Ask A Scientist© Veterinary Topics Archive

name         Laarni
status       student
age          18

Question -   Can you please explain how panting helps regulate a dog's
body temperature.


Dogs don't sweat and even if they did, they are covered with fur so the fur
would insulate them and keep the heat in. So they pant to get rid of excess
heat from their bodies. The heat turns the water in their mouths into water
vapor. In other words, the heat is used for a different purpose; instead of
heating the dog's body, it is used to evaporate the water from the dog's
mouth.


Van Hoeck
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Evaporation of water from the tongue and interior of the mouth...evaporation
is a cooling process...Dogs also sweat from the foot pads...(8

pf
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