Did You Know That Dogs Sweat Through Their Paws?
Dogs are extremely active and energetic animals. They do not perspire like humans through their skin but through their paws. Many claim that dogs sweat through their tongue and even through their nose. But what is the truth in this belief?
Next we will tell you the whole truth about how dogs perspire.
For humans , perspiration is the main way of exchanging energy with the environment, cooling the body temperature and eliminating toxins from the body. This is possible thanks to the composition of the skin. Humans have sweat glands for the manufacture of sweat and elimination of toxins through the pores of the epidermis. In the case of dogs, perspiration does not take place through the skin, although they do have sweat glands.
It is important to clarify that it is a myth that dogs do not perspire. Like us, they also need to balance their body temperature, eliminate toxins and exchange energy with the environment. As they do not perspire like a human being, various myths arise about it but all of them are false.
Why don’t dogs sweat like humans?
A healthy human being is able to easily regulate his body temperature and rapidly cool his body. This is due to the efficiency with which the sweat glands are activated to release sweat. These glands that make up the structure of human skin are specialized in releasing water vapor through the pores.
However, their body’s cooling system is more complex and even changes fluids more constantly with the environment than that of humans.
Dogs do not have sweat glands throughout their body precisely to ensure proper cooling of the body. If a dog were to sweat all over his body, this substance combined with excess hair would give rise to a kind of greasy layer. This would prevent the exchange of fluids with the environment and make heat dissipation difficult.
That is why dogs concentrate the set of glands that are capable of eliminating water vapor and dissipating heat. And they have them on their paws, on their tongue, and through gasping-type breathing.
Fats on your pads
The pads have a thick layer of fat that serves to cushion impacts and foot pressure. Also to insulate thermally and to eliminate water vapor. The glands capable of expelling water vapor are concentrated there. This mechanism is the closest thing to human sweat, although it is not exactly the same.
That basically explains that on hot days the pads of dogs are usually wet. And why should you avoid taking the dog for a walk on surfaces with excessively high temperatures, such as asphalt. This could cause burns, scratches and damage to the legs of the animal.
Another thermoregulatory maneuver for dogs is gasping for breath. The salivary glands eliminate water vapor and allow the body to cool.
If you have a potentially dangerous dog and use a muzzle on walks and socializing, you should opt for the basket or basket type muzzle. This muzzle does not interfere with the dog’s panting breathing.
So is it true that dogs sweat from their paws?
The answer is yes and no. It depends on the degree of demand that is imposed on it, physically speaking.
As we have seen, canine pads do have glands similar to sweat glands. Although they do not produce sweat exactly the same as that of human beings. This action, combined with the tongue and panting breath, allows the body to cool down and change fluids with the environment. So, it is true that the closest mechanism of perspiration for dogs occurs through the legs.
But dogs are not capable of producing sweat like humans. What they do is eliminate water vapor through their paws, tongue and gasping breath. These mechanisms perform in the body of dogs what the sweat glands mostly do in the human body.
Regardless of controversies over whether dogs sweat through their paws or not, taking good care of canine pads is important. These perform essential functions for the balance of your body. For this reason, a reinforced care and abundant hydration are necessary on the hottest days of the year.
