 13 dogs owned by active people was examined in a similar manner, both at the beginning of the experiment and also at the end of it. Compared with the initial values which were highly elevated (10,89..1,66 g/dl) in all dogs owned by elderly people, the second testing revealed values comparable to normal, but still increased (4,85..1,22 g/dl). The study demonstrates the impact of COVID 19 limitations in terms of outdoor time for dogs which produced transitional changes in cortisol levels, but also the adaptive compensatory mechanisms used to cope with modified environmental conditions.