DOG CARE

APPLICATION OF DOG’S SMELL & PHEROMONES IN DETECTION & COMMUNICATIONS

April 14, 2022

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Brittany sniffing the ground on a scent outdoors.

The Dog’s Amazing Nose!

The canine nose does more than smell the roses. While humans primarily depend on their vision, dogs use both sight and smell to assess their surroundings and communicate. People spend more time interpreting visual data than olfactory information. Dogs are just the opposite.

Dogs devote lots of brain power to interpreting smells. They have more than 100 million sensory receptor sites in the nasal cavity as compared to 6 million in people, and the area of the canine brain devoted to analyzing odors is about 40 times larger than the comparable part of the human brain. In fact, it’s been estimated that dogs can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than people.

Dogs and cats are born to smell. A cat’s nose is often regarded as her most important sense organ, having nearly 80 million receptors in the epithelium of their nostrils. Olfaction, the act or process of smelling, is also a dog’s primary special sense. With dogs having more than 220 million olfactory receptors in their nose, compared to humans having only 5 million, it should be no surprise they have a significantly heightened sense of smell. Some dog breeds, like the bloodhound have nearly 300 million scent receptors! The sense of smell and the sense of touch are the predominant senses for a dog and they are fully functioning at birth, unlike hearing and sight, which develop later, and taste which although present at birth and connected to smell takes a back seat.

The sense of smell is a highly developed sense at birth in puppies and kittens. Newborn kittens establish a nipple preference on the nursing queen, and smell is used to guide a kitten back to his chosen site. If a young kitten wanders from his nesting area, olfactory cues will be guide him back until vision becomes the main guide at 3 weeks of age. During the weaning process, from 4-6 weeks of age, a kitten will utilize smell to find food, and distinguish between edible and inedible objects. The same goes for puppies. Did you know dogs and cats have “nose prints,” and no two are the same? Every dog and cat nose has a unique pattern of bumps and ridges, just like humans’ fingerprints. There has apparently been some talk about using nose prints as a form of identification. This would definitely take facial recognition to a whole new level. A cat’s sense of smell guides her to prey and tells her if food is edible or toxic. A cat’s sense of smell also stimulates her appetite. Cats have less than 500 taste buds on their tongues whereas humans have around 9000, so it’s often the smell rather than the flavor that stimulates her sense of hunger. That’s a big part of the reason why cats with respiratory infections or other nasal blockages stop eating: If they can’t smell their food, they won’t have an appetite. Cats not only utilize their nose to locate food, but also use it as a medium to communicate. Cats have scent glands around their mouth and on the sides of their head, the pads of their front paws, and in the perianal areas near the base of their tail. These glands contain one-of-a-kind pheromones unique to each cat. Whenever they rub their head or paws against an object, it is as if they are leaving their business card for other felines to recognize and translate.

Jacobson’s Organ

Inside the nasal cavity and opening into the upper part of the mouth is the final piece of the dog’s scent-related puzzle, the remarkable Jacobson’s Organ. Jacobson’s Organ is a “sense of smell” receptor that is actually not receptive to ordinary odors. Rather, the scenting nerve cells of the organ are quite different from those in normal olfactory tissue in that they respond to a range of substances that have large molecules, but often no detectable odor.

The sensory cells of Jacobson’s Organ (which anatomists claim are unlike any other nerve cells) communicate not with the olfactory bulbs and cortex, but with the accessory bulbs and the part of the brain that coordinates mating and other basic emotions. In fact, recent evidence suggests that the two separate but parallel systems of odor detection cooperate in surprising ways to produce novel sensibilities not achievable by either of them on their own.

The primary function of the Organ is to detect pheromones, which then provides both sexes with information as to the availability of the opposite sex for breeding. Additionally the Organ is apparently able to detect other, normally undetectable, odors – odors that may enhance the newborn’s ability to find its own dam, for example. Search and rescue dog handlers notice that many of their dogs lick the air, as if to give additional input into their “scents-ability.”

