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Rhinarium temperature dynamics in domestic dogs

Kröger, Ronald Heinz Herbert LU and Goiricelaya, Aitor Bereber (2017) In Journal of Thermal Biology 70. p.15-19
Abstract

Many mammals have specialized nose-tips with glabrous and often wet skin, called rhinaria. The function of the rhinarium is unknown in most species. Rhinaria differ not only in shape and skin structure, but also in skin temperature. They are considerably colder in carnivorans than in herbivorous artio- and perissodactyls. Domestic dogs are carnivorans and their noses often feel cold, such that they can be used as an abundant and easily accessible model species. We performed a study on rhinarium temperature in dogs under various ambient temperatures as well as in different behavioral and physiological contexts, breeds, and age groups. The rhinaria of adult, alert, and comfortable dogs are colder than ambient temperature from 30 °C... (More)

Many mammals have specialized nose-tips with glabrous and often wet skin, called rhinaria. The function of the rhinarium is unknown in most species. Rhinaria differ not only in shape and skin structure, but also in skin temperature. They are considerably colder in carnivorans than in herbivorous artio- and perissodactyls. Domestic dogs are carnivorans and their noses often feel cold, such that they can be used as an abundant and easily accessible model species. We performed a study on rhinarium temperature in dogs under various ambient temperatures as well as in different behavioral and physiological contexts, breeds, and age groups. The rhinaria of adult, alert, and comfortable dogs are colder than ambient temperature from 30 °C (approximately 5 °C colder) down to a break point at about 15 °C. At an ambient temperature of 0 °C, rhinarium temperature is approximately 8 °C and the decrease in skin surface temperature with decreasing ambient temperature has not yet leveled off. The dog rhinarium warms up under a number of circumstances. In contrast to the continuously warm rhinaria of herbivores, our results suggest strongly that the cold state is the operating state of the dog rhinarium.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Age, Ambient temperature, Behavioral context, Dog, Rhinarium, Temperature dynamics
in
Journal of Thermal Biology
volume
70
pages
5 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85032706345
  • pmid:29108553
  • wos:000416197500003
ISSN
0306-4565
DOI
10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.013
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1c019dec-417f-496b-b56b-c501f379f9a2
date added to LUP
2017-11-14 12:11:36
date last changed
2024-03-01 03:22:18
@article{1c019dec-417f-496b-b56b-c501f379f9a2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Many mammals have specialized nose-tips with glabrous and often wet skin, called rhinaria. The function of the rhinarium is unknown in most species. Rhinaria differ not only in shape and skin structure, but also in skin temperature. They are considerably colder in carnivorans than in herbivorous artio- and perissodactyls. Domestic dogs are carnivorans and their noses often feel cold, such that they can be used as an abundant and easily accessible model species. We performed a study on rhinarium temperature in dogs under various ambient temperatures as well as in different behavioral and physiological contexts, breeds, and age groups. The rhinaria of adult, alert, and comfortable dogs are colder than ambient temperature from 30 °C (approximately 5 °C colder) down to a break point at about 15 °C. At an ambient temperature of 0 °C, rhinarium temperature is approximately 8 °C and the decrease in skin surface temperature with decreasing ambient temperature has not yet leveled off. The dog rhinarium warms up under a number of circumstances. In contrast to the continuously warm rhinaria of herbivores, our results suggest strongly that the cold state is the operating state of the dog rhinarium.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kröger, Ronald Heinz Herbert and Goiricelaya, Aitor Bereber}},
  issn         = {{0306-4565}},
  keywords     = {{Age; Ambient temperature; Behavioral context; Dog; Rhinarium; Temperature dynamics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  pages        = {{15--19}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Thermal Biology}},
  title        = {{Rhinarium temperature dynamics in domestic dogs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.013}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.013}},
  volume       = {{70}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}