Whether licking the last bite from their plate, breathing heavily after a round of fetch or withering you with cuddles, a pup’s tongue plays a vital role in how they behave with their surroundings. Dog medical aid for pets covers a canine fur baby’s unplanned dental bills. Consider buying pet insurance, including dental coverage, so dealing with unexpected oral and dental issues need not be financially cumbersome.
Here are some intriguing facts that you didn’t know about pup tongues.
Instead of sweating, dogs breathe heavily to cool down.
Like humans, canines don’t sweat. They have a merocrine gland, also called a sweat gland on their paw and noses. Dogs usually breathe heavily which is also called panting to cool down rather than sweating. When canines pant, air moves over their tongue and from their mouth and lungs, creating moisture to evaporate and then cool down. This is called thermoregulation and is necessary when a pup gets hot.
If you see your dog panting more than usual on a hot or warm day, move them into a more relaxed place and provide them enough water to escape a heatstroke.
Dogs depend on smell rather than taste to decide whether to eat.
Canines have more taste buds than felines, they have less than humans. They just have about 1,700 taste buds, which is one-sixth of what humans do. As humans dogs can also feel various tastes like salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter, but as they lack enough taste buds they depend on their sense of smell rather than their sense of taste. Through their sense of smell they decide what to eat or lick.
Canines usually have warm tongues
The average temperature of a canine’s body is 101.0 to 102.5°F, that is why a pup’s tongue feels so warm when it licks you. You can check your canine’s temperature through its tongue as a measuring aid, but do not completely rely on it. It is advised not to depend on pups tongue for its temperature measurement. A rectal thermometer is a correct way to measure a dog’s body temperature.
All dogs don’t have pink tongues
While most of us think about a healthy and happy dog we picturise a pink tongue wagging out of its mouth. A pink, moist-to-drooling tongue is healthy for most dogs, but two canine breeds of Chinese origin, Shar-Peis and Chow Chows, have blue-black or blue tongues.
- If your dog’s tongue is generally pink, a sudden change in color may be an indication for a vet visit.
- Purple, a red or blue-dyed tongue, could indicate toxin exposure, heatstroke, heart or lung disease, or electrical shock.
- A pale ranging from pinkish to white tongue could signify severe anemia due to internal bleeding or immune-related disease
Call your veterinarian immediately if you see these developments in your dog’s tongue.
Dogs usually calm when they lick things
Studies have stated that endorphins are released in a canine’s brain through licking.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters by which dogs feel calmer. But licking sometimes is problematic. If your dog licks themself or you excessively, especially during stress, talk to your veterinarian about potential anxiety diagnosis in your pup.
Canine’s mouths are not cleaner than humans.
Contrary to general belief, a dog’s mouth is not as clear as humans. People have researched and found that humans have over six hundred species of bacteria in their mouths.
Most bacteria in your puppy’s mouth will not cause you to get sick (you won’t catch cold from “kissing” your dog), but there are a few exceptions, so stay safe and let your puppy kiss you on the cheek instead!
Dog medical aids help provide your fur baby with quality medical care with little economic stress. Consider purchasing pet insurance that covers dental issues, so dealing with potentially heavy vet bills in times of oral or dental concerns is easier.
