Alteraciones conductuales y fisiológicas en perros detectores bajo la influencia del estrés de confinamiento

Abstract

The present article aimed to study the physiological and behavioral effects on the olfactory performance of police dogs, after everyday stress situations that occurred before to the execution of the task of detecting drugs and explosives. The effect of stress was studied from the simulation of confinement of these animals to the detection of drugs or explosives, at different transport times, using three types of confinement in transport boxes, 30 minutes (30 minutes), 3 hours and 30 minutes (03'30 ") and 5 hours and 30 minutes (05'30"). In order to evaluate the affected cortisol levels of the stress conditions (confinement) in the study subjects, it was necessary to make noninvasive saliva collections. This procedure is efficient in the case of dogs, since it is easy to use and does not cause significant changes in the physiological state of the investigated dogs. The results presented demonstrated the appearance of stress and behavioral changes, indicating a decrease in the olfactory performance of drug detecting dogs and explosives.

Narcotic detection dogs: an overview of high-performance animals

“…A study conducted at the Central Kennel of the Federal Police of Brazil showed that the 3-hour confinement was sufficient to increase cortisol concentrations. Subsequently, cortisol concentrations decreased after the completion of the detection tasks, indicating that the longer the confinement time, the higher the cortisol concentrations and that the search and detection work probably functions as a welfare and balance promoter of the dog (MACHADO et al, 2018).…”

>b<Avaliação do bem estar dos cães farejadores da Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo mensurados pelas dosagens de cortisol salivar no descanso e após o trabalho>/b<

“…Isso foi possível ser verificado uma vez que os níveis de cortisol tanto dosados no período de descanso quanto no período de trabalho, até o momento ainda não havia sido avaliado por outros autores. Alguns trabalhos verificaram apenas os níveis de cortisol durante o período de trabalho(BAPTISTA SOBRINHO et al, 2009;DIVERIO et al, 2016;MACHADO;MONTANHA;SILVA, 2018). Outros autores não verificaram alterações significativas no período nos quais os cães desempenhavam suas atividades policiais(HAVERBEKE et al, 2008;ARCURI, 2016).…”