Animals enhance the sex-detection ability of the Organ with what is called the “flehmen” reaction or “flared face.” When exposed to the urine of an animal in heat, a male will typically throw back his head and raise or curl his upper lip – both of these help to open the entry slits into Jacobson’s Organ.

Horses, deer, and goats are the masters of this reaction, and many dogs can produce a rather pronounced flehmen when the time is right. Interestingly, although just a few years ago it was thought that Jacobson’s Organ did not exist in humans, a recent anatomical study of 400 human subjects confirmed both its presence and the fact that its nervous connections are capable of sending functional messages to the brain. Apparently, as much as some folks would like to deny it, we humans are indeed sexual animals, just like the rest of nature.

For Animals, Smelling is More Than Just Scent

The nose and the sense of smell are vastly expanded by Jacobson’s Organ, but an animal’s ability to smell extends into many other realms as well. Since smelling is hooked into the most primitive areas of an animal’s brain, there is reason to believe that smell is also linked to sensations created long before the animal was actually born.

We know, for example, that animals (and humans) prefer to mingle with the scent of members within their own pack or herd (or, in the case of humans, in their own culture), and horses and dogs can detect the human scent of fear. Also, shortly after birth, mothers are able to pick out their own offspring by smell, and puppies quickly learn the smell of their mother’s milk . . . and before long, the smell of a preferred teat.

We know that certain scents may be linked with memories of past events, and even with positive or negative emotions. The fragrance of cookies baking, for ex-ample, may remind us of the good times we had at grandma’s house, many years ago. Throughout our lifetime, then, the smell of fresh-baked cookies may evoke a positive feeling. It’s not easy to correlate long-lasting emotions to past events in dogs, but it is certainly something to consider when we are dealing with a behavior problem that we can’t explain physically; could it be related to some household odor that was associated with a bad experience in the dog’s past?

In traditional Chinese medicine, the nose – along with the throat and vocal cords – are all considered to be intimately connected to the function of the Lungs. Many nose and throat disorders are therefore treated through the Lung Meridian.

Do noses “talk”?

While noses don’t actually speak, they do communicate. With a single sniff, noses interpret an entire story without words by using amines and acids emitted by dogs as the basis for chemical communication. The chemical aromas communicate what a dog likes to eat, and identify gender and mood. By simply smelling, a dog can determine if a new friend is male or female, happy or aggressive, healthy or ill. Dogs get a general idea about each other with a quick sniff, but get more detailed information by getting up close and personal. That’s why some dogs sniff private parts of the anatomy!

Dogs also have a good scent memory that can identify other dogs they haven’t seen for years – and can remember which of them was the dominant member of the pair. When dogs belonging to the same family are separated for a while, they use sense of smell to catch up on things. Changes in odors may convey where the dog went, what he ate, and what he did.

When in a new territory, a dog can sniff a tree and determine what other dogs live in the neighborhood. They can smell a visitor’s pant-leg and get a good impression of where the person lives and whether he has pets at home.

Dogs also have a great homing instinct that depends on their ability to smell. Since dogs move their nostrils independently, they can determine the direction of an odor and use their sense of smell like a compass.

Humans each have a unique innate scent that enables dogs to tell one person from another. Our dogs don’t need to see us to identify us. The dog’s sense of smell is so adept that a blind dog has much less difficulty adjusting to the loss of vision than a human does.

Dogs also sense fear and anxiety via their noses. When we are stressed or scared, we secrete the fight-or-flight hormone, adrenaline, which dogs detect even though we can’t smell it. Also, when we are anxious, we have increased heart rate and blood flow which carries body chemicals to the skin surface where dogs can pick them up more easily. So, it’s no use trying to mask your true feelings from your canine companion. His sense of smell will not be fooled.

Why do dogs “smell better” than humans?

Unlike humans, dogs have an additional olfactory tool that increases their ability to smell. Jacobsen’s organ is a special part of the dog’s olfactory apparatus located inside the nasal cavity and opening into the roof of the mouth behind the upper incisors. This amazing organ serves as a secondary olfactory system designed specifically for chemical communication. The nerves from Jacobsen’s organ lead directly to the brain and are different from the other nerves in the nose in that they do not respond to ordinary smells. In fact, these nerve cells respond to a range of substances that often have no odor at all. In other words, they work to detect “undetectable” odors.

