Have you ever wondered why after returning from a run you can squeeze your clothes from sweat, but your coat the four-legged buddy who ran nearby remains completely dry? Why don’t dogs sweat when they’re hot? Dogs sweat but completely different than people. Dogs sweat a little differently compared with people, sweat does not stand out through the surface of the skin, that is why they are more prone to overheating and development hyperthermia when body temperature rises.
Description of the sweat glands of dogs
Dogs have two types of sweat glands – some of which contribute to cooling the body; others not. Apocrine sweat gland is not takes part in lowering body temperature because it has another destination. This type of sweat glands is considered the main dogs. Each hair follicle has its apocrine gland, therefore your dog is practically covered by these beneficial sweat glands. The primary function of the apocrine glands is to release hormones that chemically signal the rest dogs, but do not contribute at all to the release of moisture, the removal of which помогает снизить температуру тела.
Пот, который выводится через апокриновыеgland, is oily, but odorless, but it is only up to as long as it doesn’t mix with resident skin bacteria, that smell sweat. Merocrine or ecreen sweat glands are the main type of sweat glands in humans. Dogs are also owners of this type of sweat glands, but they have located on the pads of the paws and possibly on the nose. Ecrine glands produce sweat, which mainly consists of sodium chloride and water. Those areas of the skin on which the hairline is almost absent, such as, for example, paw pads and nose, have the ability to remove moisture in the form of sweat through the merocrine glands, which are activated when the body heats up. It explains the fact that vets see wet footprints daily on their perfectly clean inspection tables.
Dogs sweat to cool
When sweat is released through the paws, it helps the dog a little cool off, but most effectively it comes out of her when she breathing heavily. People, to regulate body temperature, are sweating, as evaporation of water helps lower body temperature. Dogs do it’s different, because instead of sweat, their body is trying to evaporate water through saliva, so they use panting as a way cooling.
