Every year, I compile a list of New Year’s Day resolutions. Typically, the same items top my list each year. For instance, I always desire to lose weight and spend more time with my family members. Perhaps, you want to get healthier in the New Year. You may also wish for your beloved pet to enjoy better health this year. To help you accomplish this important task, schedule regular appointments for your pet with his or her veterinarian. A veterinarian can inform you of any health problems your pet may be experiencing. On this blog, I hope you will discover the importance of taking your pet to annual veterinarian appointments. Enjoy!
Your dog's nose is designed to have a much keener sense of smell than yours does. Depending on the breed of dog you share your life with, his sense of smell ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than yours. Find out how this valuable sensory organ works to pick up more than a batch of dog biscuits baking in your oven, which breeds possess stronger sniffers, and what nasal problems you should be aware of.
Superior Olfactory Design
Your dog's two nostrils, called nares, have the ability to flare independently. This gives your dog the first clue as to which direction a scent is wafting from. When the air that carries this scent travels through your dog's nares or open mouth during respiration or panting, the scent particles adhere to the mucous membranes in his nasal cavity, prompting the olfactory scent receptors to get to work. Your dog's brain receives transmissions from these receptors so that it can process the scent particles, helping him to identify and track the scent. The following details of your dog's olfactory system account for his superior sniffing capabilities:
Have you ever wondered what the slits on the outer sides of your dog's nares are for? When your dog exhales, the air if forced out through those slits, allowing your dog to continue taking in new scents through the nares.
To a Dog, Scents Can Talk
Once your dog catches a whiff of something appealing or unusual, he continually sniffs to locate the source of that scent. Dogs also sniff intently when they greet you because the scents that they pick up tell them everything they need to know about you. He will know where you have been, what you ate, whether or not you are stressed, and whom you were with. You cannot hide details of your life from your dog. Your dog gives everybody the same sniff test, including other human family members, other pets in the household, your friends who come to visit and that cute dog that catches his eye and nose at the dog park. A dog's ability to sniff out biochemical changes in the human body has led to the use of trained service dogs to warn patients of impending glucose drops in diabetics, psychological episodes in victims with post-traumatic stress disorder and seizures in epileptics. Some dogs have even demonstrated an astounding ability to detect cancer in human patients.
Following Their Noses
One group of elite sniffers is known as the scent hounds. These dogs are commonly used in hunting for their enhanced ability to track down quarry. These and other canine breeds with superior sniffers include, but are not limited to, the following:
For many years, these breeds have been enlisted to put their noses to the grindstones in the workforce. Some of their noble and heroic jobs include the following:
If you own a scent hound, be sure to train your dog and take precautions to help him keep his nose out of trouble. No matter what type of dog you have, be aware of some nasal problems that can affect your furry friend.
Be Nosy About His Nose
Since dogs have a habit of sticking there noses where they don't always belong, be aware that your enthusiastic sniffer can snort a small foreign object that becomes lodged in his nasal passageways. If you have a brachycephalic breed, which includes pugs, bulldogs, and other dogs with pushed in faces, be cognizant of your dog's ability to breathe easily. It is not uncommon for these dogs to be born with stenotic nares, nares that are too narrow to facilitate adequate airflow, and a simple surgical procedure can widen the nares to correct this problem. Dogs can also develop cancerous nasal tumors. The following signs indicate that your dog may have a problem with his nose that needs veterinary attention:
Remember that your dog's nose is not an accurate fever indicator. Whether your dog's nose is warm, cold, dry, or wet should only be considered a clue as to where he and his nose have been. If your dog exhibits any of the aforementioned signs, bring him to your veterinarian for an evaluation so that you can take care of your dog's most valuable sensory asset. Contact a company like All-Pets Hospital to learn more.
Share27 February 2017