Jacobsen’s organ communicates with the part of the brain that deals with mating. By identifying pheromones, it provides male and female dogs with the information they need to determine if a member of the opposite sex is available for breeding. It also enhances a newborn pup’s sense of smell so he can find his mother’s milk source, and allows a pup to distinguish his mother from other nursing dogs. With a quick sniff, a pup placed between two females will migrate to the mother that gave birth to him! Pups also have heat sensors in their noses that help them locate their mothers if they wander away.

The two separate parts of the dog’s odor detection system, the nose and Jacobsen’s organ, work together to provide delicate sensibilities that neither system could achieve alone. When the dog curls his lips and flares his nostrils, he opens up Jacobsen’s organ, increases the exposure of the nasal cavity to aromatic molecules and essentially becomes a remarkably efficient smelling machine.

Why do dogs have wet noses?

The canine nose works best when it is damp. The wet outer nose and mucus-covered nasal canal efficiently capture scent particles. Moisture is so important to the canine sense of smell, that dogs will lick their noses when they become dry. Smart canines don’t want to miss out on important information due to a dry nose!

The Olfactory Bulb is a bulb of neural tissue within the dog’s brain. It is located in the fore-brain and is responsible for processing scents detected by cells in the nasal cavity. It is approximately 40 times larger in dogs than in humans, relative to total brain size. A humans brain is dominated by a large visual cortex whilst a dog’s brain is dominated by the olfactory cortex. The Olfactory bulb accounts for one eighth of the dog’s brain.
The Olfactory bulb is extremely important to the dog due to its function of processing scent. Scent information travels from the Olfactory bulb to the limbic system which is the most primitive part of the brain (dealing with emotions, memory and behaviour). It also travels to the cortex (The cortex is the outer part of the brain that has to do with conscious thought). In addition to these two areas, information also travels to the taste sensory cortex to create the sense of flavour. Because olfactory information goes to both the primitive and complex part of the brain it effects the dog’s actions in more ways than we may think.
A dog’s sense of smell is probably more important to it than any other sense with the possible exception of touch (in a well-adjusted dog), the sense of smell and the sense of touch are the predominant senses for a dog and they are in place and fully functioning at birth, unlike hearing and sight, which develop later, and taste which although present at birth and connected to smell takes a back seat.
A dog has around 220 million scent receptors in his nose – that’s 44 times the number of receptors in our own human nose. The bloodhound exceeds this standard with nearly 300 million scent receptors!
The dog’s amazing scenting ability enables him to detect prey and helps him discern a females place in her sexual cycle. Each dog emits a personal olfactory profile that imparts a wealth of information to other dogs. The act of marking deposits information about the dog including age, sex, mood, health status, diet, size of pack and rank. A well socialised dog will engage in mutual sniffing with another dog as a polite greeting. A dog can smell adrenaline and pheromones that we cannot; they can therefore anticipate a fight or flight response from a person or animal before we have a clue. Although it should be noted – a dog cannot rationalise and distinguish why a person is kicking out great clouds of adrenaline in their presence. It may be that the human is scared stiff of dogs, but the dog won’t know this, only that this person is gearing up to fight or flee and should be carefully watched for any sign of an attack. So the Olfactory bulb is indispensable to a dog, it informs and it forewarns. It also allows the dog to assist us with specific jobs; the dog’s olfactory system is more sensitive than anything we can replicate with modern technology.
Dogs have been found to have high success rates at detecting cancer in humans through smell, they can sniff out drugs and explosives in busy airports for us – even if the object in question has been over-scented with something strong smelling they can separate the different scents, they can discern the direction of a target by sniffing and noting where the scent is marginally stronger in order to establish the ‘way the scent went’ for tracking purposes. They have mobile noses that can distinguish scent direction on the wind, moisture on the nose helps with this function.
They are truly brilliant where scent is concerned and the Olfactory bulb is the centre of this skill.
It is common knowledge that short snouted breeds of dog often show an impaired sense of smell and that all the dogs commonly used for scenting purposes are of the long snouted variety. Recently a study conducted by Michael Valenzuela of the University of New South Wales in Australia investigated the position of the brain within the skull to determine whether selectively breeding for differences in skull length between dog breeds has also reorganized the canine brain. The dogs with the shortest skulls—such as the pit bull and Akita showed significant brain reorganization. It was found that when selective breeding by humans shortened the snouts of certain dog breeds, it also morphed their brains to compensate. The whole brain was shown to have rotated thus relocating the olfactory lobe towards the bottom of the skull. This has sacrificed the sensitivity of some breeds sense of smell somewhat and it is for this reason that bulldogs are no good at tracking!

