AVS 3333 Canine and Feline Compendium PDF

AVS 3333 Canine and Feline Compendium Introduction Jennifer Hoose, DVM DACVECC Office hours Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am-11 am; Building 94, room 269 The class will be in 4 sections with an exam at the end of each section Exam will be multiple choice and true/false on a Scantron Com...

AVS 3333 Canine and Feline Compendium Introduction Jennifer Hoose, DVM DACVECC Office hours Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am-11 am; Building 94, room 269 The class will be in 4 sections with an exam at the end of each section Exam will be multiple choice and true/false on a Scantron Completed Exams can be reviewed at my office hours Textbooks, The Dog, The Cat Exam material from the textbook and lectures Syllabus has breakdown of chapters assigned to each section The final will be cumulative 5 exams total with each 20% of your grade Domestication AVS 3333 Phylogeny Both dogs and cats are members of the order Carnivora Enlarged carnassial teeth Upper pre-molar 4 and lower 1st molar on both sides of the mouth For for shearing and tearing prey Small sharp incisors For holding prey Elongated canine teeth Stabbing and tearing Phylogeny Miacids Time of the dinosaurs First with carnassial teeth Diverse group of predatory mammals Many small tree dwellings with long slender bodies, short legs and a long tail Walked on soles of feet Plantigrade Branched into viverines (oldest ancestor of domestic cat) and miacines (ancestor of dog, bear, raccoon and weasel) Phylogeny Viverines branched into 2 lines Smilodon – large cats, sabertooth tiger Dinictis – smaller cat, primary ancestor of our domestic cat Today is a member of the Felidae family (true cats) Characteristics common all cats Rounded head Flexible and light-footed body Excellent abilities for balance, speed, hearing and eyesight Excellent at detection of movement Phylogeny Taxonomy of the Domestic Cat Kingdom - Animalia Phylum – Chordata Class – Mammalia Order – Carnivora Family – Felidae Genus – Felis Species - catus Phylogeny Wild relatives of the domestic cat African Wildcat – Felis silvestris lybica Africa – many habitats European Wildcat – Felis silvestris silvestris Scotland to SE Russia - forest Indian Desertcat – Felis Silvestris ornata SW Asia, N India – semi-desert, steppe Jungle Cat – Felis chaus Egypt to India – many habitats Pallas Cat – Felis manul Iran to western China – desert, steppe Sand Cat – Felis margarita Sahara to Turkestan – desert, semi- desert Phylogeny Miacines gave rise to Hesprocyon Oldest member of Canidae family Evolved in North America Digitgrade (walking on its toes) Evolved to Leptocyon Probably evolved to Tomarctus Gave rise to dominant group of canids who were destined to become our modern day canid species Phylogeny Taxonomy of the Dog Kingdom - Animalia Phylum – Chordata Class – Mammalia Order – Carnivora Family – Canidae Genus – Canis Species - familiaris Phylogeny Canidae family includes the dog as well as the wolf, coyote, dingo, fox, jackal Wolf is considered the dog’s closest relative Dogs, Wolves, coyotes and jackals are all interfertile Both seek contact and interaction with other pack members and social activity is important to their daily life Jackals are known to live and hunt alone Coyotes hunt in pairs or 3 at most Dogs and wolves have similar methods of communication Dogs are still better at responding to human social cues Domestication Breeding and containment of a large group of animals under the control of humans Involves geographic, reproductive and behavioral isolation of a selected group from the wild population Results in a group of animal genetically distinct for the original wild species Usually have a smaller body, foreshortened muzzle, larger head relative to body, more domed shape head, fewer and smaller teeth, softer coat, wider variety of coat colors and types and retention of certain juvenile behavior characteristics “taming” – decreasing fear of humans in an individual animal Domestication “Taming” decreasing fear of humans in an individual animal A tame animal is merely a wild animal who has been habituated to his human caretakers Can easily revert to the wild state Commonly when sexual maturity occurs A wolf, raccoon, sand cat or other wild animal can be tamed but it does not mean it is domesticated Domestication The domestic cat has not undergone the pronounced changes in structure and size seen in the domestic dog Felis Catus is still considered to be a domesticated species rather than a “tamed pet” Born with an innate predisposition to develop strong social bonds with humans A kitten will benefit from and requires a certain amount of socialization but does not need to be tamed from a wild state Is not a species which has become completely dependent upon humans Can return to a semiwild (feral) state, survive and proliferate in both an urban and rural environment A wild cat still behaves differently than a domestic cat when handled Domestication, cat Based on archaeological evidence, the wild cat had some type of commensal relationship with humans as long ago as 9,000 years, while