Pheromones
WHAT ARE PHEROMONES?
Pheromones are chemicals secreted by living organisms (animals or plants) that allow individuals of the same species to communicate among themselves. This mode of communication, although unknown, is essential for many living things, especially for insects: it is thanks to the pheromones that ants will find the way to its nest and its congeners indicate a food source that it will be found. It is through studying the reproductive behavior of a moth by a French entomologist – Jean-Henry Fabre – that the existence of pheromones was discovered. He succeeded in showing that the secretions of a female sex pheromones could attract males within a radius of 25 kilometers!
And mammals?
Similarly, in mammals, pheromones are primarily known until now for their action in the field of reproduction: the man has used sex pheromone in an attempt to synchronize estrus or highlight came in the heat, especially sows. Since 1995, a French research laboratory, Phérosynthèse, works on the topic of pheromones in mammals. Their initial findings have enabled the development of pheromones for the cat.
THE FACE OF THE PHEROMONES CHAT:
1 / Disorders of territorial marking.
The first marketed by the laboratory as the CEVA Feliway, is a compound identical to the cat facial secretions deposited on the objects of its territory. The message carried by these pheromones is like this: “All these things are mine, they are securely in place, so good.”
Studies have shown that a significant loss of these marks (work, painting, moving, etc ….) Completely disoriented the cat and made him anxious: the cat is in such a state of “nervousness” that it is impossible now facially mark the objects of his territory! The only marking that it manages to do is a urine marking! The cat becomes anxious messy, which of course poses considerable problems for owners.
The use of Feliway allows the owner to defuse the crisis by marking new territory with a cat’s marking soothing. The cat then finds his familiar brands, its excitability decreases, it stops and starts his urine marking facially to mark its territory.
The Feliway has a genuine anti-stress used in a variety of situations:
- It can be used while traveling, by tagging the transport cage. This helps to fight against the constant mewing, hyper salivation, vomiting and diarrhea due to stress of transport.
- When any change of location: a move, but also of work, vacation or stay with friends and also pension. Pheromones reduce the stress change territory: the cat is less prostrate and his appetite is not disturbed.
The huge advantage of this anti-stress is its lack of toxicity. The job security is tied to two things: first, the product mimics a natural substance secreted by the cat, so this is a completely natural product. Then it was shown he did not need to enter the cat’s body to perform its action. Indeed, the substance is seen at a particular organ located on the floor of the nasal cavity, called the vomeronasal organ, which then sends a message to the brain, so this is not the product that will act at the brain, unlike a drug. Thus, his action does no toxicity or in the brain or the liver or kidney!
The Feliway, sold initially only in spray-form (15 and 60 ml) is now also marketed as electric diffuser of the same type as the disseminators of insecticides. This new format offers the advantage of a real ease of use: just plug the diffuser, and it acts for a month to an area of 70 m2. The spray is handy for use when traveling or to defuse the urine marking in areas particularly soiled. Attention however to observe a strict rule to use the spray: the smell of the vehicle, ie the substance that keeps the pheromone into the bottle, is very unpleasant for the cat! It is necessary to wait ten minutes before bringing the cat in the area that was marked by the spray, until the vehicle has evaporated.
2 / Acceptance of a newcomer.
The Felifriend is a copy of another cat facial pheromone. This serves to mark an individual or a pet. When a person has already seen this pheromone, the cat feels reassured, and re turn deposit their own brand.
The Felifriend has first been used by veterinarians and professionals who handle cats. The approach and handling of animals are easier and they keep a better souvenir of his visit to the vet, which makes the next visit more relaxed, etc.. Etc.. …
The other use of this product is accepted by a cat called “resident” of a newcomer in the house: another cat, a dog, a child or an adult. Often, this new arrival is felt by the cat already living in places like a real intrusion. Or he flees, or, more frequently, conflicts arise. It starts with simple skirmishes then it ends with real fighting.
The Felifriend applied by the owner on the two animals, promotes the rapid acceptance and smooth almost new entrant. The joint action of Felifriend and Feliway very problematic in some situations has a resolution of the conflict on the first day of use!
The acceptance of a dog is also very much facilitated by the use of Felifriend applied to the sides of the dog.
THE MATERNAL PHEROMONE OF THE DOG: THE DOG OR APAISINE DAP
1 / What are apaisines?
After the cat’s facial pheromones, the research team Phérosynthèse turned to a larger project on many more species including the dog.
The attachment of mother to her puppies and puppies inversely to their mother is a phenomenon much studied but still very mysterious.
The observation of a mother and her puppies shows that in the days after birth, when a puppy is removed from his mother, he showed signs of distress, he struggles, cries and tries to find the contact her mother kicking. If the puppy is placed in a medium sweet and hot, diminish signs of distress but are still present: the mother gives them something extra that reassures them. Why not they would intervene pheromones in this phenomenon? The mother produces a substance responsible for it to calm the baby?
To answer this question, samples of skin secretions in the breasts were performed in lactating females and in females outside the breeding season. It has been shown to produce certain substances a few days after birth until the pups are able to move. These substances have a soothing function: they remove the signs of distress issued by the puppy. They were given a name: Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP), which means “dog appeasing pheromone”.
