The tongue of a dog plays a vital role in their interaction with the environment.
You probably didn’t know these interesting facts about the tongues of dogs.
Instead of sweating, dogs pant instead.
The same as human beings, dogs do not sweat the way humans do. Merocrine glands are only found on the paw pads of dogs and their noses. Apocrine glands can be found all over the body of dogs. This is how humans sweat. However, in dogs these glands are used to release scent pheromones and not sweat.
Dogs pant to stay cool instead of perspiring. Air moves quickly over the tongue, mouth, and lungs of dogs when they pant. This allows moisture to evaporate and helps them cool down. The process of thermoregulation is crucial when dogs get hot.
You should take your dog to a cool place and provide them with plenty of water if you see them panting excessively. This will help prevent heatstroke.
The smell is what dogs use to determine if something they are interested in eating.
Dogs have fewer Taste Buds, but more than cats. Around 1,700 are all they have, or about a sixth of the taste buds humans possess (approximately 10, 000! ).
Dogs can also taste salty, bitter, sweet and sour. However, because they have fewer taste buds than humans, they rely more on their senses of smell to decide what they want to eat or lick. It is possible for dogs to enjoy licking our face, our ears, our feet, and our hands because they have strong smells and tastes.
The tongue of a dog is normally warm.
The normal temperature of a dog is between 101.0 and 102.5degF (38.1 to 39.2degC).
It is possible that your canine has a high body temperature. However, this may not be an accurate measurement. It is not safe or easy to take a dog’s temperature with the mouth. Rectal thermometers are the most reliable way to measure a dog’s temperature.
The evaporation from their surface may cause their tongue to feel cold if your dog is panting or eating snow (or ice). When they stop panting, the temperature should return quickly to normal.
Some dogs do not have pink tongues.
Most of us imagine that a panting, happy dog has a pink tongue hanging out the side. Most dogs have a pink tongue that is moist to slobbery. However, two Chinese dog breeds, Chow Chows, and Shar Peis, are born with blue or black tongues. Some mixes of these breeds can also display blue-black or blue-black colored spots on the tongue.
A sudden change in the color of your dog’s lips could indicate an emergency.
- If your tongue is dark purple or blue, it could indicate heatstroke, toxicity, heart or lung disease or an electrical shock.
- The tongue can be pale pink to white if it is affected by an immune-mediated disease or bleeding internally.
Call your vet immediately if you see any changes to your dog’s mouth.
Dogs are calmed by licking objects.
Licking a dog releases endorphins into its brain, according to studies. Neurotransmitters called endorphins calm and relax dogs. Licking can become an issue. Talk to your vet if your dog is licking you excessively or themselves during stressful times.
The mouths of dogs are no cleaner than those of humans.
In contrast to what is commonly believed, the mouth of a dog will not be but rather than that of a person. Both dogs and people have more than 600 different species of bacteria living in their mouths.
While we have the same bacteria, some bacteria are unique to our dogs’ mouths, and others are not. The bacteria that is in the mouth of your dog will not make you sick. You won’t get a cold by “kissing your dog”, but some can.
The saliva of a dog won’t “heal” any wounds.
A second myth is that the saliva of a dog can heal wounds. Some ancient Greeks and Egyptians believed that canine saliva had healing properties. Licking can help remove dirt from an open wound and reduce the risk of infection. However, over-licking the area can cause skin damage, which can lead to hot spots.
The ancients were not entirely wrong. There are proteins called statins in both human and dog saliva that prevent infection. Dog saliva contains bacteria that are normally found in the mouth of dogs but may cause infections on human skin.
Instead of letting your pet take care of your wounds and infections, you should stick with more traditional methods, like washing your wounds in soap and water and speaking to your doctor about possible infections.
It’s possible that you are allergic to the saliva of a dog instead of its dander.
While it’s difficult to imagine life without dogs as a companion, 5-10% can’t because of allergies. It is commonly believed that dog allergies are only caused by the skin dander of dogs, but a small percentage of people are sensitive to saliva.
You may want to ask your dermatologist if the allergy you have to dogs is due to dander, saliva or both. If you can avoid the tongue, then it’s possible to adopt a puppy.
Cats have a rougher tongue than dogs.
You’ll know if you have ever had your tongue licked or rubbed by a feline that the sandpapery texture is different from what you would feel with a canine. Did you know the differences between canine and cat tongues are likely due to their ancestral origins?
The backward-facing, firm barbs that cats have on their tongues are called filiform papillae. The barbs on the tongue act as a brush for cats when they groom themselves. Wildcats are usually solitary hunters, however, many of the smaller wildcat species, such as our domesticated cats, can be prey to larger predators. It is important that they keep their fur well-groomed to minimize the odor of predators.
Wild dogs, or domesticated dogs who live in a stray state, hunt in groups and almost always take the lead in the food chain. It is therefore less necessary to groom and reduce scent, as a smoother tongue will do.
The tongues of some dogs are far too long.
A large tongue is called Macroglossia. This is a very rare medical condition. The true macroglossia can be seen when the puppy’s tongue becomes too big to nurse properly.
Some dogs, such as Boxers and Pugs (short-faced dog breeds), have tongues too long to fit in their mouths. This means that a part of the tongue is always hanging out.
They may also have difficulty with eating, and make a mess in the water dish. When playing with toys, or snapping at treats, they may bite their tongues. If your dog is born with an extra-long tongue, it’s unlikely to cause medical problems. However, you should keep a watchful eye out for any accidental injuries or trauma.
The tongue of a dog helps it communicate with its world and to interact.
Early in their lives, dogs learn that the tongue is a useful tool for communicating with others and interacting in general. As soon as the pups are born, mother dogs will lick them to stimulate and clean them. In the early weeks of their life, mother dogs will also lick puppies to encourage them to defecate and urinate.
Wild dogs lick the elders of their pack to show submissiveness. They also do this to encourage the regurgitation food the hunters ate. The pups lick each other to express affection, but also comfort them and their littermates.
The tongue and licking of dogs can be used for a number of reasons, including to improve their senses, communicate anxiety, or soothe a stomach upset.
The way they use their tongues is similar to the way you would use your hand–to discover what’s around them. This may include licking the ground, people or the air. Air-licking is not alarming if it occurs only occasionally and lasts a short time. However, you need to be aware of any increases in frequency or duration.
When your dog drinks, they will spill water.
You may be able to observe that if you live with cats and dogs, cats are more careful with their water consumption, while dogs tend to splatter water on the ground when they quench their thirst. Why are cats neat and dogs messy?
How dogs curl their lips when drinking is the answer. The answer is in how dogs curl their tongues when they drink. Cats move their tongues fast (up to 4 laps per sec), while dogs use their tip to curl backward to scoop the water into their mouths. The bigger the spoon and bigger the mess, the larger the tongue!