Scientists have found that dogs can cry with joy

Have you seen tears in the eyes of dogs? Almost every dog ​​owner will probably answer yes to this question. The reasons why the lacrimal glands of dogs secrete fluid can be different. And one of them is the joy of meeting with the owner. This was proved by Japanese scientists during the experiment.

Researchers from the Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine, Jichi Medical University and Keio University conducted a study on the occurrence of tears in dogs. They decided to prove their theory that tears in dogs can be caused not only by physical, but also by emotional reasons. The results of their research published journal Current Biology.

During the first experiment, scientists measured the amount of tear fluid in dogs when their owner returned home after 5 to 7 hours of absence. In the first five minutes of the reunion of the pet and its owner, the volume of fluid increased significantly.

The second similar experiment was carried out already in animal day care centers. At the same time, the volumes of the tear secretion were compared before and after the meeting of the dog both with its owner and with other people. And it turned out that most of the lacrimal fluid stood out in dogs during a meeting with the owner. Moreover, the increase in the amount of allocated secret was very significant. Scientists attribute this to an increase in oxytocin in the animal’s blood when meeting with the owner.

“Consequently, increased oxytocin levels associated with positive and negative emotional arousal may promote tear secretion by acting on both central and peripheral organs,” the researchers reported.

In addition, the scientists conducted another experiment: they showed people photos of dogs’ faces with and without tears and asked them to rate their impressions.

It turned out that photos of crying animals received more positive ratings. This led the researchers to conclude that a dog’s tears may help strengthen the emotional bonds between the dog and the person.

“Unlike any other animal, dogs have evolved or been domesticated through human contact and have acquired high-level human communication skills using eye contact. Through this process, their tears may play a role in encouraging a person to protect and care for their pet, which leads to a deepening of relationships and further strengthening of interspecies bonds, ”the scientists noted.

In general, if your dog cries when you return home, know that it is from joy. And she really wants you to take care of her.

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo by Moskovskaya Pravda