A simple scent can have a host of complex meanings, memories and emotional ties for our dogs as scent is directly linked to both memory and emotion via the limbic system, smell memories last for life and we can use scent to elicit as positive emotion to assist in cases of fear and phobia.

Pheromones in Animal World: Types, Detection and its Application—

Pheromones are species-specific chemicals that affect insect behaviour, but are not toxic to insects. They are active (e.g. attractive) in extremely low doses (one millionth of an ounce) and are used to bait traps or confuse a mating population of insects. Over the last 40 years, scientists have identified pheromones from over 1,500 different species of insects. Pheromones have also been isolated from many higher animals such mammals and reptiles. Human pheromones remain elusive. Scientists have found certain chemical effects associated with the human reproductive cycle, but have not identified any powerful attractants for humans so far. With insects, though, pheromones have found wide application in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and urban pest management, and there are companies that specialize in the discovery, manufacturing, and sales of pheromone-related products.

Pheromones are a naturally occurring chemical compound found in all insects, animals, and humans. The term pheromone was introduced by Peter Karlson and Martin Lusche in (1959), based on the Greek word pherein means to transport and hormone means to stimulate. They are also sometimes classified as ectohormones.

Pheromones are molecules that are evolved signals, in defined ratios in the case of multiple component pheromones, which are emitted by an individual and receivedby a second individual of the same species, in which they cause effect on hormone levels orbehavioural changeor specific reaction .For example, stereotyped behaviour or developmental process.Pheromones are found in living things and are the most ancient form of animal communication . Pheromones are natural scents which play an important role in sexual communication. These Pheromones aromas convey signals relating to mood, status, drive and health to the subconscious awareness of the opposite sex. This philosophy holds well in the animal world, pheromones are consciously detected over considerable distances and serve at times in place of real communication. They help animals to mark territory, recognize mates, and signal sexual interest. For example, female dogs in heat leave their pheromones and can attract male dogs over a mile away.Pheromones are produced by ectodermal glands on the abdomen and associated with mandibles of hymenopterans and wings of lepidopteran insects. Butenandt et al. first discovered sex pheromone in the silk worm (Bombyx mori) .Unlike higher animals, the insects communicate between sex of their own species or with its sub-species or very rarely, with different species of a genus or family or species of a different order.

TYPES OF PHEROMONES

Insects communicate through six different modes for life activities, are as follows:

(i) Hormones, (ii) Sound, (iii) Pheromone, (iv) Motion, (v) Exocrine glands responsible for secretions to the exterior of the body or into the lumen of body cavity and (vi) Enzymes.On the basis of interaction mediated, pheromones are sub-divided into following category; Territorial pheromones

READ MORE : Littermate Syndrome in Dogs

The territorial pheromones can be classified based onpurpose and characteristics interactive evolution ofbehaviour and ecology;

Type A-

Large defended area: Courtship, mating, nestingand food gathering

Type B:

Large defended area: Used for breeding but notforaging

Type C:

Small defended area around nest

Type D:

Mating territory for courtship activities only

Type E:

Roosting or shelter positions In dogs, these pheromones are present in the urine, which they deposit on landmarks serving to mark the perimeter of the claimed territory. Boars, cats do possess territorial pheromones.

