{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T16:14:54Z","timestamp":1770221694236,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,16]],"date-time":"2018-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1516060800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Veterinarians and pet owners have limited ability to assess pruritic behaviors in dogs. This pilot study assessed the capacity of the Vetrax\u00ae triaxial accelerometer to measure these behaviors in six dogs with pruritus likely due to environmental allergens. Dogs wore the activity monitor for two weeks while consuming their usual pet food (baseline), then for eight weeks while consuming a veterinary-exclusive pet food for dogs with suspected non-food-related skin conditions (Hill\u2019s Prescription Diet\u00ae Derm DefenseTM Canine dry food). Veterinarians and owners completed questionnaires during baseline, phase 1 (days 1\u201328) and phase 2 (days 29\u201356) without knowledge of the activity data. Continuous 3-axis accelerometer data was processed using proprietary behavior recognition algorithms and analyzed using general linear mixed models with false discovery rate-adjusted p values. Veterinarian-assessed overall clinical signs of pruritus were significantly predicted by scratching (\u03b2 0.176, p = 0.008), head shaking (\u03b2 0.197, p &lt; 0.001) and sleep quality (\u03b2 \u22120.154, p &lt; 0.001), while owner-assessed quality of life was significantly predicted by scratching (\u03b2 \u22120.103, p = 0.013) and head shaking (\u03b2 \u22120.146, p &lt; 0.001). Among dogs exhibiting pruritus signs eating the veterinary-exclusive food, the Vetrax\u00ae sensor provided an objective assessment of clinically relevant pruritic behaviors that agreed with owner and veterinarian reports.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s18010249","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,17]],"date-time":"2018-01-17T04:23:44Z","timestamp":1516163024000},"page":"249","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Use of Accelerometer Activity Monitors to Detect Changes in Pruritic Behaviors: Interim Clinical Data on 6 Dogs"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7203-1349","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susan","family":"Wernimont","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pet Nutrition Center, Hill\u2019s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KS 66617, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Robin","family":"Thompson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Open Lab, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Scott","family":"Mickelsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pet Nutrition Center, Hill\u2019s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KS 66617, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Spencer","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Isabella","family":"Alvarenga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kathy","family":"Gross","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pet Nutrition Center, Hill\u2019s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KS 66617, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1016\/S0165-2427(01)00296-3","article-title":"The ACVD task force on canine atopic dermatitis (I): Incidence and prevalence","volume":"81","author":"Hillier","year":"2001","journal-title":"Vet. 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