One of the most curious aspects of the physical appearance of dogs is their whiskers. Although many people are unaware of the real function of these hairs on the face, they have important uses regarding health. These are found around the snout, above the eyes and in the jaw, being especially embedded in the skin of the animal. Such is the importance of the dog’s whiskers, that their follicles have many nerve endings, which send sensory messages to the animal’s brain. Contrary to appearance, they are delicate and cannot be considered as just another part of a dog’s coat.
Find out what dog whiskers are for , why they fall off and if it’s bad to cut them by reading this OneHOWTO article.
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Index
- Measure distances
- protect from particles
- Inform about the temperature
- explore the world
- Why does my dog’s whiskers fall out?
- Is it bad to cut the dog’s whiskers?
Measure distances
Do you wonder why dogs have whiskers? Well, dog whiskers are called whiskers because they work as a kind of sixth sense for the furry . These whiskers that protrude from the skin act as a mechanism similar to a lever: the stimulus they receive from the outside produces a movement that the mustache transmits to the skin follicle. Information is transferred from the follicles to the brain, decoding it and generating a response. Through this mechanism, the whiskers present on the face of dogs fulfill different functions and one of them is to help measure distances in the dark. In addition, the air currents perceived by the vibrissae allow us to have an idea regarding the location of objects and the size of the spaces around them.
And, if you want to know how dogs see , in this article we offer you all the information you need to know about your dog.
protect from particles
Another function of the whiskers in dogs is the protection of the eyes. The supraciliary vibrissae, that is, those located just above the eyes, help protect them from particles : they bump into them first, being able to propel them with the blinks.
Inform about the temperature
Do you want to know more about what the hairs of the dog’s mustache are for? Well, the whiskers of dogs also perceive any current of air , thus providing information to the animal’s brain about the environmental temperature. Thus, they fully sense heat and cold through their whiskers.
explore the world
Another function of the whiskers is that they help the dog to explore the world they see around them. The whiskers send sensory information to their brain and any movement or contact they experience with the air or any other element near the whiskers produces a stimulus in the nervous system. In this way, vital signals are sent to the canine brain. Whiskers are one of the physical tools dogs have for discovering things and determining the shape, speed, and size of objects within their reach . In addition, there is a very curious fact: the whiskers in dogs are proportional to their body size, which allows them to discover if the spaces are large enough to be able to pass through them.
Why does my dog’s whiskers fall out?
Probably, you have detected on more than one occasion that your dog is losing the whiskers on its face. Don’t you know the reason? Don’t worry, it’s not a negative symptom . In addition, a few days later you will notice that new ones will grow. So, just as they shed their fur, dogs also shed their whiskers. Therefore, it should not cause concern except in cases where this drop in whiskers is simultaneous with other symptoms such as possible changes in your furry friend’s behavior or loss of appetite. In this type of situation, it is important that you go to the veterinarian to do an examination and check if he is suffering from any health problem.
Is it bad to cut the dog’s whiskers?
Although it has been proven that dogs shed their whiskers over time, this factor does not imply that they should be removed early. It is always advisable to wait for them to fall through the natural shedding process. However, some people are hesitant about trimming dogs’ whiskers or if it’s bad to do so, but they consider it in order to improve their pet’s physical appearance. Therefore, it is important to note that it is negative, causing a counterproductive effect. If you trim your furry little one’s whiskers too soon, he will be left defenseless because he will lose a basic tactile mechanism that helps him perceive everything around himand helps you orient yourself. In addition, cutting the whiskers is a very uncomfortable process for the animal and even painful if you remove them with some type of forceps or similar tool.
In short, under no circumstances is it recommended to cut a dog’s whiskers . In fact, dogs that suffer cuts of this type can have skittish and distrustful behavior, since their senses are diminished. It is also important to touch the mustache areas very carefully so as not to create discomfort.
