The American Association of Feline Practitioners has announced the publication of a digital 

 to help veterinary professionals diagnose and treat systemic arterial hypertension in cats. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the toolkit emphasizes the importance of checking blood pressure routinely to aid in tracking trends and detecting hypertension in cats early.

“Assessing blood pressure in the feline species is an important part of feline preventive care, yet it is uncommon for practices to routinely perform this test,” says Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), chair of the task force that created the guidelines, in an association press release. “This toolkit provides a quick, go-to reference that will help veterinary professionals overcome the difficulties and obstacles associated with assessing blood pressure in cats.”

When cats have high blood pressure, a lack of accompanying clinical signs often makes diagnosis difficult. While the toolkit encourages using the information provided on all feline patients, cats aged 10 years and older are at higher risk for hypertension and should be monitored more frequently than younger cats.

The toolkit provides tips for successful blood pressure management, including cuff selection and placement, recommendations for taking blood pressure measurements, and the equipment and environment. Each page also has an associated printable PDF that you can use in your practice. A new Blood Pressure Assessment Form is available to download for recording results and other necessary information. Tabbed sections on clinical signs of hypertension, treatment, classifications, frequently asked questions, client resources, and more make the toolkit easy to navigate.

“With its user-friendly format, veterinary professionals can quickly learn how to perform a Cat-Friendly blood pressure assessment, how to interpret the numbers, and how to treat hypertensive cats,” says St. Denis.

Articles

This new digital resource will help veterinary professionals access and gather vital information quickly. 

AAFP releases feline hypertension toolkit 

It had been 28 days since I had pondered wearing jeans—scrubs are so comfortable and don’t judge my waistline. After finally getting into my jeans, I was out of breath and feeling extremely uncomfortable. Then it hit me: I wasn’t myself. I was beyond stressed not just from weight gain, but also from my high workload, late hours, and exhaustion.

I always thought I was good at managing stress, but my poor quality of life told a different story. So what did I do about it? Like many veterinary professionals, I attended a well-being lecture. Afterward, I was inspired and ready to tackle the world—or so I thought.

That Monday morning, I strolled into the clinic, prepared to take my life back. I was going to stay focused and positive and leave on time. But 4 hours into my shift, after several frustrated clients and emergencies, I felt like all the strategies I learned during the lecture went right out the door. My old habits began to take over, and I wondered why my new well-being plan didn’t work.

If this scenario sounds familiar, it’s time to adjust your approach to well-being. Here are my top 3 reasons why well-being plans fail, plus some strategies to help you succeed.

It’s easy to visualize the end result of a well-being plan, but the choices, sacrifices, and willpower it takes to follow through don’t get nearly enough attention. At the beginning of my well-being journey, I was told I would have to make changes. My first impression was that it wouldn’t be too hard or take too long, but boy I was mistaken.

I quickly realized that I was in a toxic friendship and needed to reevaluate my inner circle. After feeling inspired by the well-being lecture, I was finally ready to let this friend go. I tried weaning myself off the relationship by telling myself why it didn’t work. Then I asked myself what it would mean if I let her go. If she wasn’t around, I reasoned, I would be bored and lonely. Once I confronted these underlying assumptions, I was able to release my grip. I trusted that I could connect to more positive individuals in the future. This process took more than 6 months, but with practice, the time frame for making change happen will get shorter.

To help identify—and overcome)—subconscious assumptions about your well-being plan, ask yourself these questions and write down your responses:

What expectations do I have about this well-being plan?

What will I need to give up or add to my life to make this plan work for me?

What areas of my life will I have to reevaluate to improve my well-being?

Talking about or writing down your assumptions can help put your journey into perspective. We might think we make perfect sense, but when we share your thoughts with someone else or write them down, we might notice that some of our well-being goals are unreasonable.

Well-being workshops can help inspire change. They provide lots of useful information but no real-world practice. I can tell someone how to place a central line catheter and give tips for troubleshooting problems, but until someone tries it for themselves they won’t know how to overcome obstacles. 

When coaching veterinary professionals, a majority of my time is spent troubleshooting. For example, one of my clients wanted more balance in her life. Although she loved her job and colleagues

she also valued her personal time and often felt guilty about leaving work on time. We found a way for her to uphold her 

 and her work values. It took weeks to develop a successful strategy. In the end, the solution included a combination of letting go of what others thought about her, improving her time management skills, and communicating with her teammates. The bottom line? Well-being is not black and white—every situation comes with unique challenges.

