# Cold mouth/tongue?



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Part 2 of the random and nonsensical questions from me...

Sometimes in the morning or after a long nap, when Soro gets up to give me a kiss I notice his tongue and mouth are cold. Like, clammy cold. And his gums are slightly paler than normal. He acts completely fine, but it's like he died overnight and is in the process of reanimating or something! I get that body temperature drops at rest, but not to that degree and in the mouth, I'd imagine.
Is this normal?


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

The only dog I have experienced that in has a grade IV heart murmur. On one hand, I'm inclined to be concerned. On the other, I don't think that's something that can be missed on exam by any vet with ears.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Well that's not very encouraging! Though I am 99.999% sure that's not the case. It's been half a year since his checkup but every vet has always said he has a nice strong heartbeat.
Then again, not sure if this has been the norm for a long time because usually I don't ask for kisses from him and especially not in the morning. The clamminess always takes me by surprise. When I'm more awake and get kisses, like in the middle of the day, his mouth is always normal and warm so I never really noticed..


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Canyx said:


> Well that's not very encouraging! Though I am 99.999% sure that's not the case. It's been half a year since his checkup but every vet has always said he has a nice strong heartbeat.
> Then again, not sure if this has been the norm for a long time because usually I don't ask for kisses from him and especially not in the morning. The clamminess always takes me by surprise. When I'm more awake and get kisses, like in the middle of the day, his mouth is always normal and warm so I never really noticed..


I would be really surprised if he developed a heart issue in the past 18 months without other symptoms and without you noticing. Also, frankly, when Bug has that going on, it's because she'd been sleeping on her back, is anoxic from the heart AND face, and her COLOR is off. Really, really hard to miss. (We thought, originally, it was CHF - Nope, just positional autoasphixia. Better, though it scared the daylights out of me).

Maybe he's sleeping with his mouth open and/or getting extra drooly overnight/swallowing less? Either one of those things would make it feel cold, briefly.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

I've noticed the same thing in Bella....the insides of her ears are also more pale and colder when she first wakes up. Her heart and everything else is fine.

I figure it's - like you said - a lower body temp & blood-flow/circulation while at rest. Or they turn into vampires while they sleep...which is where "let sleeping dogs lie" comes from. =)


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Glad to hear Soro's not the only one, Bellapup!

And I think I've solved the mystery... This morning Soro was on his side and I stuck my finger in his mouth. Warm.
After breakfast, I check in and he's lying like this:








I stuck my finger in again and the incisor part of his gums were just starting to get cold. He's upside down on some mornings and I figure the blood just rushes out of his face briefly. So I think you're right, CptJack!

(OT: I always thought Soro's canines were a little larger, proportionally, compared to other dogs'. This picture doesn't help that theory, but I think I also haven't looked at enough canines of other dogs to make that call...)


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## Daenerys (Jul 30, 2011)

Haha, tha picture looks like he just collapsed after a heart attack!


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Daenerys said:


> Haha, tha picture looks like he just collapsed after a heart attack!


HA! I'll save this idea as an alternative theory!


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Canyx said:


> I always thought Soro's canines were a little larger, proportionally, compared to other dogs'. This picture doesn't help that theory, but I think I also haven't looked at enough canines of other dogs to make that call...


Re: Bellapup:"Or they turn into vampires while they sleep..."

Labs don't turn into vampires, it's an early puppy stage ... if you're lucky, they grow out of it. By the avatar picture, looks like Soro may not have been so lucky


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

HA! That picture was taken when the sunlight hit him. He is actually writhing in pain.


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