Caring Science
The key to Waltham’s research is it’s humane approach to pet science. Pets are housed in loving, home-like environments, resulting in more accurate research which can be confidently applied to the OPTIMUM
® product range and improve the health of domestic pets the world over.
Waltham promotes responsible pet ownership and a major element of this is to educate people about the unique nutritional needs of cats and dogs.
In developing countries such as India and China, Waltham support communication programs demonstrating the advantages of feeding nutritionally complete prepared petfood over feeding home prepared diets which are usually lacking in key nutrients required by pets.
The aim of this education strategy is to empower pet owners to make better choices regarding the nutritional needs of their pet.
A humane approach
Caring Science is applied in all its permutations at Waltham with state-of-the-art facilities and:
- Specialist carers to ensure the wellbeing of all pets
- Living areas designed to keep pets happy
- Pet-friendly research – for example, a computer activated 24-hour system collects and measures cats’ urine samples in the most natural way
- A sensory garden (see below) for dogs that provides stimulation and play while teaching researchers about their behaviour
The three Rs
The Caring Science approach at Waltham involves three main considerations, known as the ‘3Rs’, which are now widely practiced in animal research:
- REFINEMENT – which minimises the impact of trials on pets
- REPLACEMENT – to research without animals, where possible
- REDUCTION – which uses fewer animals or smaller samples
The Sensory Garden for dogs
Exploring the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of canine health
The sensory garden at Waltham is really one big dog playground. It provides researchers with a place to observe pet dogs in a natural, fun, domestic environment. As well as being entertaining, the Sensory Garden is designed to stimulate dogs in three key areas providing greater insight into the behaviour of all canine breeds and ages.
- THE FIRST PLAY AREA: here dogs explore different heights, hear different sounds, inhale different scents and touch different floor textures
- THE SECOND PLAY AREA: dogs are treated to a pop jet water feature, which allows them to play and interact with a random sequence of water jets
- THE THIRD PLAY AREA: a maze planted with herbs and plants especially selected for sensory stimulation
Skin and Coat Research
Learning through caring
There’s nothing nicer than a dog with a great looking shiny coat and in recent years, the Waltham centre has pioneered research in the field of skin and coat biology. In all animals, skin acts as a barrier to the environment and protects the body from the harmful effects of sunlight and disease. Scientists at Waltham know that a dog’s skin is thinner than human skin and are therefore more at risk to skin and coat problems. Dogs are prone to allergies as humans are, however this normally manifests as skin problems rather than sneezing as it does in humans.
Patience is part of our caring approach
One technique to determine skin and coat health is to measure the water loss though the skin of dogs. Traditionally this involved sedating the dog prior to the measurement, however Waltham developed an alternative technique. With patience, positive encouragement and dedicated habituation programs dogs were trained to remain still while a measurement was made by gently placing a non invasive probe on the skin and reading the results displayed on the ‘evaporimeter’. The dogs are happy and better still, they can show off their skills to other dogs. Also the results gained using this technique were more reliable than the traditional technique.
Using this technique and other measures of skin and coat health Waltham was able to able to demonstrate the benefit of zinc, linoleic acid, Aloe Vera and curcumin on canine skin and coat health and incorporated them into a dietary solution.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease Research
How caring science helped us find a cure
Waltham’s commitment to the 3Rs (refinement, reduction and replacement) played a huge role in one of their most relevant projects to date: the study of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) – a condition which causes bladder stones in cats – affecting some 3.7 million pets worldwide.
A simple research method that worked wonders
Waltham wanted to understand the effect of diet on bladder stone formation in cats. For this, they needed to collect urine from the cats. However, the traditional way of collecting urine outside of Waltham was by restraining the cat and drawing off the urine via a syringe in the bladder. Although this technique is acceptable for collecting individual samples, it did not fit in with Waltham’s ethics and was not appropriate for collecting multiple samples. Waltham had the task of developing a less invasive method before research could begin.
With this project, Waltham’s caring science philosophy became a real labour of love. Patient pet-handlers spent many long hours with the cats, training them to urinate in specially-developed litterless trays. A permanent feature in the purpose-built and specially-equipped cat lodges, the cats felt relaxed enough to urinate into these litterless trays because they associated the litterless trays with a happy, relaxed environment.
The combination of careful training, litterless trays and special cat lodges enabled Waltham to collect urine in a way that was not stressful to cats. When the cat uses the tray, it funnels the urine down into a u-tube. In the u-tube a heat-activated sensor takes a reading when the sample is collected. The u-tube probe instantly measures the PH of the urine and a sensor connected to a computer, immediately records the test result in the control room. This way, Waltham was able to generate a 24 hour urine profile for each cat. This method has proven to be more reliable than traditional methods and produces better results.
