Special Senses

Question 1

What are the 5 special senses of the somatic system?

Answer 1

• Smell
• Taste
• Vision
• Hearing
• Balance

Question 2

What are the 2 general senses of the somatic system?

Answer 2

• Touch
• Proprioception

Question 3

What is olfaction?

Answer 3

• An olfactory epithelium, which detects air-borne smells
• Accessory olfactory system (vomeronasal organ) detects pheromones

Question 4

What is the rhinarium?

Answer 4

Slits at the side of the dog’s nose, which allows air to be drawn to the olfactory epithelium to the nasal chambers by sniffing

Question 5

What allows gustation?

Answer 5

Receptor cells called taste buds distributed over the tongue, epiglottis and soft palate

Question 6

Can dogs and cats taste sweetness?

Answer 6

• Dogs: Like it
• Cats: Can’t taste it

Question 7

Can dogs and cats taste salt?

Answer 7

• Dogs: Can taste it
• Cats: Less sensitive than dogs

Question 8

Can dogs and cats taste bitterness?

Answer 8

Both are very sensitive

Question 9

Can dogs and cats taste umami?

Answer 9

Both dogs and cats can taste

Question 10

Why are cats attracted to acid?

Answer 10

They can taste amino acids which would be in their meat

Question 11

What are the 3 main parts of the eye?

Answer 11

• Eyeball
• Extrinsic muscles
• Eyelids

Question 12

What are the 3 layers of the eyeball?

Answer 12

• Sclera and cornea
• Uvea
• Retina

Question 13

What is the sclera and cornea and what do they do?

Answer 13

• Sclera is the tough fibrous outer covering (white): Maintains the shape and protects inner structure
• Cornea is the transparent front part of the eye: Allows light through and focuses light onto the back of the eye

Question 14

What is the limbus?

Answer 14

The junction between the sclera and the cornea

Question 15

What is the tapetum lucidum of the posterior uvea and what does it do?

Answer 15

Specialised triangular area of choroid (pigment), which reflects light back to retina for low light levels (night vision)

Question 16

What is the ciliary body of the anterior uvea?

Answer 16

Ciliary muscle which is linked to the lens by suspensory ligaments, which controls thickness of lens and focuses the power of the lens

Question 17

What is a lens?

Answer 17

A biconvex transparent disc

Question 18

What is the iris of the anterior uvea and what does it do?

Answer 18

An area that contains pigments and smooth muscle fibres to constrict and dilate the pupil in response to light sensitivity

Question 19

What do pupils do?

Answer 19

Allow light to reach the lens

Question 20

What are rod cells of the retina?

Answer 20

• Cells that are very sensitive (single photon of light), which allows them to detect light and dark
• Many rod cells connect to one bipolar cell

Question 21

What are cone cells of the retina?

Answer 21

• Cells that are not sensitive to low light, which allows them to detect colour
• One cone cells is connected to one bipolar cell, which give a sharper image

Question 22

What percentage of cone and rod cells do dogs and cats have?

Answer 22

• 95% rods
• 5% cones

Question 23

What colours do dog cone cells respond to?

Answer 23

• Blue
• Greeny yellow

Question 24

What are the 3 chambers of the central cavity of the eye?

Answer 24

• Anterior chamber: contains aqueous humour
• Posterior chamber: contains aqueous humour
• Vitreous chamber: contains vitreous humour

Question 25

What is the conjunctivita of the eye?

Answer 25

- A thin layer protective epithelium made up of bulbar and palpebral - Bulbar conjunctivita covers sclera - Palpebral conunctivita covers inner eyelids

Question 26

What are the 3 parts of the ear?

Answer 26

- Outer - Middle - Inner

Question 27

What is the pinna of the outer ear and what does it do?

Answer 27

Elastic cartilage covered with skin, which funnels sound waves

Question 28

What is the ear canal?

Answer 28

- Cartilage lined with ceruminous glands and hairs - Ear canal ends at ear drum which is called the tympanic membrane

Question 29

What is the tympanic membrane of the middle ear?

Answer 29

The ear drum which vibrates with sound waves

Question 30

What are auditory ossicles and what do they do?

Answer 30

Small bones which transmit vibrations caused by sound waves from the outer ear to the inner ear

Question 31

What are the 3 parts of the inner ear?

Answer 31

- Cochlea - Vestibule - Semicircular canals

Question 32

What is the cochlea of the inner ear and what does it do?

Answer 32

- Snail shaped which contains the organ of corti, which detects sound

Question 33

What does the vestibule of the inner ear contain and what does it do?

Answer 33

- Contains a gravity sensitive organ which allows static balance

Question 34

What are semicircular canals and what do they do?

Answer 34

Three loops containing fluid, which detect movement in different directions for dynamic balance