Veterinary Sciences

Objectives: Pet ownership may affect older adults’ health in multiple ways, yet its specific association with perceived stress remains unclear. From a One Welfare perspective, this study examined associations between companion-animal ownership, diverse companion animal caregiving characteristics, and perceived stress among Chinese older adults. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults recruited from five provinces in China between August 2024 and January 2025. Perceived stress was measured using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) among 1428 eligible participants aged 60 years or older. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine these associations, adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health-related confounders. Results: In fully adjusted models, companion-animal ownership was associated with significantly lower perceived stress compared with non-ownership. Stratified analyses showed that this association was significant only among exclusive dog owners. Longer ownership duration (>3 years) and frequent hands-on pet care were also associated with lower perceived stress. In contrast, frequent pet illness and weekly dog walking were linked to higher perceived stress. Conclusions: Pet ownership, particularly exclusive dog ownership and long-term companionship, was significantly associated with lower perceived stress in Chinese older adults. However, caregiving burdens, such as managing pet illness and weekly dog walking, may partly explain the weaker observed associations. These findings offered localized empirical evidence and highlighted the need for targeted support systems that consider both older adults’ mental health and companion-animal welfare within a One Welfare framework.

Common carotid artery velocity–time integral (CCA-VTI) may offer an accessible peripheral measurement for hemodynamic assessment, but its relationship with aortic velocity–time integral (Ao-VTI) in dogs remains unclear. This prospective observational pilot study evaluated their association, agreement, technical feasibility, and acquisition times in 51 unsedated client-owned dogs. A single investigator sequentially obtained both measurements using pulsed-wave Doppler, averaging three consecutive cardiac cycles. No preload-modifying intervention was performed. Data were evaluated using Pearson correlation, linear regression, Bland–Altman analysis, and the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test. Technically adequate CCA-VTI measurements were obtained in 48 dogs (94.1%), which were included in the paired analyses. CCA-VTI was positively correlated with Ao-VTI (r = 0.7021, p < 0.001; R² = 0.4929). There was no statistically significant difference in acquisition time between CCA-VTI and Ao-VTI. CCA-VTI acquisition was feasible in most unsedated dogs and showed a significant positive association with Ao-VTI. However, variability between individual measurements precludes assuming interchangeability. Further validation against independent blood-flow measurements and during controlled preload interventions is needed before clinical use for systemic flow estimation or fluid-responsiveness assessment.

This cross-sectional study examined general animal-rights attitudes among veterinary students and their associations with sociodemographic characteristics. A voluntary classroom survey was conducted among 400 students at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Türkiye, in May 2026. Students completed a sociodemographic form and the Animal Rights Attitude Scale in Turkish. Following item analysis, two items were excluded, and the resulting 30-item score was analyzed in 354 students with complete scale responses. Female students and pet owners had higher attitude scores in unadjusted comparisons. In the multivariable analysis, which included 352 students with complete outcome and predictor data, sex, class year, and place of residence were associated with attitude scores. Pet ownership was not statistically significant after adjustment, and some findings were sensitive to influential observations. The findings suggest that general animal-rights attitudes vary across student characteristics, but do not establish causal relationships or changes during veterinary education. The scale does not directly measure preferences for specific stray-animal management practices. The single-faculty design and exclusion of incomplete scale responses limit generalizability. Multicenter and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the relationships observed.