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SENSE OF SMELL

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Sense of smell is very important for our pets

A keen sense of smell is a characteristic of many pets...but in particular of some breeds of dog. The dog's nose is so sensitive that they are far superior at detecting chemicals in the air (smells) than even the latest high-tech equipment developed by the military. That is why dogs are trained to be used all over the world to seek out explosives, drugs and even the remains of dead bodies.

The molecules of chemicals that cause a smell are inhaled and land on the surface lining of the nasal cavities. Here they stimulate nerve impulses which are sent to the brain where they are "interpreted". Recognition of a smell  and its associations eg to a food, an animal or a plant, is very powerful and accurate and is retained in the memory centres of the brain for a very long time. Sometimes a smell conveys a specific message such as sexual attraction, or repulsion and smells play a very important role in controlling everyday pet behaviour patterns.

Smell is important for the following :

  • Sexual attraction - pheromones
  • Protection - toxic substances often smell awful
  • Attraction to food - stimulates eating
  • Detection of  marked territories (eg cat urine) - identifies "home" and another animals territory.
  • Protection - detecting the scent of predators
  • Recognition - dogs can recognise their offspring, other dogs or people by their smell - hence the use of dogs as trackers.

When the sense of smell is lost - such as occurs with nasal disorders or with advancing age, normal behaviour can be affected. Appetite may be reduced as may sexual activity, and individuals may provoke an increase in fighting over territorial borders by failing to recognise a neighbours scent markings. Being unable to smell ones own territorial markings may stimulate an increase in marking behaviour eg spraying in cats.

Sometimes the power of smell can be used in the clinical management of diseases. Warming food, for example, will increase aroma and often increases food intake in an animal that is otherwise reluctant to eat due to its illness.

 

Updated October 2013