the domesticated cat appears to have been with us for between 3,000-5,000 years Initial domestication may have been utilitarian (mouser,) spiritual (as a deity in Egyptian religions) or a combination of the two Egyptian granaries likely attracted the wild cats to the human settlements and their presence was tolerated or encouraged as they controlled to rodent population Cats likely immigrated to Europe following the spread of the rodents Domestication, cat Egyptians incorporated cats into their spiritual beliefs as well Has a protected status Cats spread to control the rodent population Lost status as sacred animals and companions Cats then associated with pagan religious practice and witchcraft Cats were tortured or killed with the women who took care of them Many myths and fears of cats developed at this time which cause some to still harbor misconceptions of normal cat behavior Domestication, cat People became more conscious of their own hygiene Cats considered a “clean” animal due to their self-grooming Cats made their way back into the market places and public establishments and eventually into the home Cat is more recent companion and friend compared to the dog Domestic cats still keep a juvenile pattern Wild cats will only tolerate mutual grooming and playing when young When puberty reached, wild cat family is broken up and each cat lives an individual life unless having a territory dispute or mating Adult domestic cats will seek out petting and affection and develop strong enduring bonds with people, other cats and even dogs Domestication, dog Adaptability to new environments is a key characteristic of the domestic dog Wolf pup will show fear to unfamiliar stimuli after a certain age Dogs were selected for a puppy-like trust of new stimuli Dogs living around humans had less of a threat of predators and more opportunities to feed Wolves will show a dominant behavior when an adult, a domestic dog has been bred to show more of a subordinate behavior (typical of wolf pup) There is variation among breeds but the display of a dominate behavior has been attenuated in the domestic dog compared to the wolf Domestication, dog Domestication of dog believed to have been 32,000- 18,000 years ago when humans were still nomadic Human settlements started 12,000-14,000 years ago and evidence of a proto-dog living in close proximity When agriculture predominant way of life, dogs were domesticated and working dogs beginning to emerge Domestication, dog Wolves are shy, nervous and have a highly sensitive and well developed flight response It is unlikely hunter-gatherers tamed wild wolves Would have been dangerous as an adult wolf would pose a significant threat to a human, even ones to whom the wolf was socialized More likely they lived around the settlements of humans Natural selection for the wolves more tolerate of humans and less inclined to flee Feeding on waste sites also favored individuals who were smaller, had smaller teeth and weaker jaws This proto-dog became more adapted to the human population and became “naturally” tame and developed a behavior pattern which differed significantly from the wild wolf Domestication Wild cats and wolves usually only have one estrous cycle a year to breed Domesticated cats can have multiple estrous cycles and domestic dogs have at least 2 a year Domesticated animals can reproduce at a higher rate than their wild counterparts Wolves develop faster than domestic dogs after birth In the chapter, discussion of a group of wolf pups and Alaskan Malamute puppies raised buy the same foster wolf mother and socialized to humans Wolf pups developed faster than the dogs but were the same by 10 weeks of age Dog puppies more independent of the foster mother and more readily approach a human caretaker than the wolf pups Domestication, dog Whining and playing Exhibited in dogs as adults but only in wolves as puppies Domestic dogs demonstrate primary socialization and develop social bonds most intensely from 5-12 weeks of age If no interaction between puppy and human by 12-14 weeks of age, the formation of a normal relationship may be compromised Wolves will not form strong bonds to humans, even when raised in captivity Domestic dogs reserve frenzied greeting behavior for humans(over other dogs) where with wolves, it is for Domestication, dog Wolves show less aggression with other pack members as a hurt member of the pack would decrease success when hunting As dogs domesticated, the natural selection pressure against aggression between pack members was unintentionally relaxed As a result, a dog is naturally more subordinate (and less dominate that wolves) However, when aggressive behaviors displayed (towards other dogs or humans) is may be of higher intensity and take a lower stimulus level to elicit Wolves or coyotes still cause more damage when attacking a dog (or cat) than when attacked by another dog They are looking to kill for a meal over just attacking Wolves or coyotes do less damage when attacking a herd of animals Just take one to eat Domestic dogs will kill whole herd for fun Question Should wild cats, wolves or wolf/hybrids be allowed as pets?