Trail pheromones

These pheromones are common in social insects. For example, ants mark their paths with these pheromones, which are non-volatile hydrocarbons . Certain ants lay down an initial trail of pheromones as they return to the nest with food. This trail attracts other ants and serves as a guide. As long as the food source remains, the pheromone trail will be continually renewed. The pheromone must be continually renewed because it evaporates quickly. When the supply begins to dwindle, the trail making ceases.

Alarm pheromones

Some species release a volatile substance when attacked by a predator that can trigger flight (in aphids) or aggression (in ants, bees, termites) in members of the same species .

Alarm pheromones serve to rapidly disperse a group of insects usually as a response to predation. These kinds of pheromones are usually of short duration and the dispersed individuals usually reform aggregations. Some individuals release this pheromone to exhibit aggressive behaviour in the presence of predators. Alarm pheromones have been recorded in the mites, tree hoppers, aphids and the true bugs etc.

Aggregation pheromones

Aggregation pheromones function in defence against predators, mate selection, and overcoming host resistance by mass attack. A group of individuals at one location is referred to as an aggregation, whether consisting of one sex or both sexes. Male-produced sex attractants have been called aggregation pheromones, because they usually result in the arrival of both sexes at a calling site, and increase the density of conspecifics surrounding the pheromone source. Most sex pheromones are produced by the females and small percentage of sex attractants are produced by males. Aggregation pheromones have been found in members of the Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Dictyoptera and Orthoptera. In recent decade, the importance of applying aggregation pheromones in the management of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), stored product weevils(Sitophilus zeamais), Sitophilus granarius, Sitophilus oryzae, and pea and bean weevil (Sitona lineatus) has been demonstrated. Aggregation pheromones are among the most ecologically selective pest suppression methods. They are nontoxic and effective at very low concentrations . Sex pheromone In animals, sex pheromones indicate the availability of the female for breeding. Male animals may also emit pheromones that convey information about their species and genotype.At the microscopic level, a number of bacterial species (e.g. Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus) release specific chemicals into the surrounding media to induce the “competent” state in neighbouring bacteria . Competence is a physiological state that allows bacterial cells to take up DNA from other cells and incorporate this DNA into their own genome, a sexual process called transformation. Among eukaryotic microorganisms, pheromones promote sexual interaction in numerous species . These species include the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the filamentous fungi Neurospora crassa and Mucor mucedo, the water mold Achlya ambisexualis, the aquatic fungus Allomyces macrogynus, the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum, the ciliate protozoan Blepharisma japonicum and the multicellular green algae Volvox carteri. In addition, male copepods can follow a three-dimensional pheromone trail left by a swimming female, and male gametes of many animals use a pheromone to help find a female gamete for fertilization .Many insect species, such as the ant Leptothorax acervorum, release sex pheromones to attract a mate, and many lepidopterans such as moths and butterflies can detect a potential mate from as far away as 10 km (6.2 mi). Releaser pheromones Releaser pheromones are pheromones that cause an alteration in the behaviour of the recipient. For example, some organisms use powerful attractant molecules to attract mates from a distance of two miles or more. In general, this type of pheromone elicits a rapid response, but is quickly degraded. In contrast, a primer pheromone has a slower onset and a longer duration. For example, rabbit (mothers) release mammary pheromones that trigger immediate nursing behaviour by their babies .

Epideictic pheromones

Epideictic pheromones are different from territory pheromones, when it comes to insects. Fabre observed and noted how females who lay their eggs in these fruits deposit these mysterious substances in the vicinity of their clutch to signal to other females of the samespecies they should clutch elsewhere. Signal pheromones Signal pheromones cause short-term changes, such as the neurotransmitter release that activates a response. For instance, Gonadot ropic releasing hormone (GnRH) molecule functions as a neurotransmitter in rats to elicit lordosis behaviour .

Information pheromones

Information pheromones are indicative of an animal’s identity or territory. For example, dogs and cats deposit chemicals in and around their territory, which then serve as an indicator for other members of the species about the presence of the occupant in that territory.

