How dogs see the world

Having a beloved pet - a dog, each of us at least once thought about how he sees this world? It is easier, of course, to perceive everything as if a dog has the same vision as a human. But this is far from true. Let's see how dogs see the world?

The structure of the dog's eye

If we consider the anatomical structure of the eyeball of a dog, then we can see that it, as it were, conditionally, consists of two halves - the upper and the lower.

The upper part is responsible for visual acuity on the background of a dark shade of earth. Behind her photoreceptors is a membrane that has a reflective effect. The light penetrating the eyes of a dog turns out to be reflected by this membrane. And as a result - the eerie glow of the eyes at night or in the twilight.

The rods and cones present in the eyes of the animal capture the reflected rays. Thus, the dog's eye gets two rays from one.

The lower part of the eye, more precisely, its retina, has a dark pigment that absorbs and extinguishes, as it were, the excess light. This gives a certain advantage to the pet - the ability to optimally see in conditions of excessive lighting.

Night vision in dogs

Everyone knows that cats perfectly see in the dark. But what about this situation in dogs? Dogs do not belong to nocturnal animals, nor to the day, they are somewhere in the middle. If, again, refer to the structure of the eyes, the presence of a large number of sticks is a sign that the dogs see better during the day than at night. However, this number plays a certain role in low light.

In dogs, behind the cones and sticks, there is a layer called tapetum, which contains a reflective pigment. The light that enters the eyes of an animal is almost entirely perceived at the cellular level, so if you compare the night vision of a dog and a person, it is sharper by 3-4 times in a dog.

Difference of sight of a dog and a person

A man, both children and adults, has been concerned for years with the question of what colors do dogs see?

For a long time, US scientists tried to sort out this issue and quite recently were able to prove that our four-legged friends have color perception, although somewhat different from what a person possesses.

And, of course, the role played by the structure of the eyes of a dog. Cones, which are responsible for color perception, in dogs there are, but in much smaller numbers than in humans. In addition, the human eye is much more complex, since there are three varieties of cones in its retina, each of which carries out a reaction in its own color range:

• Reacts to long-wave radiation - in the field of its sensitivity red and orange shades.
• It is sensitive to medium waves - we are talking about yellow and green colors.
• The third cones catch a variety of colors - purple, blue and blue.

In the dog's eye, no cones were found that are sensitive to red hues. This was the reason why dogs do not see much difference between the yellow-green palette and orange and red colors. The same color perception is observed in people with color blindness. For example, what is blue-green for a person may look like a white color for a dog.

Another significant difference between the structure of a human and a dog's eye is that the person has a “yellow spot” in the center of the retina, in the region of the optical axis of the eye, consisting exclusively of cones. Its presence allows the cones to catch the direct rays of light that are not damaged when passing through the cornea and lens. In the structure of the eyeball of the dog there is no such spot, which affects the fact that the visual acuity of pets is lower by about three times.

Theoretical calculations indicate that if a dog’s vision is checked with an oculist's table, only the third line will be available to its view. Although a person with good eyesight sees the tenth.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to blame the animal for myopia, since scientific studies have found that dogs have a slight hyperopia (about +0.5 diopters). This indicator can be equated to the vision of most people of mature age.

Pet Eye Care

The eyes of a dog are, if not a mirror of the soul, then precisely an indicator of its health. An experienced breeder or veterinarian can tell you if the animal is sick or not. Clean, dry eyes, with a lively shine, without puffiness and redness - this is a sign of a completely healthy pet.

If the eyes are fine, in most cases, they do not require any care. Sometimes secretions may accumulate in the inner corners of the dog's eyes. If their number is insignificant, it is enough to remove them with a piece of gauze or a cotton pad. It is not recommended to use cotton wool for these purposes, since its particles can get inside and cause discomfort and even inflammation.

For this treatment, you can use the following liquids:

• boiled water;
• saline solution;
• weak solution furatsilina.

Tea leaves, which are traditional for people, are also suitable, but there is one small nuance - for dogs with light hair, it can leave colored areas.

Features of the organs of vision of some breeds

There are a number of breeds in which the organ of vision, for one reason or another, is a weak point and requires more attention:

• Dogs with a short, flat, attractive face - Pekingese, Chinas, Pugs, Shih Tzu, French Bulldogs and similar dogs. The special anatomical structure of the muzzle leads to the fact that the natural secret from the eyes can flow into the skin folds on the face, thereby causing discomfort, itching and irritation. Such dogs require a more regular cleansing of the eyes.
• Breeds with elongated fur on the face are all varieties of schnauzers, some types of terriers. Flowing through the coat, tears and discharge can significantly worsen the condition of the coat on the face, gluing it together, which leads to tangling and the formation of tangles. To prevent this, you need to pay more attention to the condition of the eyes and regularly clean not only the eyes, but also the hair on the face.
• Breeds with excess skin and folds in the area of ​​the head and muzzle are Shar Pei , Cocker Spaniels , Basset Hounds, and others. Due to this feature, pets of these breeds have a tendency to diseases of the organs of vision, and most often there is a twisting eyelid. There are two types of disease - inner and outer turning, but both provide the dog with discomfort and possible complications, up to complete blindness. In non-critical situations, simple eye treatment and the use of moisturizers are sufficient. With the exacerbation of the same disease helps only surgery. Feeding the eyelid can rid the dog of further eye problems.

Possible pet eye problems

When ordinary, unremarkable discharge is not the only eye problem? If the discharge just became more, but their appearance has not changed, then most likely the pet has blown through the draft. In this case, washing the eyes with the same means as used for normal procedures will help.

It is worth sounding the alarm if the ocular secret has changed its color to greenish or brown, its amount has changed significantly and there is an unpleasant smell. In this case, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian, as all signs indicate a disease of infectious origin.

There is a noticeable swelling on the eyelids of the eyes. There may be several reasons, both trauma and a sign of an infectious disease. In any case, the doctor can say more accurately.

Is the pet trying to avoid direct rays of light, hiding in the shadows, moving without its former confidence? This is a signal that he has significant vision problems. And in this case - a veterinarian to help.

Any problems with the visual apparatus of the pet should be solved only by a qualified technician!