White Lines on my Samoyed's Tongue - is it dehydration?

Fazza: I've noticed that my Samoyed dog sometimes has a few white lines on its tongue.
They look like they're frothy. Why is this and what could be the cause? Could it be dehydration? He's still a very happy playful dog that is in good health otherwise.

Answers and Views:

Answer by zombiesiren
Yeah, it's just a bit of dehydration. it's like us getting dry/cotton mouth after a night of drinking!

Answer by Harrison
Not necessarily. For dehydration, the tongue should be all white. White lines can show some infection or other health problems.

Photo Credit: y_katsuuu/Flickr CC

Answer by James D.
If you think your dog is dehydrated, go to the vet immediately!  Dehydration occurs when the dog’s body water is less than normal. Usually it involves loss of both water and minerals such as sodium, chloride and potassium. Dehydration is caused by a lack of food or water or a water loss through illness. Dogs lose fluid through breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, evaporation. They refill fluid by drinking and eating moist foods.

First, carefully examine your dog. If you see that he’s visibly tired, appears more apprehensive, shows slowed pace, less animation, and signs of warmth; if his eyes appear sunken and lack moisture, and your dog has a dry mouth, gums, and nose – well, those can be the first signs of dehydration.

Don’t wait till you see the worse signs like your dog’s skin losing elasticity. To check that you should pinch a little of skin on your dog's back between your thumb and forefinger. When you release it, it should pop back into place immediately. When dehydration occurs, the skin moves back slowly, and in extreme cases, the skin doesn't pop back at all.

Other bad signs of dehydration become obvious when your dog’s rectal temperature remains more than 105° F, or if you notice the so-called delayed capillary refill time. To check that you should place your index finger firmly against the gums so that they appear white. Then remove your finger and see how quickly the blood returns to the gums. The time it takes for the gums of a dehydrated dog to return to their pink state will be slower than normal.

Dehydration is extremely dangerous! Certain measures are recommended to avoid it and maintain a constant fluid level in your dog.

- Leave a few bowls filled with water around the house, so that he gets enough to drink.
- If your dog didn’t drink for a long time, start re-hydration slowly by allowing him a few sips every few minutes. Overdrinking, in this case, can lead to vomiting and he may end up losing more fluids than he had.
- Don't let your dog drink excessive amounts of water after a hard exercise session. Wait a few minutes after your dog has exerted in heavy exercise, and then allow small amounts every few minutes.
- If your dog is showing some signs of dehydration, give him electrolyte mixed in water. While water helps in replenishing a lot of nutrients, electrolytes can do the job more quickly.
- Dogs who have gone a long time without water have a problem holding it down. So let him lick ice, he hydrates himself this way.

If your dog refuses to drink for an extended period of time, consult your vet immediately!

Answer by Angela
Wait till the white lines appear on your dog's tongue again and show him to the vet OR you can take a picture and ask the vet online.
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