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Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) covers aspects that are relevant to both animal and human health. Understanding the factors associated with adherence to RCAG principles can guide accountability, animal welfare and disease control. The present observational study describes the level of adherence to RCAG by guardians living in a medium-sized Brazilian municipality and identifies the factors associated with inadequate guardianship. Questionnaires were administered to randomly selected guardians of 704 dogs. The binary outcome of the study, namely more and less adequate compliers to RCAG principles, was analyzed using a score list comprising eight variables relating to the care provided to the dogs, namely provision of veterinary services, vaccination against rabies, deworming, no access to the streets without supervision, walking with guardian, dog freedom at home, registration (microchipping) and satisfactory food supply. Factors possibly associated with less adequate adherence to RCAG by the guardian, such as socioeconomic and cultural features of the guardians, characteristics of the dogs and attributes of the guardian-animal interactions, were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models. The RCAG actions least adopted by guardians were animal registration, provision of veterinary care, walking with the dog and preventing access of the dogs to the streets without supervision. Individuals who cared for a single dog, a mixed breed dog or had previously lost a dog were less likely to show adequate adherence to RCAG. Conversely, guardians who owned cars, acquired dogs as puppies, lived in households with a maximum of four residents, cared for a sterilized dog or thought that caring for a dog was easier than (or as) expected, had a higher chance of showing adequate adherence to RCAG. The results verify that the socioeconomic and behavioral characteristic of guardians must be taken into consideration for understanding the adherence to RCAG. In addition, it is important to facilitate access to veterinary services and to raise awareness about the significance of a safe and healthy environment for companion animals., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Comparing intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using Goldmann applanation prism and TonoSafe® in the population without signs of glaucoma., Material and Methods: Patients with no ocular pathologies, except ametropia (until ± 4 D) or IOP of <30 mm Hg without signs of glaucoma by optic disc structural analysis by fundus biomicroscopy. The IOP was measured sequentially using the traditional cone and the TonoSafe®, according to a randomization list to determine which device would be used first. The measurements from the right and left eyes were compared separately. Since there was no statistical difference, both eyes were considered in this study., Results: A total of 385 eyes of 194 patients with a mean age of 66.4 ± 11.2 years old were included. The mean IOP with conventional prism was 14.2 ± 3.6 and 14.3 ± 3.6 mm Hg with TonoSafe ® . Differences were not statistically significant by the Wilcoxon test ( p = 0.3). The median was 14.0 mm Hg for both groups. The mean difference between measurements was 0.04 mm Hg, with the median equal to zero. There was no statistical difference in IOP readings according to which device was the first measurement., Conclusion: No statistical difference was found in IOP was measured with conventional prism or TonoSafe® in the population without signs of glaucoma., Clinical Significance: The data provided by our study support the efficacy and safety of the disposable tonometer compared to the Goldman tonometer in measuring IOP in patients without glaucoma., How to Cite This Article: Soares PHA, Santos RDO, Filho CRADM, et al. Goldmann Applanation Tonometry: Comparison of Intraocular Pressure Values Obtained with Disposable Tip and Conventional Applanation Prism in the Population without Clinical Signs of Glaucoma. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2023;17(2):75-78., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2023; The Author(s).)

Understanding the distribution of dogs in the environment is relevant for establishing human and animal health actions. In the present study, we analyzed the influence of community feeders and commercial food outlets on the spatial distribution of free-roaming dogs in an urban area of a municipality in Southeast Brazil. The dogs were identified via photographic capture and recapture performed over five sampling efforts. The spatial densities of dogs were determined using the Kernel method. Spatial correlations between the distribution of free-roaming dogs and the locations of community feeders and commercial food outlets were analyzed using the K function. During the study, 1207 captures/recaptures were performed encompassing 554 dogs, the majority (62.6%) of which were males. Agglomerations of male and female dogs were observed in the areas where food was present. Positive spatial autocorrelations were detected between the distribution of dogs and food sources. The median distances between dogs and community feeders or commercial food outlets were 1.2 and 1.4 km, respectively, and the difference between these two was statistically significant. The presence of community feeders and food outlets demonstrates the influence of human activity, on the spatial distribution of free-roaming dogs. These results will be useful for developing strategies aimed at the improvement of animal welfare and the prevention of zoonoses.

The permanence of a dog in a household is relevant in terms of public health and animal welfare because it implies that the animal is receiving better care and is unlikely to be abandoned. We have performed a survey in a medium-sized city in southeastern Brazil in order to identify predictors associated with the non-permanence of dogs in households as determined one year after the first visit. During the first of two visits to randomly selected domiciles, guardians were asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding the traits and history of each dog in the household, features of the domicile, characteristics of the guardian and adherence to the principles of responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG). A second visit to each domicile was performed one year later in order to establish in loco whether the dog still resided in the domicile and, where appropriate, to apply a further questionnaire concerning the fate of the missing animal. The total sample population comprised 513 dogs, of which 98 (19.1%) were verified as no longer resident in the domicile on the occasion of the second visit. Of the absent dogs, 59 had died as a result of fights with stray animals, traffic accidents, diseases or old age, 13 had been sent to alternative addresses, 8 had been donated to third parties and 7 had escaped from the domicile. The fates of the remaining 11 animals were not divulged by the guardians. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the risk of non-permanence was significantly higher (p < 0.05) among male dogs, those that were infested with ticks, had free access to the streets or resided in domiciles near a wooded area, but was significantly lower among wormed and neutered dogs. The adoption of RCAG principles is associated with the permanence of dogs in households and, consequently, in reduction of the stray population, animal well-being and prevention of zoonoses. On this basis, it is important to raise awareness about the concepts of RCAG and to strengthen accountability of guardians that do not take proper care of their animals., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) comprises a set of concepts involving activities, behavior and care that guardians must provide to ensure the welfare of their animals. When such principles are disregarded, the risk of animals developing zoonotic diseases, such as canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), increases. This disease is a public health problem in many urban settings in Brazil because dogs are the main reservoirs of Leishmania and are involved in the transmission of the parasites to humans. Our analytical cross-sectional epidemiological survey aimed to investigate the prevalence of CVL in a city in southeastern Brazil and to establish the association between the disease and a number of predictor variables including dog traits, socioeconomic status of guardians, ecological features of the domicile and RCAG., Results: Our study showed that the global prevalence of CVL in the sample canine population was 6.7% (47/704). All variables related to better dog care were associated with lower chances of infection. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the chances of animals being seropositive for CVL were significantly (p < 0.05) higher when guardians had no formal education or possessed a university degree (vs. those with complete primary or secondary schooling) and when dogs were sheltered outside the house and had free access to the streets. An additional novel finding was that dogs that were acquired as puppies presented half of the chance of developing the disease in comparison with those acquired at the adult stage. Geographically weighted logistic regression coefficients showed that the strengths of the predictor/CVL associations varied depending on the studied geographical space. Both models demonstrated that the associations were always in the same directions., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that regardless of age and mode of acquisition, adult dogs should be submitted to clinical evaluation and tests for CVL. RCAG can exert positive effects on the control of CVL., (© 2022. The Author(s).)