Animals get 'emotional fever' like humans

In search of ponies

link Sharna Johnson

It’s hard to imagine how cold could signify anything but discomfort.

Sure, there are those among us who are happiest when temperatures are cool — those folks who can’t stand it when the heat is on and turn on the air conditioning in winter — but as a general rule, being nice and toasty is the ideal.

In the summer when outdoor temperatures spike, the script gets flipped a bit and all of a sudden the thought of diving into cool water doesn’t seem so bad, but in the end, it all comes down to the same thing — avoiding the extremes and enjoying a nice, moderate and cozy temperature.

While maintaining at a comfy temperature is important to all critters, body temperature itself can be a tricky beast with a mind of its own and there are times when the body breaks routine and starts playing with the thermostat of its own accord.

It doesn’t matter what season it is, if a creature has an infection or is being ravaged by a virus the body kicks things up and starts fighting the problem. At the same time, the body temperature rises and sometimes even climbs to levels that are dangerous to internal organs.

However, for numerous mammals, illness and infection aren’t the only things to trigger temperature reaction by the body.

Known as “emotional fever,” several species, including humans, are known to experience a core temperature spike when an extreme emotional event or state takes place.

In particular, emotions that throw the body into “fight or flight” mode are known to trigger a chain reaction — resources are consolidated in the core regions of the body, muscles tighten and coil in preparation, and there is a rise in temperature as the body works to protect itself from the perceived threat.

On the flip side, as the core temperature rises and the body’s resources centralize, the temperatures in the extremities drops. Noses, ears, fingers, hands (or paws) all cool as the body works against the threat.

Scientists have studied the process of emotional fever in a variety of mammals and found that though the temperature change is not usually as extreme as physical response to a viral attack, the mechanics of emotional fever are quite similar.

Until recently, however, research has focused on emotional fever caused by negative events, but it turns out, the body may just respond to positive emotions in much the same way, according to a study published in November by a British research foundation whose work is aimed at animal advocacy.

The group evaluated 13 dairy cows over a period of months by stroking them in a way comparable to the method cows use to groom one another during 350, 15-minute sessions. During the sessions, researchers measured the cows’ nasal temperatures.

What they found was that consistently, when the cows relaxed and began to enjoy being stroked, their nasal temperature dropped significantly — proof that positive emotions cause a measurable reaction by the body that shares similarities to the reaction caused by negative emotions.

Touting the findings as physiological validity of emotion in cattle, the researchers hope the findings may also provide another tool by which humans can gain insight into the emotional state of animals in their care.

While the initial conclusions will have to hold up to future research, the next time your critter touches you with a cold nose, it may either be a sign you’ve done something very right, or, perhaps, that you need to stop what you’re doing and scratch behind those ears for a couple of minutes.

Sharna Johnson is a writer who is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at: [email protected]