Why is Your Dog’s Tongue Out While Sleeping?

Written By Alla Levin
January 08, 2021

Why is Your Dog Sticking Tongue Out While Sleeping

It’s not unusual for dogs to stick their tongue out; the sight of your cute furry friend snoozing with its tongue out can make your day. It turns out; this behavior has a name, blepping. But knowing the underlying reason for having your dog with tongue out while sleeping can help you provide the much-needed comfort it might require if it’s in pain.  Here are some of the top explanations you can check before consulting a veterinary doctor.

Deep Relaxation

Typically, a healthy dog is quite active all through the day. You can consider sticking out its tongue while in sleep as a sign of more profound relaxation after a long, hard day.

Sometimes, your pooch might go through a long day of physical activity; even a car ride counts as a tiring experience, interfering with its sleep routine. When the fatigue accumulates, your dog might need more than the usual relaxation. And so, it might put its tongue out when it gets a chance to sleep.

A dog sticking tongue out while sleeping: pantingdog sticking tongue out while sleeping

Dogs often pant to cool themselves while playing, running or when it’s scorching, as they can’t sweat through their skin.

However, experts observe that dogs also pant when they experience something stressful. You will usually notice other anxiety-related mannerisms accompanying this behavior, like repeated whining, shaking, and licking lips. So, unless your pet pal doesn’t show any symptoms of being in any stress, you need not worry if you find it sticking its tongue out while sleeping.

Breathing Through Mouth

Dogs are capable of breathing through their nose and mouth, both at the same time. But a dog with a tongue out while sleeping can draw in deeper breaths through its mouth. If your pup is healthy with no signs of pain, you need not worry if it does mouth breathing. It’s an assurance that your pet pal is enjoying a peaceful nap.

Hanging Tongue Syndrome

It is a medical condition that forces a dog to stick out its tongue all the time due to an injury, disease, or congenital effect.  But not all dogs sticking their tongues out during sleep suffer from this condition. Check for other signs like bad breath, thickening, tongue drying, swelling, and bleeding. When your pooch shows these additional symptoms, you can take it to a pet clinic to confirm if it has developed the Hanging Tongue Syndrome.

Heatstroke or Poisoning

When the temperatures hit the roof, your dog could suffer from a heat stroke leading to breathing trouble and seizures. Such episodes can put your furry friend into distress, causing it to stick its tongue out.

Even poisoning can make your dog show similar behavior, but it will also exhibit other expected signs, such as diarrhea and vomiting.  If your dog has experienced such episodes and sticking its tongue out, you need to get your pet tested for severe medical conditions.

At most times, if you find your dog with its tongue out during napping, it’s the best way it can cool its body temperature during hot days. However, consult a top dog expert if your furry pal is not physically active yet sticks it’s tongue out while sleeping. According to their recommendations, visit a doctor near you to ensure your pet is in the pink of health.

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