Over the course of a month I receive at least a dozen veterinary medical journals, magazines, and online newsletters.
A lot of the studies are interesting because they provide me with evidence that shows just how amazing animals are. Others remind me that I should do a better job of helping people separate fact from fiction when it comes to animals. Here are just a few tidbits that came across my desk over the past few months:
Color Vision:
Recent studies suggest that dogs, and to a lesser extent cats, have and use color vision, although they have fewer color sensitive receptors than humans do.
Dogs are probably similar to humans who are red-green color blind. So that bag of pet food with all of the colorful dyes in it is probably more visually appealing to you than to your pet. Of course the pet food manufacturers know that you are the one buying the food, not your pets.
10-year-olds may understand dogs best:
A study, published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, suggests that our ability to understand dogs may peak at around 10 years of age, with preadolescents possessing a natural talent to decipher the meaning of dog barks better than adults.
The study also helped to reinforce the theory that there is a universal animal “language,” and that all mammals have an ability to understand the basic meaning of many animal calls.
How dogs can walk on ice without freezing their paws:
In an article from the journal Veterinary Dermatology, a team of researchers in Japan used scanning electron microscopy to show that dogs have arteries in the pads of their feet that act as heat exchangers to prevent their feet from getting too cold.
The arteries also help prevent hypothermia by warming blood before it returns to the rest of the body. This same mechanism is present in the Arctic Fox, Antarctic penguins, and dolphins, but this is the first time domestic dogs have been shown to have the same system.
Dog’s ability to sense communication similar to infants:
Dogs may be as receptive to certain human communication signals as infants are, according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology. Hungarian researchers found that dogs’ eyes follow where a person is looking if the person first communicates with the dog, such as through eye contact.
This phenomenon, known as gaze-following, is well documented in infants and young children. The study adds evidence to the idea that humans and dogs share some social skills.
While it may seem obvious to most veterinarians and dog owners that dogs are able to follow non-verbal cues, this is one of the few studies that offers scientific proof about dogs’ ability to communicate.
Dr. Kiel is the U.S. Army veterinarian currently supporting NAS Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett. His columns appear the first and third Friday of each month. Please send questions or comments to Dr. Kiel at joseph.kiel@navy.mil.