“Semper Gumby” is an unofficial US Marine Corps motto that means always flexible. Practice being strong and flexible during this well-being journey. You will try, fail, grow, and repeat. It's all part of the process.

When a dog has a fever but no other obvious signs of illness, we know there’s more going on than what meets the eye. Feeling uncomfortable is similar because it can help us to identify some trouble areas in our life.

For example, boundaries are especially hard for me. I still feel stressed when someone repeatedly pushes my boundaries. I once had a boss, Sally, who asked me to confront another coworker, Becky, about an opinion she expressed about me. I felt it would be death by communication if I started a conversation that sounded something like, “I was told that you thought I was mad at you 2 weeks ago.” The thought of having this conversation made me cringe.

I was aware that Becky and I did not get along, but I had a plan to help rebuild our relationship. When Sally pushed me for the third time, I was ready to blow. Instead of caving on my boundary, I sat with the problem and processed the situation. This helped me realize that I never told Sally what I planned to do about Becky.

I reassured Sally that I had already started a process of trying to improve my communication with Becky. Without taking the time to sit in my frustration, I might not have upheld my boundary and could have been resentful later.

The next time you feel like your only choices are to uphold your well-being or cave in, remember there is a third option. Sit with the discomfort and ask yourself: What am I supposed to learn?

Most people are doing their best to be happy. It is hard to play the long game when you can make decisions in the moment that will give you relief.

Expectations can sneak up on you in the form of feelings such as discomfort, disappointment, or self-criticism. If your well-being is low, the journey back to happiness will have moments of triumph alongside struggles.

Viewing your path to better well-being as a journey with twists and turns will help set realistic expectations and allow you to roll with the punches. Let’s face it. Improving your well-being is hard, but it can help you live a healthier and happier life—one that you’re genuinely excited about.

Kristina Guldbrand worked as a certified veterinary technician for 12 years before becoming an account manager for Veterinary System Services, where she discovered her love of leadership and well-being. She has received training through the International Coaching Federation and provides workshops, leadership, and well-being coaching, as well as teambuilding for practices

Find out why your plan to improve personal well-being isn’t working, and learn how to tailor your strategy for success.

When intentions don’t match results: why well-being plans fail

Cutting calories is the go-to strategy for most pet owners trying to slim down their pets. But exercise is often given less weight, particularly for cats, because they tend to “exercise” at their own discretion.

Cats burn calories through natural feline behaviors, such as exploring their territory, stalking prey, navigating varying surfaces and heights, and socializing with other cats. Those kept indoors and unable to engage in these activities may be more prone to packing on pounds.

There is no match for free living. However, indoor forms of exercise—combined with calorie limitations—can keep cats fit, according to veterinary nutritionist Deborah Linder, DVM, DACVN, a research assistant professor at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “Exercise is our secret weapon,” she told attendees during a 

But owners sometimes get defensive when prodded to discuss weight loss for their pets, leading them to eschew fitness programs. “This stems from the fact that they have to acknowledge that their pet is overweight, that it’s not good for their pet, and that it’s their fault,” Linder said.

For these sensitive client conversations, she advises veterinarians to take a neutral, nonjudgmental stance that focuses on quality of life rather than obesity. She suggests kicking off these talks with something like this: “‘Let’s work as a team to have a multifaceted plan to improve quality of life, where weight management is 

Fashioning a weight management program that incorporates physical activity begins with an overall assessment of both cat’s and owner’s lifestyles. The first step is to determine the cat’s eligibility for exercise. Does the cat have health issues, such as asthma or orthopedic problems, that would restrict exercise? How about the cat’s body condition and muscle condition scores? For obese and/or muscle-wasted cats, medical workups and graduated exercise introductions may be indicated.

Second, obtain a detailed history that probes the cat’s current and previous activity levels, and clarifies what types and degrees of activity are possible in a particular household. For instance, does the home have spatial limitations? Are there rooms the cat is not allowed to enter?

Third, try to discern the owner’s level of commitment to controlling the cat’s weight and providing conditioning activities. Inquire about his or her goals for the cat.

Lastly, interview the owner to determine what motivates the cat, and tailor an activity program around this. For the food-motivated cat

 what are its high-value food items? If kibble, the owner can use puzzle toys, which require the cat to move about and utilize its natural agility in order to obtain crunchies. Or the owner can spread kibble throughout the house so the cat must amble about in pursuit of it. For wet food lovers, the owner can open the can and walk up and down stairs with it to entice the cat to follow in order to procure the meal.

