Amazing Facts about Dog Saliva
Dogs respirate more through their tongues by secreting saliva. When a dog has been in a vigorous activity such as running and playing around, it tends to salivate a lot. Most people don’t know much about dog saliva. They think it’s similar to human saliva but it’s different in so many ways. In this article, I will shed light on the different functions of dog saliva that perhaps you didn’t know.
Dog Saliva Fights Against Cavities in the Teeth
Dog saliva is more alkaline than human saliva. It actually has a PH value of between 7 and 8. A human being can get cavities after a few weeks of not brushing his teeth. Cavities in dog teeth can take longer to show up. This is because dog’s saliva helps in neutralizing the acidity in its mouth. The source of this acidity is the bacteria that normally build up in the mouth when the teeth have been neglected for long.
Dog Saliva is a Lubricant
In humans, saliva helps in breaking down the food right from ingestion. In dogs, the saliva serves a completely different purpose. The saliva in dogs is used to offer lubrication to the food that’s being swallowed through the throat. If saliva was not there, the dog would have a hard time swallowing food. This is because there would be a lot of friction in the throat.
Dog Saliva Contains Antibacterial Enzymes
The saliva of a dog is armed with antibacterial enzymes and the dogs seem to be aware of this fact. That’s why it’s common to see a dog licking its own wounds. When a dog does this, it’s simply nursing the wound because the active enzymes in the saliva will help in killing almost all the bacteria. But there is no guarantee that saliva can remedy all external injuries. If your dog has a wound, you should have it treated at the hospital.
