Why do dogs pant?
Dogs do not sweat the way we humans do. To deal with the heat, humans make use of a very important method - sweating. Excess heat is dispersed from the body when the moisture produced when we sweat evaporates on the surface of the skin. This is not so with our furry friends. There is a notion that dogs do not sweat. It is believed that it is impossible for dogs to sweat through their furs. Even people that have kept dogs for years may not have the opportunity to see the pet sweat. Dogs have very few sweat glands and these sweat glands are mostly located at the pads on their feet. This means that dogs can sweat. Dog paws wet with sweat can be seen marking pavements on hot days.
How do dogs manage the heat? Dogs bark and dogs pant. Panting is the dog's unique cooling system that prevents the brain from overheating and effecting the circulation of cooler blood to all parts of the body. A dog that pants needs very little energy. When the dog lolls the tongue, the cooling system switch will be turned on and excess body heat will be gone. This makes the tongue a very important part in the dog's one of a kind cooling system.
The dog's few sweat glands are ineffective in cooling the body especially if the dog is walking or running on hot pavement. Regulating body temperature can only be done efficiently through the use of the tongue. The evaporation of moisture on the surface of the tongue is enhanced when the dog lolls the tongue. The tongue, the mouth and consequently the blood vessels on the head are cooled when the dogs pants. The blood made colder by panting is now circulated throughout the dog's body the dissipating the heat and maintaining the normal body temperature.
Dog panting can have other causes. Dogs commonly pant when the weather is hot. Dogs loll out their tongues when excited, when stressed or after a strenuous exercise. Because of their physical structure, short faced dogs have the tendency to pant excessively. Seizures, heart and lung diseases are other reasons why a dog would pant.
Although panting is a normal behavior, an owner still needs to be observant. Panting is one of the symptoms of heatstroke. Dogs cannot cope well with high temperatures. Left inside a car, a dog would pant heavily further heating up the confined space. Heatstroke is one of the common causes of canine deaths.
How do dogs manage the heat? Dogs bark and dogs pant. Panting is the dog's unique cooling system that prevents the brain from overheating and effecting the circulation of cooler blood to all parts of the body. A dog that pants needs very little energy. When the dog lolls the tongue, the cooling system switch will be turned on and excess body heat will be gone. This makes the tongue a very important part in the dog's one of a kind cooling system.
The dog's few sweat glands are ineffective in cooling the body especially if the dog is walking or running on hot pavement. Regulating body temperature can only be done efficiently through the use of the tongue. The evaporation of moisture on the surface of the tongue is enhanced when the dog lolls the tongue. The tongue, the mouth and consequently the blood vessels on the head are cooled when the dogs pants. The blood made colder by panting is now circulated throughout the dog's body the dissipating the heat and maintaining the normal body temperature.
Dog panting can have other causes. Dogs commonly pant when the weather is hot. Dogs loll out their tongues when excited, when stressed or after a strenuous exercise. Because of their physical structure, short faced dogs have the tendency to pant excessively. Seizures, heart and lung diseases are other reasons why a dog would pant.
Although panting is a normal behavior, an owner still needs to be observant. Panting is one of the symptoms of heatstroke. Dogs cannot cope well with high temperatures. Left inside a car, a dog would pant heavily further heating up the confined space. Heatstroke is one of the common causes of canine deaths.
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