Dog sense of touch

The sense of touch is very important for dogs because they are built on social contacts and emotional bonds with other dogs and people. By touching dogs can be measured to worry – the pulse goes slow and their breathing regulates.   Vibrissae are the whiskers and they are not as pronounced in the dog as in the domestic cat.

They have two different types of receptors in the skin – on the one hand, there are receptors on the surface which are located directly beneath the skin and movement of the hair follicle to the receptors on the transfer and secondly, there are receptors for more pressure, which sit deep under the skin.

The nose and the lips of the dog are especially sensitive to pressure, since there end has particularly large sensory nerves. Vibrations can be perceived through the paws. The face of the dog has vibrissae, which are more rigid than normal body hair and are also deep into the skin. At the base of the vibrissae there are many touch receptors.  It is believed that the vibrissae are very important for the dog.

The vibrissae serve the dog as an early warning to protect them from colliding or for eye injuries. Therefore, the vibrissae of dogs should never be removed. The vibrissae are so sensitive that they do not even have to touch an object to perceive him.

Dogs only have cold sensors. One exception is the nose, which have thermal sensors.  When dogs come into contact with hot objects they react with their pain receptors, not with heat sensors. Dogs like humans, can feel pain.  There is evidence that dogs recover faster after surgery when pain killers are used – they begin eating sooner after the surgery and drink faster.

Dogs conceal pain but often are not driven from the pack. Indications of pain may be whining, barking, heavy panting, rapid breathing, tremors, restlessness, withdrawal when touched, aggression when touched, licking/gnawing pain of the body, rapid pulse, dilated pupils, or have an increased body temperature.