What's going on with a dog's spotted tongue?

A dog's spotted tongue is usually caused by genetic reasons, which is a normal situation. If genetic factors are ruled out, it could also be due to the heavy food pigment content that the dog eats, causing pigment deposition in the dog's tongue, hence the spotted tongue. In addition, if the dog shows symptoms such as loss of appetite and lethargy besides the spotted tongue, it's possible that the dog is sick and needs to be checked and treated at a pet hospital promptly.

Genetic reasons

If a dog is born with a spotted tongue, it's more likely caused by genetic factors. For example, if either or both of the dog's parents have a spotted tongue, the dog will likely have a spotted tongue too. This is a normal situation and the owner doesn't need to worry too much.

Heavy food pigment content

If the food a dog eats contains a heavy amount of pigment, such as preserved meats, long-term consumption can lead to pigment deposition in the dog's tongue, turning it into a spotted tongue. Therefore, it's recommended that owners feed their dogs in a reasonable and scientific way, and avoid giving them human food or high-salt diets, which can easily lead to abnormal hair loss or even obesity in dogs.

Sickness

If a dog has other abnormal symptoms besides a spotted tongue, such as loss of appetite or lethargy, it indicates that the dog might be sick. In this case, it's necessary to take the dog to a pet hospital as soon as possible for inspection, and then treat it according to the examination results to avoid missing the best treatment time.