Effects of a program of human interaction and alterations in diet composition on activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs housed in a public animal shelter

Abstract

Results suggest that both a program of human interaction and alterations in diet composition have moderating effects on activity of the HPA axis in dogs housed in an animal shelter and that activity of the HPA axis may be increased for a longer period during shelter housing than measurement of plasma cortisol concentration alone would suggest.