Can Dogs See Well In The Dark – In the previous article we looked at how dogs see colors, today we will instead look at how dogs see in the dark. Although humans can see colors much better than dogs, when it comes to night vision, dogs have the upper hand. A dog’s ability to see in the dark may not be as good as a cat’s night vision, but it’s not far off. Interestingly, there are several adaptations to this ability to see in the dark, designed to help dogs see in the dark.
Although dogs can’t appreciate our visual acuity and color range like we do, dogs are blessed with night vision properties that make them see much better than humans.
Can Dogs See Well In The Dark
It is not surprising why they can see better than us in low light. Animals have larger pupils than humans, which allows more light to reach the retina, which is why they see better at night, the doctor said. Lynsey Wagner, Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist at South Texas Veterinary Ophthalmology.
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Although a dog’s night vision is better than that of humans, it can’t even beat the night vision of cats. Cats are essentially nocturnal animals, and their amazing night vision is due to the vertical position of their pupils and large cornea.
“Compared to the human eye, the dog has a larger lens and a correspondingly larger angle, which improves its ability to intercept light and thus see in low light.” ~Randy Kidd, DVM, PhD
While the human retina has more cone cells that allow for better color discrimination, dogs’ retinas have a higher concentration of rods, specialized light- and motion-sensitive cells that help distinguish light from shadow. This allows dogs to see better than humans in the dark.
In addition, these sticks help the dog detect small movements, which is useful when hunting prey at night or, in the case of our domesticated friends, catching a ball thrown on a summer evening.
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However, these benefits come with a trade-off. The price you pay for low light and less movement is looking a little sharper during the day.
“A dog’s retina is like high-speed photographic film at high ISO or ASA; it is larger in low light, but has less detail (visual acuity) in bright light.” ~ Dr. Kerry L Ketring, Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist. The Bright Tapestry
, a mirror-like membrane lined with a layer of photocells, also helps dogs see better when the lights go out. How? This film reflects back all the light entering the eye, so dogs can see better.
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Dr. Steven M. Roberts, a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, says that because of the tapetum lucidum and the large diameter of the cornea and pupils, dogs see “a dim world that is two to ten times brighter than what we see.”
Have you ever wondered why dogs get “Halloween eyes”? The reason a dog’s eyes glow so eerily at night is because unabsorbed light is produced by the tapetum lucidum.
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This also explains why the dog’s eyes shine in flash photos. Humans, unlike dogs, do not have a tapetum lucidum.
“Dogs, they can see about five times more light than a human.” ~ Paul Miller, Clinical Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dogs can see in total darkness the same way we humans do. The reason they can see better in the dark is because they make better use of the light they get.
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So the secret to a dog’s night vision depends on our friend’s ability to make the best use of the light source available to him. So it turns out, it’s a myth that dogs can see in total darkness.
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It must be said that dogs have an advantage over us humans. They can rely on their “sentient” whiskers to prevent them from bumping into objects and allow them to move around the room in low light with ease.
In addition, they have an incredible ability to remember the structures of their home. Maybe that’s why the legend of dogs that can see in the dark became popular!
“Dogs and cats are very good at remembering their location. We see many patients with advanced visual impairment without their owners being aware of it because their home design has not changed.”~ Christopher Pirie, Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist.
Did you know? This eerie greenish-yellow glow from the eyes of animals at night is known as the “eye glow”. It is difficult for us humans to navigate at night. It comes from a daily animal. It’s one of the reasons we have such sharp color vision. This helps omnivores like us find food, either from plant or meat sources. Although dogs can see color, it’s not nearly as strong as ours because it doesn’t help them see different colors.
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However, dogs are a different story. Several reasons explain the difference, including biology, behavior, and evolution. When determining how well dogs can see in the dark, we need to start with the basics of vision. We can then put the dog’s opinion in context with our own to better understand.
Human and dog eyes are not as different as you might think. After all, we share 84 percent of our DNA. The answer to how well each of us can see in the dark depends on several characteristics, starting with the pupils. It grows when conditions are dark. The retina is the only entity of vision. It contains cells called photoreceptors that interpret the light received by the eyes.
There are two types of photoreceptors, cones and rods. The first deals with light and colors. The latter works in dark conditions. Dogs, including domestic dogs, have many rods in their retina. They also have a light structure located behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum. This is why your pet’s eyes seem to glow when light hits them in the dark. It also gives them a better visual edge.
However, the tapetum lucidum is the dog’s ace in the hole when it comes to night vision. It reflects the light that the other eye perceives. Humans do not have this advantage, hence the difference in our night vision.
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The evolutionary paths of dogs and humans diverged about 94 million years ago. Our journey led us to become day hunters, while early dogs adapted to dark and dark conditions to become night hunters. However, they could wander during the day. While felines do best at night, dogs are fine with their normal vision.
However, both animals exceed our ability to see in the dark. Remember they hunt at night because it gives them an advantage. It is difficult for predators to see it. On the other hand, early humans preferred to eat during the day, which makes color and bright light an advantage for us.
Examining the anatomy of human and canine vision provides more insight into how well dogs see at night. We have already discussed the role of cones and rods. It turns out that dim-sensitive rods have a higher concentration in the center of the dog’s retina. There is also a difference in the photopigment associated with these photoreceptors called rhodopsin.
This protein converts the dim light received by the rods into an electrical signal that the brain cannot interpret. Dogs have more rhodopsin than humans. It makes them endure us. Dogs see better at night because they have the anatomy to take it to the next level. However, it also reveals another important difference between humans and dogs.
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No doubt you have been in a situation where you suddenly had to step into the dark. Maybe the electricity is out in your home. Or maybe take the kids out for a night out. You’ve probably noticed that it took some time to get used to the dark. It probably didn’t last long either. So your body’s rhodopsin levels are stimulated.
Another story about dogs. It takes a very long time for them to go from bright light to dark because rhodopsin stimulates very slowly. It’s part of the price of being crepuscular or nocturnal. But that’s not the only thing that separates human and dog vision.
Benchmark for people with 20/20 vision. You can see things clearly from this distance. Not so with dogs. Their vision is 20/75. This means that what you see 75 meters away is the same as what they see 20 meters away. It may seem like a bad idea, but it actually benefits the canines
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