Why Do Dogs Pant?
Dogs sweat but not like the way we do. Humans very important mechanism to beat the heat is to sweat. Excess heat is dispersed from the body when the moisture produced when we sweat evaporates on the surface of the skin. This is not possible with our canine friends. There is a misconception that dogs do not have the capability to produce sweat. It is commonly believed that because of the fur, dogs cannot sweat. It is highly possible that even people that have had dogs for years have not seen one sweating. Dogs have sweat glands but they are very few and mostly found on the paw pads. This means that dogs can sweat. Dog paws wet with sweat can be seen marking pavements on hot days.
What methods does a dog have to combat the heat? Dogs bark and dogs pant. Dogs uses panting as a one of a kind cooling system that ensures the circulation of cooler blood to all parts of the body to regulate temperature. Not much energy is needed by a dog to pant. When the dog lolls the tongue, the cooling system switch will be turned on and excess body heat will be gone. A dog’s tongue is one important tool in regulating body temperature.
Because of the location of the very few sweat glands, a dog cannot cool the body if it is running on hot pavement. Regulating body temperature can only be done efficiently through the use of the tongue. By hanging out the tongue, the dog boosts the evaporation of moisture from the tongue’s surface. Air that cools the mouth and the blood vessels on the head is created when the dog pants. Once blood is cooled by the dog’s panting the normal level of body temperature will be attained.
Dogs pant for other reasons. Dogs commonly pant when the weather is hot. Dogs loll out their tongues when excited, when stressed or after a strenuous exercise. The physical structures of short faced dogs requires them to pant excessively. Medical concerns like seizures, lung and heart disease would cause a dog to pant.
Dogs normally pant but pet owners have to be watchful. Heavy panting can be a manifestation of heatstroke. Dogs are severely affected by 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.
Dogs are interesting animals. Learn more about why do dogs pant and read more about heatstroke symptoms, prevention and treatment at Sarah’s Dogs.