DETECTION

Pheromones have evolved in all animal phyla, to signal sex and dominance status, and are responsible for stereotypical social and sexual behaviour among members of the same species. In mammals, these chemical signals are believed to be detected primarily by the vomeronasal organ (VNO), a chemosensory organ located at the base of the nasal septum . The VNO is present in most amphibia, reptiles, and nonprimate mammals but is absent in birds, adult catarrhine monkeys, and apes . Three distinct families of putative pheromone receptors have been identified in the vomeronasal organ (V1Rs, V2Rs, and V3Rs). Allare G protein-coupled receptors but are only distantly related to the receptors of the main olfactory system, highlighting their different role .Understanding the mechanism of activation of TRPC2 is critical to understanding its role in pheromone detection and other physiological processes. Despite the importance of this problem, it has remained refractory to study and there is presently no single agreed-upon mechanism for its activation. In heterologous cells, mTRPC2 (splice variants A and B) was reported to be activated by depletion of Ca+2 stores by thapsigargin and to function as a capacitive Ca+2 entry channel . In sperm cells thapsigargin induces a rise in Ca+2 that can be partially blocked by an antibody against an extracellular domain of TRPC2, suggesting that in these cells TRPC2 may be store operated[18]. In sensory neurons from the VNO, TRPC2 is unlikely to be activated by depletion of Ca+2 stores, because the channel is localized in sensory microvilli at a considerable distance from Ca+2 stores .Theessential function and nearly exclusive expression of TRPC2 in the vomeronasal organ have made it an excellent marker to study changes in VNO function during evolution. In fish, which do not have a structurally distinct VNO, TRPC2 is expressed in the olfactory epithelium in a population of apical microvillar cells that also express VRs, and it is not expressed in the basal ciliated cells that express ormicrovillar cells appear specialized for detecting amino acids . And send segregated projections to the lateral portion of the olfactory bulb . It is thus likely that the VNO arose by segregation of the microvillar cells from the ciliated cells, possibly as a response to terrestrial life. The main olfactory epithelium is well suited for detecting airborne chemicals that enter the nasal cavity during the respiratory cycle, whereas the VNO is better suited for detecting non-volatile chemicals whose delivery is based on the presence of coinciding sensory and neuroendocrine signal . Whether humans have a functional VNO has been difficult to determine using histological or functional techniques and therefore it has been the subject of intense debate.

MECHANISM OF ACTION OF PHEROMONES

Pheromones can be a stimulus leading to a prompt behavioural response by nerve impulses from the brain (CNS, central nervous system) (releaser effects) or can act indirectly by stimulation of hormone secretion resulting in physiological changes, “priming” the animal for a different behavioural repertoire (primer effects). Hormonal effects can be rapid, and memories, sometimes facilitated by local neurochemistry changes, can be long-lasting .

APPLICATION

There are three main uses of pheromones in the integrated pest management of insects. The most important application is in monitoring a population of insects to determine if they are present or absent in an area or to determine if enough insects are present to warrant a costly treatment . This monitoring function is the keystone of integrated pest management. Monitoring is used extensively in urban pest control of cockroaches, in the management of stored grain pests in warehouses or distribution centres, and to track the nationwide spread of certain major pests such as thegypsy moth, Medfly, and the Japanese beetle With major increases in worldwide trade, exotic pests are being brought into ports of entry in cargo containers and packing materials (ship dunnage). Sometimes containers from ships are transferred uninspected to semi-trailers and trucked far inland. When the containers are opened and packaging materials are removed, the exotic insect pests are able to disperse without the usual level of scrutiny provided at ports of entry. Pheromone traps are currently in use to monitor the movement of such exotic insect pests into most major North American ports of entry. A second major use of pheromones is to mass trap insects to remove large numbers of insects from the breeding and feeding population . Massive reductions in the population density of pest insects ultimately help to protect resources such as food or fibre for human use. Mass trapping has been explored with pine bark beetles and has resulted in millions of insects attracted specifically into traps and away from trees. Relatives of bark beetles called ambrosia beetles have been mass trapped from log sorting and timber processing areas throughout British Columbia. These trapping operations have reduced damage to the wood in raw logs and newly cut boards. Mass trapping has also been used successfully against the codling moth, a serious pest of apples and pears. Another common example of mass trapping involves yellowjackets, which can become bothersome at the end of the summer season. However, mass trapping of yellowjackets in colourful yellow-green traps is carried out with a food attractant, rather than pheromone bait. A third major application of pheromones is in the disruption of mating in populations of insects . Thishas been most effectively used with agriculturally important moth pests. In this scenario, synthetic pheromone is dispersed into crops and the false odour plumes attract males away from females that are waiting to mate. This causes a reduction of mating, and thus reduces the population density of the pests. In some cases, the effect has been so great that the pests have been locally eradicated.

