A dog owner has shared a ‘small’ sign that could save your pet’s life after she noticed her pooch was acting different to usual – and it turned out to be a sign of something much more serious
A pet owner’s intuition can be a powerful thing, and for dog lover Sutton, it may have just saved her furry friend’s life.
Recently taking to TikTok, Sutton shared a crucial warning with fellow dog owners after her own pup suffered a harrowing heart attack. When her usually lively dog began displaying a “grumpier” demeanour than usual, Sutton’s worry radar went off – and for good reason. She stressed: “If you have a dog, this info could save their life,” recalling the traumatic experience.
Sutton explained how she learned a vital lesson. She said: “I learned about this the hard way last week when my dog went into cardiac arrest. It’s one small thing that you can easily check that I had never known after owning a dog for years, and owning dogs growing up.”
When her dog went into cardiac arrest, highlighting one crucial sign she’d never known about in years of dog ownership. She credited her dog’s survival to her own vigilance, saying: “I have a sassy little dog who was acting more irritated. She was not getting grumpier, she wasn’t getting oxygen.”
Sutton wisely noted that, unlike humans, dogs don’t have exposed skin to turn blue when oxygen levels drop – making it that much more important for owners to stay alert.
By sharing her story, Sutton hopes to empower fellow dog owners and prevent them from being left in the dark when it comes to their pets’ health. Sutton has shared a crucial tip for dog owners to spot if their furry friend is struggling for breath, advising them to give their pooch’s tongue a once over.
She warned: “If a dog is losing oxygen or having low oxygen intake due to health issues, their tongue will turn darker purple or blue. This will appear very dark on the underside of the tongue, kind of like branching out from the middle.”
She went on to explain: “Top side of the tongue will turn dark as well. Any discolouration darker than their normal tongue colour is cause to investigate to be sure that they’re getting the oxygen they need or they’re getting medication that can open their airways.”
Recounting her own pup’s scare, Sutton revealed her dog’s tongue was “almost black” but fortunately, her four-legged pal pulled through, and now she knows exactly what to look out for in terms of oxygen levels. She summed up: “If your dog has breathing or heart issues that are ongoing, you can also use this as a metric to check them.”
Experts from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine have backed this advice, saying: “A dog with severe difficulty breathing may have a tongue that looks purple/blue instead of pink, showing that they are not getting enough oxygen.”
Likewise, it’s been observed that cats with breathing issues might also demonstrate similar signs, or could just sit quietly without any fuss.
If you think your dog is in cardiac arrest, don’t delay – get your dog to the vet as soon as possible.