Ocenjevanje stresa pri psih, vključenih v aktivnosti s pomočjo živali

Gostič, Maja (author), Jordan, Dušanka (mentor), Zupan Šemrov, Manja (co-mentor)

Glavni namen magistrskega dela je bil ugotoviti, ali so psi, ki so vključeni v aktivnosti s pomočjo živali (AAA), v stresu. V raziskavi so sodelovali 4 samci in 3 samice, različnih starosti in pasem. Pse smo spremljali 4 zaporedne delovne dni med izvajanjem AAA na isti lokaciji, ki so se med psi razlikovale. Med delom smo pri psu spremljali obnašanje, srčni utrip in temperaturo očesa. V domačem okolju smo na dan, ko pes ni delal, pridobili še 5 meritev srčnega utripa v mirovanju in mirnega sprehoda. Med sprehodom in delom smo zabeležili značilno manjše vrednosti parametra srednjega kvadratnega odklona zaporednih razlik med intervali srčnega utripa (RMSSD), standardnega odklona med časovnimi razmiki zaporednih srčnih utripov (SDNN) in visoko frekvenčno močjo (HF) ter večje vrednosti parametrov frekvence srčnega utripa (HR) in razmerja med nizko in visoko frekvenčno močjo (LF:HF) v primerjavi z mirovanjem. Ta rezultat je lahko posledica gibanja ali pa možni kazalnik stresa pri psu. Na parametre srčnega utripa med delom zaporedni delovni dan in obdobje delovne ure (začetek, sredina, konec) nista imela značilnega vpliva, medtem ko se je z zaporednim 5-minutnim obdobjem delovne ure pogostost negativnih oblik obnašanja, ki nakazujejo, da je pes v stresu, značilno zmanjševala. Zaporedni delovni dan ni značilno vplival na trajanje posamezne dolgotrajne oblike obnašanja. Samice so negativne oblike obnašanja izražale značilno pogosteje kot samci, le ti pa so značilno pogosteje izražali pozitivne oblike obnašanja. Pozitivne oblike obnašanja smo v 5-minutnih obdobjih delovne ure zabeležili 3,68 ± 3,80-krat, negativne pa 2,98 ± 2,81-krat. Ugotovili smo, da mesečna pogostost dela psa ni imela značilnega vpliva na parametre srčnega utripa treh tipov dejavnosti (sprehod, delo in mirovanje), parametre srčnega utripa med delom ter pogostost izražanja negativnih in pozitivnih oblik obnašanja. Obdobje delovne ure ni imelo značilnega vpliva na temperaturo očesa. Na podlagi pridobljenih rezultatov naše raziskave ne moremo potrditi, da so bili psi med AAA v stresu.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: psi, stres, aktivnosti s pomočjo živali
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Year: 2023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-148531
• COBISS.SI-ID: 163190787
• Publication date in RUL: 26.08.2023

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Stress level evaluation in dogs during animal assisted activity

Abstract

The aim of this M. Sc Thesis was to determine whether dogs experience stress during animal-assisted interventions (AAA). 4 male and 3 female dogs of different ages and breeds participated in the study. The dogs were observed performing AAA for 4 consecutive working days, each at the same location. However, the locations varied between the dogs. During the work, the dogs behaviour, heart rate, and eye temperature were monitored. On the day the dog was not working, we took 5 heart rate measurements at home at rest and during calm walks. During the walk and work, the values of the parameters root mean square of successive differences of inter-beat intervals (RMSSD), standard deviation between the time intervals of consecutive heartbeats (SDNN), and the high frequency power (HF) were significantly lower and the values of the parameters heart rate (HR) and relative power in low frequency and the high frequency range (LF:HF) were higher than at rest. This result could be due to movement or a possible indicator of stress in the dog. There was no significant effect of the consecutive work day and work hour period (beginning, middle, end) on heart rate parameters during work, but there was significant decrease in the frequency of negative behaviours, suggesting that the dogs were not stressed during consecutive 5-minute periods of the work hour. There was no significant effect of the consecutive workday on the duration of each long-term behavioural pattern. Females exhibited negative behaviours significantly more often than males, who exhibited significantly more positive behaviours. Positive behaviours were recorded 3.68 ± 3.80 times in 5-minute periods of the working hour, whereas negative behaviours were recorded 2.98 ± 2.81 times. We found that monthly work frequency had no significant effect on heart rate parameters of the three types of activities (walking, working and resting), heart rate parameters at work, and frequency of expression of negative and positive behaviours. We also noted that the period of working hour had no significant effect on eye temperature. Based on the results of our study, we cannot confirm that the dogs were under stress during AAA.

• Keywords: dogs, stress, animal assisted activities