Do dogs have night vision?
Yes, dogs see much better than humans in the dark. If during the day, dogs perceive colors and depth less well than us and have less visual acuity, they surpass our visual abilities when it comes to seeing in the dark.
Indeed, dogs have a few anatomical advantages over humans when it comes to seeing in the dark, including:
- The tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a kind of reflective mat located under the retina, responsible for reflecting light on the retina in low light.This anatomical peculiarity is present in most mammals and is the cause of a glowing eye effect in these animals at night.
- A rod-dominant retina.
Most mammals, and dogs are no exception, have a rod-dominant retina. This means that the majority of the photoreceptor cells in their retina are geared towards night vision rather than daytime.
- A bigger pupil
Dogs have much larger pupils than humans. The pupil controls the amount of light that enters the eye, either contracting or expanding. The larger the pupil, the more light can enter the eye, even in the dark.
Despite these advantages, dogs do not have the ability to see when it is completely dark.They will always need a bit of light to perceive their world when night has fallen. So don't hesitate to leave them a small night light on at night to make it easier for them to move around at night!
Do dogs see better than cats at night?
No, cats have better night vision than dogs.
Small cats are much more sensitive to the slightest ray of light and their tapetum lucidum reflects a much greater amount of light than that of dogs. Cats also have a vertical slit pupil which not only protects their retina in bright light, but also allows more light to enter the eye, even at night!