Not only do they use their language to eat, drink and lick your face with it, but it is one of the most important organs which carries out multiple functions. 

“The tongue is an essential part of the mouth in a dog,” says Dr. Alexander Reiter, professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “The tongue is a muscle,” says Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a staff doctor at Animal Medical Center in New York City. “Like all muscles, it’s controlled by nerves. And in the case of the tongue, the nerves come straight off the brain to control the tongue.” 

So, here are some surprising facts about your dog’s tongue that will amaze you. Read on for more info! 

Dogs can have blue tongues

Well, even though it may sound crazy, this is actually true: dogs can have blue tongues. The reason why dogs have blue tongues is not yet scientifically known, but dogs with blue tongues come from breeds such as Chow Chows and Shar-Peis. In fact, they are genetically related. 

Unfortunately, it’s quite difficult for vets to consult dogs with blue tongues. Moreover, a blue tongue may indicate that they are not oxygenating well or it can be a sign of lung or heart disease. So, try to consult your vet for more info and a specialized check-up. 

“These animals are at a minor disadvantage in a veterinarian’s ability to assess health,” Hohenhaus says. “In a dog whose tongue is normally pink, a blue tongue tells us that they’re not oxygenating well.”

Their tongues are not as clean as you think

Many people let their dogs lick their own wounds because they think that a dog’s tongue has healing properties, but this is just a myth. If you are one of these people, don’t do this at all, as wounds can become infected and cause severe problems. Dogs can use their tongue to clean their body, but that’s all. 

Another myth is that dogs have cleaner mouths than humans, but they both contain hundreds of bacteria. “That is just this constant myth that people have,” Hohenhaus says. “Nobody would put bacteria on a wound. Why would you put a tongue, which has all these bacteria, on a wound? It doesn’t make sense.”

Dogs can groom themselves too

Did you know that dogs can groom themselves too? Not only cats can do that. But we have to admit that cats can do it better due to their tongues that are covered in papillae that feel like sandpaper.

Dogs can groom themselves to remove dirt or shed fur, but you have to brush them often to prevent mats. “A dog is at a disadvantage because it has a smooth tongue,” said Hohenhaus. 

Also, they can use their tongues to cool themselves when it’s too hot outside and this process is also known as thermoregulation. They will pant when it’s too hot to allow the air to circulate from their mouth to their upper respiratory tract.

Some dogs have tongues that are too big

Dogs can be born with overly large tongues, but these cases are quite rare. Also, this affection is called macroglossia. “There are some rare situations where puppies are born with tongues that are too large to do normal functions such as suckling at the teat,” Reiter says.

Boxers are more likely to have larger tongues, but they can live with this condition without having any problems. Anyway, your vet can surgically solve the problem and give you special treatments, but only if necessary.

Their tongues change the sound of barking

Well, a dog’s tongue influents the way they bark. This is normal and this phenomenon is also found in people because everyone has a different voice. “Any structure in the mouth will to some degree participate in creating voice and sound,” Reiter says. “Most definitely the tongue plays a role in how a bark will sound,” Reiter says, but “the actual bark is made by something different.”

Even though this phenomenon is also found in humans, things work differently because dogs’ tongues are larger and narrowed and it can influence the ‘shape’ of sounds. “A dog tongue is differently mobile in part because dogs don’t speak,” Hohenhaus says. “They don’t need to move their tongue around to [pronounce] the letter S or T.”

They have more taste buds than cats

Did you know that dogs have more taste buds than cats, but fewer than humans? Dogs can only taste foods that are bitter, salty, sweet and sour, but cats can’t taste sweetness. 

“But we also think that dogs choose their food more by smell than by taste,” Hohenhaus says. “Smell is more important, and dogs have an incredible sense of smell.”

They use their tongue to express emotion

Dogs use their tongues to show you affection and this is why they like to lick your face when you come back home. 

“Dogs use their tongues to lick other dogs’ faces during times of happiness and excitement,” Reiter adds.

Nevertheless, try to limit the moments when your dog can lick your face because their tongues contain certain bacteria that can affect your health or can trigger allergies. “There is some research that bacteria causing periodontal disease can transfer from dogs to humans,” Reiter says.

They drink water differently than cats

As you already know, dogs and cats use their tongues to drink water, but dogs use “a simple lapping process with the tongue curled slightly backward to form a ‘spoon’ that collects as much water as possible and quickly puts it back into their mouth,” Reiter says.

When drinking water, cats use their tip of the tongue and keep it curled backwards so that the top of the tongue touches the liquid first.