For the hunter, pen lights and electronic toys, such as battery-operated mice, can charge up the energy. Cats that bore of these can be incentivized with hunting feeders that release kibble when batted around.

The adventuresome cat can be given outdoor exercise safely, perhaps with leash walking. While many cats eschew physical restraint, treats can be used to positively reinforce cooperation with donning harnesses.

American Animal Hospital Association weight management guidelines

World Small Animal Veterinary Association

To take the stigma out of the weight loss conversation, Linder recommends sharing relevant personal stories with their clients. She shared her own with the audience.

Linder’s 5-year-old cat, Leftie, had a body condition score of 7/9. “No, she didn’t come that way,” she admitted. “I made her that way.”

Her nutritional assessment revealed Leftie’s daily intake to be 160 kcal of adult maintenance food, capped off with bologna as a treat. When she contemplated weight loss strategies for Leftie, she said her initial thought was, “I’ll just stop the bologna.”

But Leftie loved the bologna. So, she considered ways to get her to burn more calories, and settled on puzzle balls filled with kibble. When Leftie is rolling the balls around to make them release kibble, it provides her with movement and entertainment at the same time. And when Linder gets involved in the ball game, it facilitates bonding. This, she said, is perhaps the greatest payoff.

“When you can make a weight loss plan or a quality of life improvement plan focus on the human-animal bond, I personally find that families are so much more successful and so much happier and really positive about the outcomes they see.”

While Leftie took well to the food-driven workouts, not every cat does. For naturally sedentary kitties, exercise beginners, and the obese, she advocates gradual increases in low-intensity activities, such as walking around the house. For cats with physical impairments that restrict activity, physical therapists can engage them in appropriate activities, such as treadmill walking and swimming.

Although physical activity can drive down body mass, Linder reminded the audience, it does not negate the importance of calorie control—or math. If an activity that burns 10 calories requires 100 calories of treats, she said, it defeats its purpose.

One way to bend the math in the right direction is to use low-calorie edibles when incentivizing activities. Chosen treats should not exceed 1 kcal/piece. She added that cats are texture-driven, and can often be motivated with veggies of the semisoft variety, such as zucchini, or of the moist- crunchy type, like sweet red peppers.

Linder said that once a plan that both elevates activity levels and cuts/controls calories is set into place, client follow-up is key. How does the client feel? How is the cat responding? What are the challenges? One of the most common complaints she hears now, as more people are working from home, is that these cats disrupt their owners’ work and sleep with their demands for food. This is where puzzle toys and timed food dispensers come into play.

“They shift the cat’s focus away from the owner being the source of food to the inanimate object being the source of food,” Linder said. So too, veterinarians should focus their cat owners on exercise and calorie control, which are key ingredients for physical conditioning, environmental enrichment, and feline-human bonding.

Physical activity and creative mealtime strategies can support weight loss, boost quality of life, and bond cats more tightly with their humans. 

Weight control for cats: Pushing flabby felines to flex their whiskers

Goodbye February and hello March! To kick off the new month, we will be posting a robust mix of news content this week including: 

An article that offers insight on why exercise is the secret weapon for cat weight loss.

An article that highlights strategies you need to develop standard protocols and best practices in critical care units, as well as important tools to maintain mental health while working in such a stressful and demanding environment.

An article that breaks down how and why sound affects 

animals psychologically. Fetch speaker Susan O. Wagner, DVM, MS, DACVIM, encourages attendees to utilize particular genres of music to create a more relaxed experience for their patients.

understanding the pharmacodynamics of sedative, analgesic, and induction agents

 can improve safety and stability for all anesthesia patients, regardless of age.

We will also be announcing the winner of our 2021 dvm360® Hospital Design Competition! Stay tuned on social media and dvm360.com for updates.

Here's a sneak peek at some of this week's headlines.

News wrap-up: This week's veterinary headlines, plus an exciting announcement

Although age is not a disease, it can be a risk factor when it comes to administering anesthesia. At the 

 virtual conference last week, Katrina Lafferty, BFA, RLAT, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia), a senior technician in the anesthesia and surgery department at the Wisconsin National Primate Center in Madison, talked about risk factors and considerations for anesthesia in neonatal, pediatric, and geriatric patients. 

