Especially after rubbing a good belly, a dog may bark at it Nose Into its man as a way of giving thanks. Mostly, this snout boob feels cold and wet. The owner may wonder: Is it normal for a dog’s nose to feel like this?
The answer is yes, it is normal. But a hot nose, especially after drowsiness, said Anna Belind, a researcher who studies animal behavior at the Edves Laurent University in Budapest, Hungary. “When a dog is asleep, their nose usually warms up and it dries out,” he told LiveScience. Then, the dog gets up and gives its nose a lick, and it cools again.
But why are dogs’ noses so cold, could that be an advantage?
Related: Do dogs really look at us and smile?
One idea is that a dog’s cool nose will help the furry animal regulate its body temperature. But the tip of the nose is so small that it cannot make a meaningful contribution to a dog’s overall heat regulation, Belind said.
To investigate further, an international team of scientists measured The temperature of the nose of many animals, Including a horse, dog and moose. By the time Belind joined the project, the team already knew that the nose tips or rhinos of dogs and carnivores were generally colder than the plant species. Perhaps, the researchers thought, the cold nose tip might be an advantage in the wild.
The team conducted two experiments – one on behavior and the other on the brain – to see if a cold rhino could detect better heat. In the first experiment, the team successfully trained three pet dogs to select a warmer object, on an object at room temperature, about the same temperature as possible prey. The results indicated that weak thermal radiation dogs could detect prey from a similar distance.
Second, in a brain-centered investigation, scientists provided a box with warm water and an insulating door for 13 pet dogs. MRI scanner. Dogs’ brains were more responsive when the insulating door was open, exposing a warmer surface compared to neutral. The burning area on MRI is located only in the left hemisphere. This side of the brain is of interest to scientists because it tends to process responses to food, which is linked to predatory activity in many vertebrates, Belind said. The specific area of burning in dogs – known as the somatosensory association cortex – helps to integrate different senses such as vision, physical condition and warmth, he added. This part of the brain simultaneously integrates these senses and plans an action towards a goal such as targeting an object.
While this left side neural area is burning when the tip of the nose is exposed to a hot surface, dogs and other cold-nosed animals can use the heat detection sensation along with other senses in their ‘hunting toolbox. ‘When they were looking for prey, the researchers said.
The latest study, however, was published in the journal in February 2020 Scientific reports, Is very small to close the case firmly in cold noses, a cold nose would be more sensitive to differences in temperature, Belind said. “People think chickens follow in their footsteps [sense of smell]That’s really true, “Belind said. But windy or stormy weather can make it difficult to smell a working dog.” A heat signal may help them. “
So, why is a dog’s nose cold? Belind and his team are constantly searching for answers to this question. Now, they are wondering how far this type of heat detection can be effective. For now, only the dog’s nose is visible.
First published in Live Science.