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de Sampaio MOB, Montiani-Ferreira F, Mello FR, Martins CB, de Souza ALG, Bortolini M, Klaumann PR, Moore BA. Supplemental vibrissal extensions as an alternative to improve the tactile sensitivity of blind dogs - a preliminary approach investigation. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:1907-1914. [PMID: 38427268 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10342-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This preliminary study suggests a way to artificially extend vibrissae of blind dogs to assist ambulation and avoiding facial contact with obstacles. PROCEDURES Fourteen irreversibly blind dogs had 5-6 mystacial vibrissae on each side of the face supplementally extended by attaching carefully chosen adult pig hairs to them and were subjected to a maze test before and after the procedure. In three of these dogs the test was repeated one more time after all the extensions had fallen off. Collision counts and course times with and without extensions were analyzed and compared. A p-value > 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS Median number of collisions was significantly higher post-extensions (5 IQR 2.25) and after extensions had fallen off (4 IQR 7.50) compared to pre-extensions (1 IQR 1), p = 0.021. Median times were significantly higher pre-extension (25.6 IQR 8.98) and after the extensions had fallen off, compared to the post-extension performance (22.8 IQR 8.55), p = 0.04. CONCLUSION Vibrissae play an important role in the tactile perception of blind dogs, and our preliminary results suggest that extending this sensory organ possibly improves obstacle location and their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira
- Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil.
| | - Franz Riegler Mello
- Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Camila Bolmann Martins
- Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil
| | | | - Mariza Bortolini
- Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil
| | - Paulo Roberto Klaumann
- Clinivet Hospital Veterinário, R. Holanda, 894, Boa Vista, Curitiba, PR, 82540-040, Brazil
| | - Bret A Moore
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16Th Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
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Sexton CL, Diogo R, Subiaul F, Bradley BJ. Raising an Eye at Facial Muscle Morphology in Canids. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:290. [PMID: 38785773 PMCID: PMC11118188 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of facial muscles in dogs has been linked to human preferential selection of dogs whose faces appear to communicate information and emotion. Dogs who convey, especially with their eyes, a sense of perceived helplessness can elicit a caregiving response from humans. However, the facial muscles used to generate such expressions may not be uniquely present in all dogs, but rather specifically cultivated among various taxa and individuals. In a preliminary, qualitative gross anatomical evaluation of 10 canid specimens of various species, we find that the presence of two facial muscles previously implicated in human-directed canine communication, the levator anguli occuli medialis (LAOM) and the retractor anguli occuli lateralis (RAOL), was not unique to domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris). Our results suggest that these aspects of facial musculature do not necessarily reflect selection via human domestication and breeding. In addition to quantitatively evaluating more and other members of the Canidae family, future directions should include analyses of the impact of superficial facial features on canine communication and interspecies communication between dogs and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney L. Sexton
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Rui Diogo
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Francys Subiaul
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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Explainable automated recognition of emotional states from canine facial expressions: the case of positive anticipation and frustration. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22611. [PMID: 36585439 PMCID: PMC9803655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27079-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal research, automation of affective states recognition has so far mainly addressed pain in a few species. Emotional states remain uncharted territories, especially in dogs, due to the complexity of their facial morphology and expressions. This study contributes to fill this gap in two aspects. First, it is the first to address dog emotional states using a dataset obtained in a controlled experimental setting, including videos from (n = 29) Labrador Retrievers assumed to be in two experimentally induced emotional states: negative (frustration) and positive (anticipation). The dogs' facial expressions were measured using the Dogs Facial Action Coding System (DogFACS). Two different approaches are compared in relation to our aim: (1) a DogFACS-based approach with a two-step pipeline consisting of (i) a DogFACS variable detector and (ii) a positive/negative state Decision Tree classifier; (2) An approach using deep learning techniques with no intermediate representation. The approaches reach accuracy of above 71% and 89%, respectively, with the deep learning approach performing better. Secondly, this study is also the first to study explainability of AI models in the context of emotion in animals. The DogFACS-based approach provides decision trees, that is a mathematical representation which reflects previous findings by human experts in relation to certain facial expressions (DogFACS variables) being correlates of specific emotional states. The deep learning approach offers a different, visual form of explainability in the form of heatmaps reflecting regions of focus of the network's attention, which in some cases show focus clearly related to the nature of particular DogFACS variables. These heatmaps may hold the key to novel insights on the sensitivity of the network to nuanced pixel patterns reflecting information invisible to the human eye.
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Mota-Rojas D, Marcet-Rius M, Ogi A, Hernández-Ávalos I, Mariti C, Martínez-Burnes J, Mora-Medina P, Casas A, Domínguez A, Reyes B, Gazzano A. Current Advances in Assessment of Dog's Emotions, Facial Expressions, and Their Use for Clinical Recognition of Pain. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3334. [PMID: 34828066 PMCID: PMC8614696 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals' facial expressions are involuntary responses that serve to communicate the emotions that individuals feel. Due to their close co-existence with humans, broad attention has been given to identifying these expressions in certain species, especially dogs. This review aims to analyze and discuss the advances in identifying the facial expressions of domestic dogs and their clinical utility in recognizing pain as a method to improve daily practice and, in an accessible and effective way, assess the health outcome of dogs. This study focuses on aspects related to the anatomy and physiology of facial expressions in dogs, their emotions, and evaluations of their eyebrows, eyes, lips, and ear positions as changes that reflect pain or nociception. In this regard, research has found that dogs have anatomical configurations that allow them to generate changes in their expressions that similar canids-wolves, for example-cannot produce. Additionally, dogs can perceive emotions similar to those of their human tutors due to close human-animal interaction. This phenomenon-called "emotional contagion"-is triggered precisely by the dog's capacity to identify their owners' gestures and then react by emitting responses with either similar or opposed expressions that correspond to positive or negative stimuli, respectively. In conclusion, facial expressions are essential to maintaining social interaction between dogs and other species, as in their bond with humans. Moreover, this provides valuable information on emotions and the perception of pain, so in dogs, they can serve as valuable elements for recognizing and evaluating pain in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France;
| | - Asahi Ogi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Ismael Hernández-Ávalos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Veterinary Anaesthesia, FESC, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico;
| | - Chiara Mariti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Julio Martínez-Burnes
- Animal Health Group, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Victoria City 87000, Mexico;
| | - Patricia Mora-Medina
- Department of Livestock Science, FESC, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico;
| | - Alejandro Casas
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Adriana Domínguez
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Brenda Reyes
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Angelo Gazzano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
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