Thanks to a novel technology developed by the Russian Institute for Scientific Research of Occupational Medicine, dogs will be able to breathe up to 500 meters under water. Funded by the Foundation for Future Research, this invention aims to get canines to help rescue submarine crew missions.
This technology enables liquid respiration that makes it easy to fill the lungs with a special liquid rich in dissolved oxygen that penetrates the blood. Thus, this liquid supplies the body with oxygen and facilitates divers a rapid ascent to the surface, thereby avoiding air embolism. Thanks to this, dogs can stay underwater for half an hour at a depth of up to 500 meters.
Igor Cherniak, one of the promoters of the project, has stated that the team of scientists could see during the investigations how a dachshund lasts up to 15 minutes under water. “Apparently, the dog's lungs were filled with a liquid rich in oxygen, which allowed him to breathe underwater. When they took him out, he was a bit languid due to hypothermia but after a few minutes he made a full recovery, "he explains. According to him, all the animals subjected to these experiments are in good condition.
Decades ago this technology was investigated in rats and other animals, although it was not tested in dogs until recently. However, its development is still in an early phase, as stated by Vitali Davidov, deputy director general of the Foundation for Future Research, with words such as "you have to choose the components of the liquid, conclude how to introduce and extract it from the body and ensure the exit of carbon dioxide."
This controversial experiment is primarily aimed at increasing the participation of dogs in rescue missions, although pilots and astronauts They could also make use of this technology.