Kennelling
Caring for pets is a full time occupation
At Waltham, the caring approach is everywhere. Full-time animal carers, specially designed living areas, pet friendly research and a sensory garden designed for dogs are all just part of this approach. The Waltham wellbeing team is comprised of approximately 70 carers, each with a responsibility for a number of cats or dogs, birds or fish.
Training plays a vital role in keeping the pets alert and stimulated. It also ensures that pets have the right skills to participate in research. Puppies start ‘puppy school’ as early as possible, as training at an early age influences their behaviour throughout their lives. At Waltham, ”clicker-training” is the preferred method of training, whereby pets learn to associate clicks with rewards.
State-of-the-art living quarters
Waltham invests in world class facilities to enhance the living conditions of all pets. This includes kennels that draw on humans’ understanding of dogs’ preferences and behaviour to facilities that allow scientists to collect urine samples without disturbing pets. Recognising the individual in each pet, they are given options and choices as to where they go and what they do.
Cats live in special lodges, with different levels, toys, and places to rest whilst dog kennels have a unique circular or octagonal design which means they can see everything that’s going on around them. This helps keep them calm and happy.
The buildings where kennels are housed reflects the latest in environmental thinking; making use of sustainable materials and reducing energy consumption by using natural heating, light and ventilation.
Holistic and complementary therapies for dogs
In recent years, non-traditional therapies have become a much more prominent and accepted part of health care and general wellbeing in humans and animals. Pet carers at the Waltham centre for pet nutrition are currently introducing a number of techniques to increase the wellbeing of the dogs at the pet centre.
The Tellington touch (T-touch)
- The method is a combination of gentle touch and light contact in circular movements and lifts
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Using the T-touch technique, pets can be calmed and relaxed
- T-touch can be used in building confidence and to increase dogs awareness of their own bodies
- Dog owners, trainers, breeders and vets through out the world are currently using the T-touch method
The T-touch was developed by animal expert, Linda Tellington–Jones in the 1980s. The method evolved from early bodywork she carried out with horses. She went on to use the T-touches with a diverse range of animals such as leopards, killer whales and pythons. The technique is based on gentle circular movements, lifts and slides over the entire body. There are over a dozen specific T-touches each one having a slightly different effect on the animal. The different T-touches are named after the more memorable animals that Linda Tellington–Jones worked on. Through using these techniques she saw remarkable improvements in behaviour, balance, willingness to learn and also helped build the confidence of the animals. It is important to remember that T-touch only moves the skin but does not work the muscle, as does a massage.
T-touch and dogs
Dog owners, trainers, breeders and vets through out the world are currently using the T-touch method. Linda Tellington-Jones has written a hands on-guide specifically for dogs, including case histories ‘Getting in Touch with Your Dog’. The T-touch method can help dogs with the following problems:
- Excessive barking and chewing
- Leash pulling
- Jumping up
- Aggressive behaviour
- Extreme fear and shyness
- Resistance to grooming
- Excitability and nervousness
- Physical aliments such as stiffness
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T-touch at Waltham
The technique has been utilised at Waltham with promising results. Through consultation from a vet, the technique has been used to help excitability, jumping up, training and convalescence after operations. It is important to remember to adapt the pressure, speed and size of circle depending on the animal. Small, light and slow touches have been found to be the most effective.
Massage and your dog
Massage has been used on humans and animals for therapeutic purposes for thousands of years. It can help animals at all life-stages - from the very young to the very old.
- Massage can make you feel less stressed and more relaxed
- Regular massage soothes tired or sore muscles
- Massage encourages the production of natural oils from the skin, which is good for a dog’s coat condition.
- Massage is an enjoyable feeling, giving the dog much wanted attention and affection
The benefits of regular massage
Massaging your dog can play a pivotal role in your dog's well-being, training and behaviour modification, as well as:
- Relaxing your dog
- Soothing tired or sore muscles
- Easing pain from surgery or other injuries
- Helping dogs suffering from arthritis caused by old age
- Elevating moods
Dog massage at Waltham
Massage at
Waltham is used as a complementary therapy, carried out by a suitably trained veterinary nurse. The massage is performed in a quiet room without the use of oils. Initial massages involve:
- Obtaining permission from your vet
- Obtaining a history of illness, injury or medication
- Assessing a dog’s movement
- Aftercare advice
- Written report
Follow up sessions are carried out and monitored to assess the progress of the dogs health and recognise any benefits.
Do not massage your dog if:
- you have not consulted your vet. Only trained people should give massages
- your dog is suffering from tumours
- your dog is pregnant
- your dog has a fever
- your dog has an infectious disease
- your dog has an injury or wound