A veterinary patient is considered neonatal from birth to weaning (about age 6 to 10 weeks) and pediatric from weaning to reproductive maturity (about age 5 to 6 months). It is important to remember that neonatal and pediatric patients are not just small dogs or cats. Rather, they should be thought of as still completing development of their organ systems. Lafferty noted that during the neonatal and pediatric phases of development there is a shift from placental/maternal control of circulation and organ function to the puppy’s or kitten’s own circulatory system and organs, and as a result these young patients have unique anesthesia considerations.

Although geriatric patients have fully developed organs, the organs begin to wear out as animals age. What age we should start to worry about this varies by patient size, with small-breed dogs being considered geriatric at about age 9 years, midsize canine breeds at about age 9 to 10 years, and cats at about age 8 to 10. Although some pets may seem “young at heart,” these are the ages at which we should start to consider that either overt or occult organ system comorbidities may be present.

Lafferty took the audience through the body system by system to discuss the various considerations when developing anesthesia protocols for these patients.

It is important to realize that baroreceptors are not fully mature until about age 12 weeks. As a result, blood vessels in puppies and kittens are unable to vasoconstrict to maintain blood pressure, so the only driver of cardiac output is heart rate. Whereas adults can increase contractility by 300% to offset deficits, neonatal and pediatric patients can only achieve a 30% increase in contractility. Further, hypoxia drives bradycardia, which perpetuates this cycle of low blood pressure. In a practical sense, this means a greater risk for profound hypotension, bradycardia, fluid overload, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary edema. In addition to normal physiologic risk factors, an estimated 17% of puppies and 5% of kittens may have undiagnosed heart defects. For this reason, all murmurs should be evaluated before anesthesia is performed.

Geriatric patients may have similar physiologic limitations but for different reasons. Instead of a cardiovascular system that is not yet fully developed, the risk in geriatric patients is that this system will fail to compensate because it is worn out. These older patients are similarly unable to cope with hypotension because their baroreceptors may be unable to compensate to the extent necessary.

Geriatric patients also have difficulty increasing cardiac output when necessary because of fibrosis and thickening of the heart or valves and altered cardiac conduction.

Physiologic and clinical anesthesia risks in geriatric patients are identical to those in puppies and include profound hypotension, bradycardia, fluid overload, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary edema. Geriatric patients are also at increased risk for cardiac defects, although these are degenerative rather than developmental. Twenty-five percent to 33% of dogs over 9 years of age have evidence of heart disease (eg, valvular disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias). Cats may similarly have increased risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias with increasing age.

Young animals also have immature respiratory systems, in that their ribcage is very flexible and compliant, their intercostal muscles are weak and underdeveloped and can fatigue easily when taxed, they have an increased oxygen demand, and their chemoreceptors are less sensitive to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide. Overall, young animals are less able to compensate when physiologic parameters require it. As a result, neonatal and pediatric patients are at greater risk for overinflation, atelectasis, respiratory fatigue, and hypoxemia. Clinically, this means we should always preoxygenate these young patients.

Geriatric patients also have similar concerns, but from weakened (atrophied) intercostal muscles, lower elasticity of lung tissue, pulmonary fibrosis, decreased elastic recoil of the lungs, decreased chest wall compliance, and decreased laryngeal and pharyngeal function. Although the reasons are slightly different, the anesthetic risks in geriatric patients are similar to those in neonates. Geriatric patients are at increased risk for atelectasis, impaired pulmonary diffusion, respiratory infections, and prolonged extubation and recovery. Just as with neonatal and pediatric patients, it is important to always preoxygenate geriatric patients.

Continuing the discussion of organ system development, Lafferty said that the immature hepatic system of neonatal and pediatric patients results in low glycogen stores, decreased gluconeogenic ability, and an immature cytochrome P450 system that limits drug metabolism as well as the ongoing metabolism of endogenous products. Clinically, with regard to anesthesia considerations, patients may have normal glycemic regulation when awake but are still at risk for hypoglycemia 1 to 2 hours into anesthesia. Further, extended drug elimination times and prolonged recovery should be expected due to the immature capacity for metabolizing anesthetic and sedative agents.

Geriatric patients also have a reduced capacity to metabolize drugs due to decreased microsomal enzyme activity, decreased liver mass, and decreased hepatic blood flow. Similar to pediatric patients, risks include hypoglycemia and prolonged recovery times; additional hepatic function risks in geriatric patients include hypoproteinemia, coagulopathies, and hypothermia.

