A new study from Cornell University in the United States shows that dogs can ‘see’ as well as smell with their highly sensitive noses.
Researchers and veterinarians at Cornell University in New York conducted examinations of the brains of various dog breeds and discovered surprising results.
The study reveals that there is a connection between vision and smell in dogs, a phenomenon not found in any other species.
There is a connection between vision and smell in dogs
Researchers explained how some dogs, despite being blind and unable to see a ball or obstacles, can still play fetch accurately.
They conducted MRI scans on different dogs and established connections from the olfactory system to areas of the cerebral cortex. This indicates a link between the part of the brain that processes scents and the area that processes visual information.
Pip Johnson, an associate professor at Cornell University, stated: “We have never found a link between the nose and the occipital lobe in any other species. The results are highly significant for dogs. When entering a room, animals primarily use their eyes to observe everything, looking for doors and other objects in the room… Meanwhile, dogs use both their eyes and noses; their sense of smell is truly integrated with their vision to form a comprehensive understanding of their environment and orient themselves.”
According to Pip Johnson, the new research results clarify many instances where blind dogs still excel at playing fetch. The findings also provide comfort to owners of dogs suffering from severe eye diseases.
Johnson remarked: “Blind dogs perform much better in searching and navigating their environment compared to humans with the same condition. The research results are a great comfort for owners whose dogs have serious eye diseases.”
Retired military veterinarian Eileen Jenkin, who did not participate in the study, commented: “This is wonderful. A dog’s nose is equipped with over 220 million scent-detecting cells, compared to 50 million olfactory receptors in humans. With just this breathing apparatus, dogs form spatial awareness, read communications, sense their owner’s mood, and track all activities around them.”
In the future, researchers aim to map the olfactory systems of cats and horses.
