Buzz: Your dog might really like boarding
A new study suggests that staying at a kennel might not be as stressful for dogs as we think.
DO YOU worry that your dog dislikes being boarded? A new study suggests that staying at a kennel might not be as stressful for dogs as we think. They may even view their "vacation" as exciting - at least for a while. Factors measured to evaluate stress levels included skin dryness, nose temperature, core body temperature, levels of stress hormones and behaviors such as lip licking, paw lifting, yawning, shaking and restlessness. The dogs were more excited at the kennel than they were at home, researchers found, but not necessarily because they were stressed.
* Arthur, a 4-year-old flamepoint Siamese cat, needed a kidney transplant, but was rejected twice because his body did not properly absorb Cyclosporine, a drug that reduces the risk that the body will reject the new organ. But at the University of Georgia's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, he became the second beneficiary of a new procedure: an injection of feline adult stem cells derived from his own fat. The stem cells have an anti-inflammatory effect and can lessen immune response, reducing the risk of rejection.