Percorrer por autor "Demirbas, Yasemin Salgirli"
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- Editorial : enhancing companion animal welfare through advanced behavioral management strategiesPublication . Demirbas, Yasemin Salgirli; McPeake, Kevin James; Pereira, Joana Soares; De Jaeger, XavierEditorial
- Efficacy of the Feliway® Classic diffuser in reducing undesirable scratching in cats : a randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled studyPublication . Pereira, Joana Soares; Demirbas, Yasemin Salgirli; Meppiel, Laurianne; Endersby, Sarah; Pereira, Gonçalo da Graça; Jaeger, Xavier DeScratching the environment is a natural behaviour that cats use for communication and physical maintenance purposes, however when it is carried out on household furniture it is considered unacceptable for some owners and even grounds for relinquishment of cats. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of FELIWAY® Classic Diffuser in reducing undesirable scratching (scratching vertical surfaces indoors other than the scratching post) in cats. A 28 day, randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled study with a total of 1060 caregiver-cat dyads was conducted. The study contained two groups: the Pheromone Group consisted of caregivers who were given a pheromone diffuser (n = 546) and the Placebo Group consisted of caregivers who were given a placebo diffuser (n = 514). A questionnaire with three subsections was distributed online. The first section, completed by the respondents at day 0, inquired about the cats’ daily routines, social and physical environments, behaviour, temperament, and emotional states. The second section filled on day 0, 7, 14, and 28, assessed the Frequency and the Intensity of the undesirable scratching problem and the effectiveness of the product. The last section, filled on the 28th day of the product application, related to the caregivers’ opinions about the product and overall outcome. After 28 days the scratching Frequency reduced for 83.5% of the cats in the Pheromone Group and 68.5% for the Placebo Group (p<0.0001). The Intensity was significantly different between treatment groups at D7 (p = 0.0170), at D14 (p = 0.0189) and at D28 (p<0.001). The reduction of the Global Index Score, which was calculated by multiplying the Intensity with the Frequency, was significantly higher for the Pheromone Group (p<0.001). This study provides direct evidence that the use of FELIWAY® Classic diffuser significantly reduces the Frequency, Intensity and the Global Index Score of undesirable scratching.
- Evaluating undesired scratching in domestic cats : a multifactorial approach to understand risk factorsPublication . Demirbas, Yasemin Salgirli; Pereira, Joana Soares; Jaeger, Xavier De; Meppiel, Laurianne; Endersby, Sarah; Pereira, Gonçalo da GraçaIntroduction: Despite being a natural feline behavior, scratching can become undesirable from a human perspective when directed at household items. This complex behavior can stem from various motivations, ranging from individual cat characteristics to environmental factors. This study investigates the factors influencing the increased level of undesirable scratching behavior in domestic cats, considering both cat-related and environmental aspects. Methods: Data from 1,211 cats were collected for this study. An online questionnaire comprising three sections was utilized. The first section gathered caregiver demographics, while the subsequent section examined aspects of cats’ daily routines, social interactions, environments, behaviours, and temperaments. The final section assessed the frequency and intensity of undesirable scratching behavior in cats. Scratching behavior was evaluated based on a combined scratching index. Results: The study suggests that the presence of a child may be associated with scratching episodes in the home environment. Additionally, factors such as play duration, playfulness, and nocturnal activity were identified as significant contributors to heightened scratching levels (p ≤ 0.05). Aggressiveness and disruptiveness also played significant roles in increased scratching behavior (p ≤ 0.05). The location of scratching posts emerged as a significant factor, with posts placed in areas frequented by the cat being more effective in redirecting scratching behavior (p ≤ 0.05). Discussion: This study reveals several significant associations between cat characteristics, nocturnal activity and play, as well as the environment. It underscores the multifaceted nature of undesirable scratching behavior and emphasizes the importance of comprehensively understanding both the individual characteristics of the cat and its environment to effectively address this behavior.
- An exploratory study of behavioral, cognitive, physiological, and microbiota profiles in senior dogsPublication . Saral, Begum; Atilgan, Durmus; Adiay, Deniz; Filazi, Nazlican; Ozturk, Hakan; Kismali, Gorkem; Pereira, Gonçalo Da Graça; Ozkul, Aykut; Demirbas, Yasemin SalgirliIntroduction: Aging in dogs is a multifactorial process involving behavioral, cognitive, immunological, and microbiota-related changes, yet distinguishing healthy from pathological aging remains challenging. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate physiological indicators of health by integrating pain evaluation and cognitive testing in senior companion dogs. Methods: Eighteen companion dogs aged ≥8 years underwent standardized behavioral and cognitive evaluations (Mini C-BARQ, DISHAA, object choice test), chronic pain assessment (Helsinki Chronic Pain Index), and quality-of-life (QoL) scoring. Hematological parameters, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and Th1/Th2 ratios were measured as physiological indicators, while fecal samples were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing for microbiota profiling. Results: All dogs scored above the chronic pain threshold (mean HCPI: 28.72), although caregiver-reported QoL ratings suggested good overall wellbeing. Cognitive testing yielded low average scores on the DISHAA (mean: 9.05), with only one dog showing mild cognitive decline; however, mean performance on the object choice test was low (1.94/5). Mean serum BDNF concentration was 0.154 ng/dL (SD: 0.082) and correlated positively with red blood cell (RBC) count and negatively with MCV, MCH, and MCHC (p ≤ 0.05). Immune profiling patterns suggested Th2 polarization. The gut microbiota was dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified two primary dimensions of biological variation: a pain–immune–microbiota axis, defined by higher chronic pain scores, Th2 polarization, increased Prevotella abundance, and higher DISHAA scores, and a second component reflecting microbiota compositional variation. Discussion: These preliminary findings highlight potential interactions between pain, microbiota composition, and immune dysregulation, suggesting their possible utility as candidate indicators for differentiating healthy from pathological aging in dogs.
- Measuring paw preferences in dogs, cats and rats : design requirements and innovations in methodologyPublication . Isparta, Sevim; Töre-Yargın, Gülşen; Wagner, Selina C.; Mundorf, Annakarina; Kul, Bengi Cinar; Pereira, Gonçalo Da Graça; Güntürkün, Onur; Ocklenburg, Sebastian; Freund, Nadja; Demirbas, Yasemin SalgirliStudying behavioural lateralization in animals holds great potential for answering important questions in laterality research and clinical neuroscience. However, comparative research encounters challenges in reliability and validity, requiring new approaches and innovative designs to overcome. Although validated tests exist for some species, there is yet no standard test to compare lateralized manual behaviours between individuals, populations, and animal species. One of the main reasons is that different fine-motor abilities and postures must be considered for each species. Given that pawedness/handedness is a universal marker for behavioural lateralization across species, this article focuses on three commonly investigated species in laterality research: dogs, cats, and rats. We will present six apparatuses (two for dogs, three for cats, and one for rats) that enable an accurate assessment of paw preference. Design requirements and specifications such as zoometric fit for different body sizes and ages, reliability, robustness of the material, maintenance during and after testing, and animal welfare are extremely important when designing a new apparatus. Given that the study of behavioural lateralization yields crucial insights into animal welfare, laterality research, and clinical neuroscience, we aim to provide a solution to these challenges by presenting design requirements and innovations in methodology across species.