A low dose of dexmedetomidine reduces behavioral activity and visual attention to aggressive faces in dogs.

Low-dose dexmedetomidine selectively reduces dogs' sustained attention to threatening faces, supporting its anxiolytic use.

This randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study investigated the effects of a low intramuscular dose of dexmedetomidine (2.5 μg/kg) on cognitive and attentional processes in dogs, specifically their gaze behavior when viewing emotional facial expressions of conspecifics. Eight dogs received both dexmedetomidine and saline placebo in randomized order, with eye movements recorded via an eye-tracking system while dogs viewed neutral and aggressive dog face images. Behavioral scoring assessed motivation, sedation level, and activity. Dogs remained ambulatory without visible ataxia following both treatments. Dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the number and duration of fixations on aggressive dog faces compared to placebo, and dogs gazed less at the ears of aggressive faces relative to neutral faces compared with placebo. Activity scores were significantly lower following dexmedetomidine, while motivation and sedation sub-scores did not differ significantly between treatments. Importantly, core face-scanning strategies and overall cognitive engagement appeared preserved, suggesting that the drug selectively attenuated sustained attention to socially threatening stimuli rather than causing generalized cognitive suppression. These findings provide objective, quantifiable support for dexmedetomidine's anxiolytic properties at low doses and suggest that eye-tracking technology may serve as a sensitive, non-invasive tool for evaluating pharmacological effects on socio-emotional attention in dogs. The results have practical relevance for clinical use of low-dose dexmedetomidine in fear- and anxiety-related behavioral management in canine patients.

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