The Role of Urine in Semiochemical Communication between Females and Males of Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris) during Estrus

Woszczyło, Martyna; Jezierski, Tadeusz; Szumny, Antoni; Niżański, Wojciech; Dzięcioł, Michał

doi:10.3390/ani10112112

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The excretion of acetophenone was sex-dependent in wolves, being greater in females and castrated males [ 86 , 87 ]. Recently acetophenone has been reported in dog urine where it increased during oestrous and apparently acts as a semiochemical with complex effects on mating behavior [ 88 , 89 ]. Although acetophenone is not usually reported in human urine, in one study its excretion was found to increase after the experimental induction of inflammation [ 90 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Volatile scent chemicals in the urine of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes

2021

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The red fox is a highly adaptable mammal that has established itself world-wide in many different environments. Contributing to its success is a social structure based on chemical signalling between individuals. Urine scent marking behaviour has long been known in foxes, but there has not been a recent study of the chemical composition of fox urine. We have used solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the urinary volatiles in 15 free-ranging wild foxes (2 female) living in farmlands and bush in Victoria, Australia. Foxes here are routinely culled as feral pests, and the urine was collected by bladder puncture soon after death. Compounds were identified from their mass spectra and Kovats retention indices. There were 53 possible endogenous scent compounds, 10 plant-derived compounds and 5 anthropogenic xenobiotics. Among the plant chemicals were several aromatic apocarotenoids previously found in greater abundance in the fox tail gland. They reflect the dietary consumption of carotenoids, essential for optimal health. One third of all the endogenous volatiles were sulfur compounds, a highly odiferous group which included thiols, methylsulfides and polysulfides. Five of the sulfur compounds (3-isopentenyl thiol, 1- and 2-phenylethyl methyl sulfide, octanethiol and benzyl methyl sulfide) have only been found in foxes, and four others (isopentyl methyl sulfide, 3-isopentenyl methyl sulfide, and 1- and 2-phenylethane thiol) only in some canid, mink and skunk species. This indicates that they are not normal mammalian metabolites and have evolved to serve a specific role. This role is for defence in musteloids and most likely for chemical communication in canids. The total production of sulfur compounds varied greatly between foxes (median 1.2, range 0.4–32.3 μg ‘acetophenone equivalents’/mg creatinine) as did the relative abundance of different chemical types. The urinary scent chemistry may represent a highly evolved system of semiochemicals for communication between foxes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Volatile scent chemicals in the urine of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes

2021

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“…In the pet industry, the database focuses on methods used to determine food acceptance or preference by pets. Despite a food odor’s attractiveness, some studies have focused on odor preferences in individuals in terms of health or disease in various species [ 29 ], phases of the sexual cycle [ 13 , 30 , 31 ], or even the influence of specific personality traits on olfactory preferences [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. It is worth mentioning that body odor which could influence an individual’s perception may change in connection with disease [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ], emotional states [ 39 ], diet, or hormonal changes [ 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canine Smell Preferences—Do Dogs Have Their Favorite Scents?

Kokocińska

Woszczyło

Sampino

et al. 2022

Animals

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The available evidence on dogs’ scent preferences is quite limited. The purpose of this study was to verify the canine response to selected odors that may also be preferred by humans. The experiment was performed using 14 adult dogs (10 female and 4 male) of different breeds, body size, and age (1–14 years). During the experiment, dogs were exposed to 33 odor samples: a neutral sample containing pure dipropylene glycol (control) and 32 samples containing dipropylene glycol and fragrance oils. The dog was brought to the experimental area by its handler, who then stopped at the entrance, unleashed the dog, and remained in the starting position. The dog freely explored the area for 30 s. All dog movements and behavior were recorded and analyzed. The methodology of observing the dogs freely exploring the experimental area allowed us to determine the smells that were the most attractive to them (food, beaver clothing). Our study shows that dogs interacted more frequently with the scents of blueberries, blackberries, mint, rose, lavender, and linalol.

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“…In fact, special attention during those contacts was observed in sniffing and attempts at licking the prepuce of that dog. In our previous study, the presence of non-volatile compounds that probably had a protein character was postulated to be one of the important elements used in the evaluation of attractiveness by males [ 4 ] and proteomic evaluation of the secretions could be indicated in future studies of similar cases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sniffing is usually focused on the anovaginal region, but the muzzle, ears, and interdigital spaces are also areas of interest [ 3 ]. Intensive licking and increased salivation observed during contacting female in estrus, are thought to be connected with an attempt to collect the less volatile molecules that are probably also involved in the process of recognition of current reproductive status [ 4 ]. In the female domestic dog, the period of increased attractiveness (proestrus and estrus) takes around 2–4 weeks, with an average of about 21 days [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Case of Atypical Sexual Attractiveness in a Male Domestic Dog—A Case Study

Woszczyło

Szumny

Łyczko

et al. 2021

Animals

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During the ovarian cycle in domestic dogs, females do not accept males during the first days of estrus but become attractive to males from the beginning of proestrus, with this attractiveness persisting until the end of the estrus phase. It is believed that increased estradiol is responsible for the female attractiveness to the males. In this paper we describe the case of strong, but atypical attractiveness of a castrated male to various, adult, intact males, influenced by the emitted semiochemical signals. Any significant changes in the level of hormones typically involved in the process connected with estrus and responsible for sexual arousal in the males were assessed. The case animal was a 4 year old castrated male Border Collie that was extremely attractive to various males, which presented high levels of sexual arousal, with intensive sniffing and licking of the preputial area, specific vocalization, increased salivation and, finally, mating attempts. Clinical examination of the castrated male revealed a lack of testes in the scrotum and abdominal cavity confirmed by USG. Laboratory tests indicated basal levels of estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone (15.23 pg/mL, <0.05 ng/mL, 0.25 ng/mL), and sex was confirmed via cytogenetic and molecular analysis. Chemical analysis (HS-SPME) of the urine indicated a huge similarity to the profile obtained from a bitch in estrus, with an elevated level of acetophenone, which has been previously postulated in the literature as being a characteristic of the estrus phase in female domestic dogs. This case presented very atypical sexual attractiveness, particularly when taking into account the basal levels of hormones which, according to current knowledge, are responsible for the creation of attractiveness. As a hypothesis requiring verification, we propose the idea of involvement of other hormones in the creation of incidental attractiveness or increased production of compounds responsible for attractiveness (sex pheromones) resulting from metabolic events unrelated to reproductive processes. To our knowledge it is the first described case presenting this phenomenon, which, with more detailed study, could shed new light on the process of creation of sexual attraction in the domestic dog.

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The Role of Urine in Semiochemical Communication between Females and Males of Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris) during Estrus

Cited by 9 publications

References 53 publications

Volatile scent chemicals in the urine of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes

Volatile scent chemicals in the urine of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes

Canine Smell Preferences—Do Dogs Have Their Favorite Scents?

The Case of Atypical Sexual Attractiveness in a Male Domestic Dog—A Case Study

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