Supplemental vibrissal extensions as an alternative to improve the tactile sensitivity of blind dogs - a preliminary approach investigation

Manuella Oliveira Borges de Sampaio; Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira; Franz Riegler Mello; Camila Bolmann Martins; Ana Leticia Groszewicz de Souza; Mariza Bortolini; Paulo Roberto Klaumann; Bret A Moore

doi:10.1007/s11259-024-10342-y

Supplemental vibrissal extensions as an alternative to improve the tactile sensitivity of blind dogs - a preliminary approach investigation

Vet Res Commun. 2024 Mar 1. doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10342-y. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Manuella Oliveira Borges de Sampaio¹, Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira², Franz Riegler Mello¹, Camila Bolmann Martins¹, Ana Leticia Groszewicz de Souza¹, Mariza Bortolini¹, Paulo Roberto Klaumann³, Bret A Moore⁴

Affiliations

¹ Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil.
² Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal University of Parana, Rua Dos Funcionarios, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035-050, Brazil. montiani@ufpr.br.
³ Clinivet Hospital Veterinário, R. Holanda, 894, Boa Vista, Curitiba, PR, 82540-040, Brazil.
⁴ College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16Th Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.

PMID: 38427268
DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10342-y

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.

Keywords: Ambulation; Blind; Dogs; Tactile perception; Vibrissae; Whiskers.