Dog owners are being warned to look out for a particular sign that could indicate their pet is in serious danger.
Sutton, a concerned pet owner, took to TikTok to share her experience after her dog suffered a heart attack due to an unnoticed lack of oxygen.
She explained: “I learned about this the hard way last week when my dog went into cardiac arrest. It’s one small thing that you can easily check that I had never known after owning a dog for years, and owning dogs growing up.”
Sutton noticed her usually sassy dog was acting more irritated than usual, which she later realised was due to a lack of oxygen. She pointed out that unlike humans who turn blue when they lack oxygen, dogs have no exposed skin, making it harder to detect.
Sutton explained the key indicator to determine if your dog is suffering from oxygen deprivation is by examining their tongue. She detailed: “If a dog is losing oxygen or having low oxygen intake due to health issues, their tongue will turn darker purple or blue. This will appear very dark on the underside of the tongue, kind of like branching out from the middle.”
She added, “Top side of the tongue will turn dark as well. Any discolouration darker than their normal tongue colour is cause to investigate to be sure that they’re getting the oxygen they need or they’re getting medication that can open their airways.”
Recounting her own experience, Sutton revealed her dog’s tongue was “almost black”, but fortunately, her pet survived. She now knows how to easily monitor her dog’s oxygen levels and shared: “If your dog has breathing or heart issues that are ongoing, you can also use this as a metric to check them.”
An expert from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine corroborated, stating: “A dog with severe difficulty breathing may have a tongue that looks purple/blue instead of pink, showing that they are not getting enough oxygen.”
The expert also mentioned that cats with respiratory problems might exhibit similar symptoms or may simply sit quietly without obvious distress signals.
Have you noticed this? Comment below.
If you are concerned about your pet, visit your nearest vets or visit the RSPCA website.
