Freedom from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses - one of the five freedoms of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 UK

Freedom from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses - one of the five freedoms of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 UK

Under the Animal Welfare Act all Animals have the rights to:
Freedom from hunger, thirst or malnutrition
Freedom from discomfort
To be able to exhibit normal behaviours
Freedom from fear and distress
To be protected from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses.
As it is such a big topic I'll explore each freedom within each blog.

Freedom from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses. This is another big one for me. One of the most misunderstood needs when addressing a change in behaviour is working through a process of elimination, beginning with a Vet check to rule out pain and illness as this can and does cause changes in behaviour.

Many guardians think that a booster appointment is the same as a Vet check. It isn't. Within a Vet check we are potentially looking at a full cbc (complete blood count) tweaked as needed for the individual dog so the blood test may actually be looking for more. A urinalysis to rule out any problems with the kidneys and liver or is there any information from the urine during analysis.

Your annual check up may look different if you have a senior dog, where further tests are done such as a cbc and urinalysis for example.

However in the years before the senior years, if you book an independent full vet check or wellness exam, you may already be aware that as well as checking over the body, they will listen to the heart and the lungs, take their temperature, check their pulse rate and respiratory rate. Feel the abdomen and limbs, check their teeth, eyes and ears. They may also take your dog's weight or do a body score. They may also do a rectal exam and check that there are no problems with the anal glands, they may also check their reflexes and watch their movements around the consultation room for a gait analysis. They may also do faecal exams, heartworm tests and possibly give parasite prevention if you purchase this from the vets.

The vet may also ask you about their routine and diet, so the vet can establish what is normal for your individual dog.
If your dog appears unwell or there is a change in behaviour you may find that they need to then explore a cbc and look at other diagnostic tests which can include the above or more depending on your individual dog.

When we advise guardians to have a Vet check when there is a behaviour change, many guardians say that they have just had their boosters so they don't understand why we are recommending a Vet check. This is on all of us as professionals to guide guardians through the above expected process for their dogs health and well being.

Working holistically we can also pull in the services and help across a multidisciplinary team of a nutritionist, hydrotherapist, canine chiropractor, physio, groomer and homoeopaths.

It is clear that it isn't the fault of anyone if a dog is taken ill or injured and that just like for humans being unwell or injured is a part of life.

However the five freedoms brought attention to the avoidance of negative welfare states which can reduce the likelihood of illness, disease and injury. By improving welfare standards, for example Vaccinations, titre tests, health screening and scores, keeping dogs indoors (as opposed to residing outdoors),with a highly nutritious diet, access to fresh water and in a safe environment was the first step in reducing the risk.

It was also identified within the five freedoms that affects and affective states also contribute to the unwellness or imbalances to the internal physical and functional wellness of animals. If you refer back to this blog: Freedom from distress you can read more about affects and affective states. https://www.facebook.com/100057373879884/posts/847933643795757/
There is also another negative affect, which can affect dogs' health and wellness, which are the negative emotions that dogs can experience such as fear, anxiety, panic, frustration, anger, helplessness, depression, boredom and loneliness. The negative emotional states can cause unwellness in dogs just like it does with us. This has been evidenced by the sciences of neuroscience, behavioural and physiological. (2) Remembering that dogs also have mental health needs like us and can become physically unwell due to poor mental health.

So when a behaviourist begins by building a history form and a consult with lots of questions which can sometimes feel time consuming or irrelevant, it is because of the model of the five domains. To understand your dog as an individual in order to understand the why of the behaviour. Much like calling 111 and the speaker says “some of these questions may seem irrelevant.”(3)

It is also really important that we note within this freedom that there is a difference between surviving and thriving. For example the absolute minimum of keeping a dog alive and allowing them to thrive. For example puppy mills, where the dogs are given the absolute minimum to simply stay alive, we know that these dogs and their puppies are absolutely not in a state of thriving.

It is also important to note that dogs can be chronically over or underfed, exposed to bad and or extremes of weather, suffer with chronic injuries or infections and still be alive. (4)

It's important to understand that the phrase “when you know better you do better” is kept in mind here, my intention is not to offend or upset anyone, nor for anyone to feel bad. I raise this awareness and share this knowledge so that you have access to it.

I feel as a professional I have a duty of care to enable guardians and colleagues as much as possible, to have as much knowledge as possible. This will only enable better dog welfare when you have this information in a summarised and easy to understand format for everyone.

Many guardians and in fact professionals do not have this knowledge, nor do they know what to ask a Vet for, within a full health check and there is no shame in that. It is not easy to find this information and have it in terms that are not clinical.
Hopefully by sharing this knowledge you now feel you have a much wider understanding and can educate friends, family and colleagues about their own animals they share their home with.

If you are ever concerned about the welfare of someone's animal within the UK please contact the RSPCA https://www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/contactus/reportcruelty this will take you to a landing page to signpost you to the relavent service. The RSPCA is often overwhelmed with calls nationwide so utilising the website and even their chat button can help them to learn of your concern and take measures to further contact you. You can report concerns anonymously.
In the next and final blog concerning the Five freedoms I will be wrapping up with a summary and how we can help dogs now, with small changes!
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References
1. Broom D.M. Cognitive ability and awareness in domestic animals and decisions about obligations to animals. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 2010;126:1–11. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2010.05.001.
2. Panksepp J. Affective consciousness: Core emotional feelings in animals and humans. Conscious. Cogn. 2005;14:30–80. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2004.10.004.
Gregory N.G. Physiology and Behaviour of Animal Suffering. Blackwell Science; Oxford, UK: 2004.
3. Mellor D.J., Beausoleil N.J. Extending the ‘Five Domains’ model for animal welfare assessment to incorporate positive welfare states. Anim. Welfare. 2015;24:241–253. doi: 10.7120/09627286.24.3.241.
McMillan F.D. Maximising quality of life in ill animals. J. Am. Anim. Hosp. Assoc. 2003;39:227–235. doi: 10.5326/0390227.
Mellor D.J., Beausoleil N.J. Extending the ‘Five Domains’ model for animal welfare assessment to incorporate positive welfare states. Anim. Welfare. 2015;24:241–253. doi: 10.7120/09627286.24.3.241.
4. Edgar J.L., Mullan S.M., Pritchard J.C., McFarlane U.J.C., Main D.C.J. Towards a ‘good life’ for farm animals: Development of a resource tier framework to achieve positive welfare for laying hens. Animals. 2013;3:584–605. doi: 10.3390/ani3030584.
Mellor D.J. Animal emotions, behaviour and the promotion of positive welfare states. N. Z. Vet. J. 2012;60:1–8. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2011.619047.
Appleby M.C., Mench J.A., Olsson J.A.S., Hughes B.A., editors. Animal Welfare. 2nd ed. CAB International; Wallingford, UK: 2011.
Grandin T., editor. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach. 2nd ed. CAB International; Boston, MA, USA: 2015.
Webster J., editor. Management and Welfare of Farm Animals. UFAW Farm Handbook. Wiley-Blackwell; Chichester, UK: 2011.