The renal system is fully functional at approximately 3 weeks of age, so these very young patients may be at risk for prolonged recoveries or fluid overload due to decreased glomerular filtration and clearance rates, decreased reabsorption of amino acids and phosphate, and low concentrating ability. Geriatric patients are also at risk for renal insufficiency or renal disease. Clinically, geriatric patients may be less able to regulate blood pressure and more likely to have acid-base imbalances, azotemia, dehydration, and hypoproteinemia. Lafferty noted that even in normal patients, general anesthesia causes up to a 40% reduction in renal blood flow and glomerular filtration. So, caution is required in patients with the potential for renal impairment.

As a result of these immature or failing organ systems, including central nervous system, gastrointestinal, or endocrine system abnormalities, we must consider accommodating the pertinent risks when performing premedication, anesthesia induction, anesthesia maintenance, sedation, analgesia, fluid therapy, and perianesthetic monitoring and patient support (ie, temperature maintenance, intubation and extubation, and recovery). A key factor in evaluating risks in any patient is a complete and thorough physical examination. Lafferty mentioned a study in which a thorough physical examination in a population of geriatric dogs identified at least 1 previously unrecognized problem in 80% of cases.

Rebecca A. Packer, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology/Neurosurgery), is an associate professor at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Fort Collins. She is active in clinical and didactic training of veterinary students and residents and has developed a comparative neuro-oncology research program at Colorado State University.

1. Davies M. Geriatric screening in first opinion practice—results from 45 dogs. 

. 2012;53(9):507-13. doi:10.1111/j.1748-5827.2012.01247.x

Old and young patients have unique needs when it comes to anesthesia. Understanding the pharmacodynamics of sedative, analgesic, and induction agents will improve safety and stability for all your anesthesia patients, regardless of age.

Pediatric and geriatric anesthesia considerations

Is it time to prescribe Mozart? According to veterinary neurologist Susan O. Wagner, DVM, MS, DACVIM, an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus and coauthor of 

Through a Dog’s Ear: Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Canine Companion

, the answer is a resounding yes. At the Fetch dvm360

 virtual conference this week, Wagner presented evidence that suggests sound affects animals on a psychological level. She encouraged attendees to utilize particular genres of music to create a more relaxed experience for their patients.

Before delving into the specific benefits of music therapy, Wagner provided a brief overview of some basic tenets of sound measurements, noise toxicity, and the study of bioacoustics versus psychoacoustics.

At the most elementary level, sound is waves of energy that affect the nervous system. The 2 terms used to categorize sound are frequency, which is measured in Hertz (Hz), and intensity, which is measured in decibels (dB). Humans hear frequencies of 20 to 20,000 Hz, whereas dogs can hear frequencies between 40 and 45,000 Hz and cats up to 64,000 Hz.

Part of understanding how sound can positively impact a species involves recognizing its adverse effects, Wagner said. For reference, a normal conversation occurs at 50 dB and a lawnmower generally operates at 90 dB. Animal laboratories routinely reach noise levels of 80 dB, with human activity transiently increasing intensity by as much as 40 dB. Hearing damage occurs instantly at 100 dB (think standing next to a jet engine) or when exposed to 80 dB for longer than 15 minutes, which happens more often than one might think, she said.

Although noise levels in a typical veterinary clinic could become detrimental to staff working lots of overtime hours, it is the patients Wagner called attention to. “Researchers have examined the effects of noise toxicity in animals, which expands beyond hearing damage,” she said.

 found that dogs exposed to sound blasts of 85 dB experienced increased heart rates and salivary cortisol levels.

 The noise also elicited postural signs of anxiety. Birth defects have been documented in mice and rats when the mother was exposed to noise pollution during pregnancy.

 Behavioral changes were also detected in their offspring.

While there is decades-old research on the effect of noise on animals, Wagner said the study of sound in animals historically was categorized through bioacoustics. This places an emphasis on how animals communicate and the positive and negative effects of their environments, but it does not account for psychoacoustics. Typically applied only to humans, psychoacoustics examines the perception of sound, psychological responses, and its impact on the nervous system.

Examining the physiologic effects of sound and music opens the door to understanding how certain melodies can be used to calm anxious pets.