What Are Calming Pheromones for Cats and Dogs?

Pheromones are odorless and colorless chemical signals that are species-specific. This means products created for use with cats will not work on dogs and vice versa. Each type of pheromone sends a specific comforting message to the pet, that you are safe. Calming dog and cat pheromones come in a number of formats, including plug-in diffusers, collars, sprays and wet wipes.

Using Pheromones for Dogs vs. Pheromones for Cats

Dogs and cats can benefit from the use of calming pheromones in different ways. For example, calming pheromones can help dogs who have a difficult time with loud noises, especially in the case of thunderstorms and fireworks, where noises come together with flashes and bursts of lights that are frightening to dogs. Some dogs also are often confused and upset by being left at home for long periods while their family is at school and work, causing separation anxiety or separation distress. Pheromones help the dog feel safe and can prevent unwanted behaviors like whining, crying, pacing and being destructive when the pet is alone in the house.

In cats, calming pheromones are also useful for making them feel safe and secure, either when alone or in the presence of other cats. Conflict between cats is very concerning because once friction has escalated, those relationships are not easily repaired. Using pheromones when adopting an additional cat may help the relationship begin well.

Dogs

Dog-appeasing pheromone products are synthetic versions of a chemical compound naturally secreted by lactating mother dogs during nursing. These are odorless but are detected by a dog’s vomeronasal organ, which is connected not only to the olfactory system (your dog’s sense of smell), but also to the amygdala and hypothalamus — important parts of a dog’s brain that affect behavior and nervous system reactions. This organ allows dogs to taste and smell pheromones. You might notice a dog make a funny face after smelling something, almost like they are “tasting” the smell. This is called the flehmen response, and while it isn’t seen as often in dogs as it is in cats, horses, or other animals, when dogs are processing the smell you might see them flicking their tongues or smacking their mouth to better gather all the pheromone’s information. When a dog smells the dog-appeasing pheromones that they have associated with the safety and comfort of their mother and littermates, their autonomic nervous system (which is responsible for the reactions of fight, flight, rest, and relaxation) responds in a positive way, helping them relax and stay calm. For this reason, pheromones have been widely suggested for helping dogs during transitional periods or with anxieties and phobias.

How to Use Pheromones for Your Dog

Follow these tips to get the most benefits from using dog-appeasing pheromones with your dog:

It’s recommended by manufacturers to expose your dog to pheromones for a longer period of time in order to see noticeable results. Don’t plug in a diffuser and expect instant results — leave it plugged in (or the collar on) for at least 2 weeks, if not longer.
Use dog-appeasing pheromones in the following situations to help set your dog up for success and prevent anxiety or fear from developing:
- When you first bring a new puppy home
- When bringing home an adopted dog
- During puppy play dates and dog training classes
- During thunderstorm season
- Before and during veterinary visits
- When guests or visitors come to your home
- During car rides or other travel that might cause your dog anxiety
Combine pheromone therapy with behavior modification and training, focusing on counterconditioning and desensitization.

Cats

If you have one or more cats that experience intense bouts of anxiety, you may have taken them to the vet to discuss ways to alleviate that stress. After all, stressed cats are at higher risk for digestive problems, lower immunity and other health issues. They can also be a nightmare to live with.

