One of the most distinguishing traits about the Chow breed, besides their lion-like mane, is their blue/black tongue. The common belief is that if a mixed breed dog has black spots on his tongue, he must have some Chow in him. Another belief is that if your purebred dog has spots on his tongue you must have been misled about his heritage and he's not really a purebred. Neither statement is true because a spotted tongue is not a reliable way to determine a dog's heritage. So why do some dogs have black spots on their tongue, and is it something to be concerned about?
Melanin is commonly known as pigment. It's a substance that determines skin and hair color, the color of the iris of the eye, feathers on birds and scales on reptiles, as well as the skin and hair color of dogs and cats. In people, extra pigmentation in skin cells shows up as birthmarks or freckles on our skin. Our canine friends can also have freckles dotting their skin, and that includes on their tongue. Essentially, black spots on a dog's tongue are akin to freckles on humans.
The “points” of a dog's coloring refers to his nose, rims around the eyes, lips, paw pads and toenails. Breeds with darker lips and noses can also have dark pigmentation spots on their gums and tongue. These “freckles” will be present at birth or develop when a puppy is still very young, and are perfectly normal. While dark spots can appear in any dog breed, mixed or purebred, it's more common to find them on the tongues of breeds that have black points.
Spots on your dog's tongue could also be a sign that your pet has a medical issue. Normal blue/black spots have the same texture as the rest of a dog's tongue and will essentially stay the same size and shape throughout a dog's lifetime. Spots that are not a blue/black color, are raised, have a foul odor and are not the same texture as the tongue can indicate a health concern. Dark spots that suddenly appear on the tongue, gums, mouth or skin of older dogs could be a sign of canine melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma or oral cancer. Any new spots or an existing spot that has a change in texture, color, size or shape should always be checked by your vet. Dark colored spots that suddenly appear can also indicate other medical issues including lung or heart issues, kidney disease, niacin deficiency or oral ulcers.
Some dog breeds – 42 in all – are more likely to develop blue/black spots on their tongue than other breeds, but researchers aren't sure why. The most probably answer is genetics, and many of the breeds that can have tongue spots are from the Spitz family or have Spaniel or Pointer ancestors.
Besides the Chow Chow and Chinese Shar-Pei who both have blue/black tongues, dogs from the following breeds can have spotted tongues: Airedale, Akita, Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Belgian Malinois, Bichon Frise, Bouvier des Flandres, Bull Mastiff, Cairn Terrier, Collie, Cocker Spaniel, Dalmatian, Doberman Pinscher, English Setter, Eurasier, Fila Brasileiro, Flat Coated Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Gordon Setter, Great Pyrenees, Irish Setter, Kai Ken, Keeshond, Kerry Blue Terrier, Korean Jindo, Labrador Retriever, Mastiff, Mountain Cur, Newfoundland, Pomeranian, Pug, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Shiba Inu, Siberian Husky, Soft-Coated Wheaten, Tibetan Mastiff.
Spots on a dog's tongue that have been there since he was a puppy aren't anything to be concerned about. A good way to monitor any changes to spots on your dog's tongue or to check for new ones is with a regular brushing routine. Good dental care is very important for your pet's overall health, so grab some
CANIDAE treats and train him to accept having his teeth brushed daily. It's easier to find and treat any medical problem in the early stages. Never hesitate to have your vet examine suspicious spots or lumps on your pet's tongue, inside his mouth or on his body.
The distinctive trait of the Chow and Shar-Pei's blue/black tongue is shared with only a few other animals – polar bears, giraffes, and a few breeds of cattle. Scientists have no idea what the origin of a Chow's blue/black tongue is and can't explain why some animals have a dark tongue. What they do know is that black spots on a dog's tongue do not mean he isn't purebred, nor does it mean he must have some Chow in his DNA. What it does show is the individuality of your four legged friend, which sets him apart from every other canine.