“Music therapy and sound enrichment are low-cost, easy modalities to enrich the lives of captive animals,” Wagner said. “Whether it be a short-term stay in a veterinary clinic or shelter, or long-term captivity in a sanctuary or zoo, sound can play a key role in enhancing the welfare of these animals.”

Sound therapy research has illustrated music's influence on a variety of species. In 1 study, cows were more likely to come into the milking parlor if signaled by music.

 “Behaviorists might say that is classical conditioning, and some of it can be, but it has to start with a pleasant stimulus,” Wagner said. “You play pleasant music to the cows and then they are adapting to it. It is a combination of classical conditioning and sensory relaxation.”

In a separate study, when chickens listened to music, they had increased growth and reduced stress.

 There are also indications that animals may have musical preferences. In the same study, horses showed a decreased appetite when listening to jazz and an increased appetite with country music.

 “This is an example of going beyond bioacoustics into psychoacoustics. That makes perfect sense to me,” Wagner said. She surmised that the differing tempos and frequencies in jazz could become uncomfortable to the horses. Sorry, Miles Davis.

Through her research, which became the basis for 

, Wagner and coauthor and sound researcher Joshua Leeds examined how music with varying tempos and instruments might elicit favorable responses. More than 150 dogs were observed in home environments and kennels to see if they would sit down, lie down, or even go to sleep when listening to certain music. “We found that the simple piano with low tones and a slow tempo is what made them most calm,” she said. When listening to the piano in the home environment, 85% of the dogs went to sleep, compared with 70% to 75% in a kennel setting.

When presented with a patient that displays signs of general anxiety or pain, Wagner suggests creating a sound inventory of the home. She encouraged attendees to prompt clients to sit and listen to all of the ambient noise in and around their homes to pinpoint overlooked stressors. This works 2-fold by providing the veterinarian with pertinent information while also conditioning the client to become more perceptive to the noises their pet encounters. “Humans are good at tuning ambient sounds out, be it the TV or something happening outside,” she said. “But animals are not.”

A similar noise evaluation should be conducted in the veterinary hospital, too. “How loud is the conversation in the room? Are you drawing blood on a cat while someone is clipping a dog’s nails right next to it? It is not about you and your need to keep things moving or about convenience,” Wagner said. “What about the patient? Think about it from their perspective.”

Once possible noise toxicities are addressed, the right music can create an enhanced, stress-free experience. “To keep animals as calm as possible, instrumental music is best,” she said. Animals do not need the added stimulus of processing voices.

“Music reduces the complexity of the orienting response. As the patient hears the music, the sound will resonate with its brain waves and heart rate,” Wagner explained. “You get a physiologic effect that feeds back to the nervous system. It can be really helpful.”

showed that respiratory rates and pupil diameters in cats changed depending on whether classical music, pop, or rock was played during spay procedures. Classical music had the most positive effect, whereas heavy metal caused increased respirations and pupil diameters, indicating a stress response. The response to pop was intermediate.

 Research has also shown that cats prefer music with frequencies and tempos similar to what is heard in feline communication.

At home, Wagner said, hearing calming music for as little as 30 to 60 minutes a day will help reduce the sympathetic overdrive from the nervous system in pets. “We cannot teach our patients to meditate, but we can use music to do a very similar thing,” she said.

Beerda B, Schilder MBH, van Hooff JARAM, deVries HW, Mol JA. Behavioural, saliva cortisol and heart rate responses to different types of stimuli in dogs. 

Cook RO, Nawrot PS, Hamm CW. Effects of high-frequency noise on prenatal development and maternal plasma and uterine catecholamine concentrations in the CD-1 mouse. 

Nawrot PS, Cook RO, Staples RE. Embryotoxicity of various noise stimuli in the mouse. 

Uetake K, Hurnik JF, Johnson L. Effect of music on voluntary approach of dairy cows to an automatic milking system. 

Houpt K, Marrow M, Seeliger M. A preliminary study of the effect of music on equine behavior. 

Mira F, Costa A, Mendes E, Azevedo P, Carreira LM. Influence of music and its genres on respiratory rate and pupil diameter variations in cats under general anaesthesia: contribution to promoting patient safety. 

 Snowdan CT, Teie D, Savage M. Cats prefer species-appropriate music. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 2015;166:106-111.

Certain musical tones and melodies have proven to elicit calming responses in animals. Learn how music therapy can benefit your pets and patients.