Some signs that your cat may be anxious or stressed are:

Scratching more often than usual or on new objects
Spraying
Urinating or defecating outside of the litter box
Unusual vomiting
Excessive grooming
Shaking, hiding, or other signs of fear or aggression towards people or other animals
Abnormal meowing or vocalization
Decreased appetite

Many of these signs can also indicate an underlying health issue beyond stress or anxiety, so be sure to get your cat checked out by a vet to rule out any potential health problems.

Cats have an extraordinary sense of smell and gather a lot of information about their surroundings using their noses. What they’re picking up as they walk around your home are pheromones, either placed by themselves or by another cat in your house. Pheromones occur in almost every species. Essentially, they are chemicals animals release that communicate with other animals within a particular species. Humans have them, dogs have them, bees have them—and so do cats. An organ at the roof of the mouth called the vomeronasal organ receives these pheromones and triggers a physiological response.

Calming vs. Multi-cat

It depends on which kind of pheromone you’re using. There are two different types: calming pheromone and multi-cat pheromone. Calming pheromone solutions imitate a cat’s facial pheromone. When your cat rubs their face on you or the furniture, they’re claiming their territory by releasing pheromones. These pheromones help a cat feel safe and secure by giving them a sense of familiarity and belonging. Calming pheromone diffusers are useful for homes with one cat that is exhibiting negative behaviors (i.e. spraying or scratching) due to stress or anxiety. Multi-cat pheromone solutions imitate the pheromones that a mother cat releases to soothe her kittens. These pheromones help put cats at ease, especially in the presence of other cats. Multi-cat pheromone diffusers are best used in homes with multiple cats that are experiencing tension or conflict between one another.

COMMUNICATION IN DOGS

Dogs communicate with each other using sound, scent, facial expressions and body positions. Their sense of smell is their most highly refined sensory ability and they use scent as their major means of communication.

Scent

When dogs respond to scent, they are actually responding to the chemical pheromones secreted in the scent. Pheromones are present in the dog’s saliva, faeces, urine, vaginal and preputial secretions, and in their anal, perianal and dorsal tail glands. The pheromones can influence immediate behaviour responses from other dogs, as well as long-term responses.

Pheromones communicate the dog’s social status, age, genetic relatedness, and its emotional and physiological state. When a dog sniffs the faeces and the anal regions of another dog it is finding out important information via the pheromones in the scent, including the other dog’s sex and sexual status.

Urine sniffing is another major way of communicating between dogs. Urine is a major source of sex pheromones. When a dog cocks its leg or sniffs the urine of other dogs, it is finding information on the other dog’s reproductive condition, and its authority and power.

Barking

Barking and other vocalisations are much less important for communication between dogs. They have five basic sounds:

Infantile sounds made by pups: crying, whimpering and whining
Warning sounds: barking and growling
Eliciting sounds: howling
Withdrawal sounds: yelping
Pleasure sounds: moaning

Domestication and breeding has accentuated sound as a means of communication. Wild dogs are much less vocal than pet dogs. Barking, crying and whining are common traits in pet dogs, partly because the dog’s alarm bark was one of the first traits that our ancestors selected for.

Crying and whining is a learned response amongst adult dogs – they rarely whine at each other, only at humans. Puppies quickly learn to use whimpering and whining to get their owner’s attention. It can be controlled or diminished in puppies by not giving in to it and rewarding the puppy with food, affection or interest.

Howling is common in wild dogs and some breeds such as Dobermans, huskies and malamutes. In wild dogs it is used to assemble and coordinate spacing the pack members’ spacing in their territory.

Yelping is the most common withdrawal sound in dog. It communicates either distress or actual pain.

Facial and Body Signals

Emotions can usually (but not always) be identified by the dog’s facial and body signals. They use eye contact as a means of communicating authority. A dominant dog stares down less dominant ones and the submissive dog averts its gaze and exposes its neck.

What body signals mean: