Infrared Thermography in the Study of Animals’ Emotional Responses: A Critical Review

Travain, Tiziano; Valsecchi, Paola

doi:10.3390/ani11092510

Cited by 40 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…Therefore, in the case of horses used for riding, other more specific indicators of equine well-being are required to assess rider:horse interaction. Recently, the infrared thermography (IRT) measurement of the selected regions of the body surface temperature was proposed to assess both the horse’s emotional state [ 18 , 19 , 20 ] and the horse’s physiological response to an effort [ 17 , 21 , 22 , 23 ], also including the evaluation of the impact of the rider:horse bodyweight ratio on the equine organism [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Rider:Horse Bodyweight Ratio on the Superficial Body Temperature of Horse’s Thoracolumbar Region Evaluated by Advanced Thermal Image Processing

Domino

Borowska

Trojakowska

et al. 2022

Animals

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Appropriate matching of rider–horse sizes is becoming an increasingly important issue of riding horses’ care, as the human population becomes heavier. Recently, infrared thermography (IRT) was considered to be effective in differing the effect of 10.6% and 21.3% of the rider:horse bodyweight ratio, but not 10.1% and 15.3%. As IRT images contain many pixels reflecting the complexity of the body’s surface, the pixel relations were assessed by image texture analysis using histogram statistics (HS), gray-level run-length matrix (GLRLM), and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) approaches. The study aimed to determine differences in texture features of thermal images under the impact of 10–12%, >12 ≤15%, >15 <18% rider:horse bodyweight ratios, respectively. Twelve horses were ridden by each of six riders assigned to light (L), moderate (M), and heavy (H) groups. Thermal images were taken pre- and post-standard exercise and underwent conventional and texture analysis. Texture analysis required image decomposition into red, green, and blue components. Among 372 returned features, 95 HS features, 48 GLRLM features, and 96 GLCH features differed dependent on exercise; whereas 29 HS features, 16 GLRLM features, and 30 GLCH features differed dependent on bodyweight ratio. Contrary to conventional thermal features, the texture heterogeneity measures, InvDefMom, SumEntrp, Entropy, DifVarnc, and DifEntrp, expressed consistent measurable differences when the red component was considered.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Rider:Horse Bodyweight Ratio on the Superficial Body Temperature of Horse’s Thoracolumbar Region Evaluated by Advanced Thermal Image Processing

Domino

Borowska

Trojakowska

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…Accounting for the noninvasive nature of temperature assessment, it should be further applied to research on animals in AAIs. A recent review provides further data on the benefits and challenges of infrared thermography in assessing animal emotional states [102].…”

Section: New Research Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapy Dog Welfare Revisited: A Review of the Literature

Glenk

Foltin

2021

Veterinary Sciences

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During the past decade, the field of human–animal interaction(s) research has been characterized by a significant increase in scientific findings. These data have contributed to our current understanding of how humans may benefit from contact with animals. However, the animal experience of these interactions is still an under-researched area. This paper addresses the welfare of dogs who participate in animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) to improve health in human recipients. This paper builds on previous work by Glenk (2017) and provides an updated review of the literature on therapy dog welfare published from 2017–2021. New advances in scientific methodology, such as the determination of salivary oxytocin, breath rate and tympanic membrane temperature, are analyzed regarding their value and limitations for research in AAIs. Moreover, welfare-related social and environmental factors (e.g., freedom of choice, exploration of novel environments, inequity aversion, individual development, working experience, relationship with handler and handler skills) that profoundly influence dog perception and well-being are reviewed and discussed. Accounting for the globally increasing interest and the number of dogs utilized in AAIs, safeguarding therapy dog well-being, and identifying situations, circumstances and protocols that may challenge animal welfare remains an emerging and crucial area of scientific effort.

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“…It has been established that those behavioral problems in dogs are probably associated with a close relationship to humans. Hence it is vital to avoid these states [ 112 ], as Mariti et al demonstrated [ 107 ]. Those researchers further concluded that the dog owners did not require experience to identify these negative emotions accurately.…”

Section: Emotions In the Dogmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As can be seen, comprehending the emotions and affects of heterospecifics is of great significance for domestic species, such as dogs [ 110 ]. Recognition of emotions, mimicry, and gestures is considered of greater importance than other forms of expression [ 115 ], though facial mimicry does not necessarily accurately reflect the meaning of the underlying emotion [ 112 ]. This phenomenon has also been identified in dogs because their ability to recognize certain expressions shown by individuals in their social circle—whether of the same or a different species, including humans—allows them to generate similar or opposing responses to those manifestations.…”

Section: Emotions In the Dogmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current Advances in Assessment of Dog’s Emotions, Facial Expressions, and Their Use for Clinical Recognition of Pain

Mota-Rojas

Marcet-Rius

Ogi

et al. 2021

Animals

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Animals’ facial expressions are involuntary responses that serve to communicate the emotions that individuals feel. Due to their close co-existence with humans, broad attention has been given to identifying these expressions in certain species, especially dogs. This review aims to analyze and discuss the advances in identifying the facial expressions of domestic dogs and their clinical utility in recognizing pain as a method to improve daily practice and, in an accessible and effective way, assess the health outcome of dogs. This study focuses on aspects related to the anatomy and physiology of facial expressions in dogs, their emotions, and evaluations of their eyebrows, eyes, lips, and ear positions as changes that reflect pain or nociception. In this regard, research has found that dogs have anatomical configurations that allow them to generate changes in their expressions that similar canids—wolves, for example—cannot produce. Additionally, dogs can perceive emotions similar to those of their human tutors due to close human-animal interaction. This phenomenon—called “emotional contagion”—is triggered precisely by the dog’s capacity to identify their owners’ gestures and then react by emitting responses with either similar or opposed expressions that correspond to positive or negative stimuli, respectively. In conclusion, facial expressions are essential to maintaining social interaction between dogs and other species, as in their bond with humans. Moreover, this provides valuable information on emotions and the perception of pain, so in dogs, they can serve as valuable elements for recognizing and evaluating pain in clinical settings.

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Infrared Thermography in the Study of Animals’ Emotional Responses: A Critical Review

Cited by 40 publications

References 98 publications

The Effect of Rider:Horse Bodyweight Ratio on the Superficial Body Temperature of Horse’s Thoracolumbar Region Evaluated by Advanced Thermal Image Processing

The Effect of Rider:Horse Bodyweight Ratio on the Superficial Body Temperature of Horse’s Thoracolumbar Region Evaluated by Advanced Thermal Image Processing

Therapy Dog Welfare Revisited: A Review of the Literature

Current Advances in Assessment of Dog’s Emotions, Facial Expressions, and Their Use for Clinical Recognition of Pain

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