The team then wanted Phérosynthèse test a hypothesis a bit mad and if these substances were functional in the adult dog, then there would be a simple and completely natural to fight against stress! Numerous studies have confirmed that followed, as we will show you.
2 / What uses in dogs?
- Transport stress
One of the first situations of stress that has interested researchers is transport. The use of DAP has shown its interest in reducing the manifestations of fear such as body tremors, panting, hyper salivation, diarrhea and vomiting.
Owners who used the product have also reported that the dog showed fewer signs of distress during the journey: it is less prone and more comfortable. The DAP has also been used for the transfer of a wolf between two zoos in the Netherlands to France. Calmness displayed by the animal during the entire transport stunned animal, who pointed out that the wolf had not left the area of the cage where the pheromone was applied.
- The fear of firecrackers
This use of DAP has been validated by the department “study of behavior and animal welfare” at Lincoln University in Great Britain. In this country the night of 5 November is a time of fireworks and firecrackers, which disturb many of our four-legged friends: they are panting, shaking, hiding in a mouse hole, panic, s ‘wave, scanning for the presence of their master, barking, destroy, urinate on them vomit. The DAP has been installed as electric diffuser two weeks before the scheduled date of fireworks and left another week after the stressful event. Of all signs of fear, the results are very satisfactory, particularly when the animal panting, trembling, cowers, barks and destroys (between 70% and 90% improvement). Over 70% of owners say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the DAP and 80% of them said they would like to reuse the DAP in the future.
DAP appears to be the substance of choice for the treatment of fear of gunfire and thunder. Unfortunately, the DAP is currently marketed by veterinarians in the form of electric diffusers, which imposes a use inside a room. Currently, studies of the effectiveness of DAP in a form usable by external Phérosynthèse are carried out and should lead to commercialization in 2003.
THE STRESS OF THE SEPARATION
Everyone has heard or has someone in his entourage whose dog howls, destroyed or urine in the house when left alone. These problems related to separation is an important cause of dropouts (almost 33% of cases of abandonment by the APS) and are witness to a malaise of our four-legged friends.
DAP reduces in less than 15 days between 70% and 80% destruction, filth and screaming. She appears as effective as conventional drugs used in this type of problems, without having adverse effects: no vomiting, no tremors, no nausea, no fatigue. This product has already avoided many of euthanasia and abandonment!
The stress of kennel
The increasing number of pensions for dogs and cats reduces the number of dropouts during the holidays. Although a considerable effort has been provided by those responsible kennel on improving the care and comfort of animals, many dog owners are still reluctant to leave their pets in these structures. In fact, they expect the dog live badly this separation. This situation is very similar to problems related to separation as described above. Board, a number of dog express their distress in partially refusing to eat, staying in a corner, or rather, screaming all day, tearing his hair, maiming or even by throwing himself against the bars.
When the configuration of the permitted (part of the cage inside), an electric diffuser DAP was used in this type of situation. All dogs are much better supported the stay with the DAP as previous visits without DAP. In addition, some dogs it was impossible to leave before pension were well acclimated when the product has been connected. He had been asked the owner to place the diffuser in their home a few days before, then the diffuser was installed near the cage in the pension.
ADOPT A PUPPY
Also in the area of separation, the first separation, the mother and her puppies at the time of sale or adoption is one of the uses of the product. Very often, the owner, full of good intentions for the education of his puppy tries to make him sleep elsewhere in the room. But the puppy is crying, screaming and too often the owner “crack” starts a bad habit. The DAP, in the calm puppy reduces the intensity of crying and screaming, which preserves the owners sleep and helps maintain good sleeping habits.
Health problems related to stress.
It is now accepted by the scientific community that many health problems are related to or aggravated by stress. Thus, allergy problems (respiratory or dermatological) problems of regular vomiting, seizures type “epilepsy”, susceptibility to infections, can be improved if we reduce stress and it increases the dog’s well be. Studies are being conducted by Phérosynthèse in partnership with veterinarians specializing in dermatology, neurology and gastrology to confirm the interest of the use of DAP in such cases.
HOW TO PROVIDE AND USE THESE PRODUCTS?
Pheromones of dogs and cats are sold through veterinarians.
Optimal use of pheromone electric diffuser means to follow a few precautions to maximize its effectiveness:
- Plug it into the main room or living animals. If he has access to several pieces, be aware that a device covers between 70 and 90 m2. For two floors, it is better to use two devices.
- It is preferable to connect the device height, out of reach of children and animals. Above all, do not plug it behind furniture: furniture that interferes with the proper dissemination of pheromones.
- Although verify that the outlet works and is not connected to a wall switch. Indeed, in this case, taking only works when the lights are on and there is evidence that the product is really effective when used continuously.
IN CONCLUSION
Pheromones appear as products of the future in the fight against stress and improve well-being of our four-legged friends. Research in the field of soothing pheromones can explore other uses and other forms of presentation (DAP as a necklace).
In addition, other avenues of research remain to be explored in the field of pheromones of the dog, since it was shown that the secretions of a dominant pheromone were not the same as those of a dominated. These pheromones they would reduce the abuse of dominance and fighting between dogs? A lot of work ahead to address these issues strengths.