From What Parts of Its Body Does a Dog Perspire?
Dogs do not possess sweat glands in the skin, like humans and horses do. But they do have sweat glands in the pads of their paws. But this is a very inefficient place to have sweat glands. In order to bring down their body temperature, dogs must pant and find cool places to lie in.
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Panting
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When a person sweats, moisture on the skin catches even the slightest breeze and helps make the person feel cooler. A healthy dog's mouth is always moist, so by opening it and panting, it can catch the slightest of breezes to help cool the dog's body.
Dilation
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While panting occurs, a dog's blood vessels in the ears and face dilate. This helps to get rid of heat around the brain but may not be enough to save a dog from heat stroke.
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Alternatives
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If panting is not enough, the dog will try to move to a cool place. If outside, the dog will often dig or scrape away the top layer of dirt to get to cooler dirt and lay down in it.
Significance
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A dog can only cool down slowly because they have very small sweat glands. This means that dogs can easily die of heat, whether through being left in a parked car on a sunny day or through too much exercise.
Symptoms
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According to "The Veterinarian's Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms" symptoms of heat stroke include problems breathing, have bright red gums, dizziness and collapse.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Wikimedia Commons
