If you ever watch your dog’s mouth closed, you may have wondered about why do dogs have ridges on their lips. If you have witnessed their kisses, you also have thought why do dogs have bumps on their lips, and why are they are rough. God has designed every animal in its unique way to survive on the earth, and so are the dogs.
The lips of the dog are demarcated into lower and upper lips, and they are so designed that they can pluck things through it. By seeing this owner may also confuse whether dogs have got lips or just black color is surrounding their mouth. This article will provide you with such useful facts regarding why are dog lips serrated in detail.
The Anatomy of Dog Lips:
Before knowing why do dogs have ridges on their lips, let us understand the structure and characteristics of dog lips. In dogs, the “lips” refer to the surrounding line of their mouth that is present on both the lower and upper mouth. Their lips differ from humans as they do not have separate lower and upper lips but are combined with the help of a soft tissue that covers or flaps the lines of their mouth and covers the complete oral cavity.
The lips of the dog consist of a highly vascular structure that is rich in blood supplies beneath them. They are very sensitive and extremely innervated. The upper lips also house on the whiskers that are present on the nose of the dogs. Human lips are limited, small, and tightly lined, whereas the lips of dogs are drastic and serve a large range of tasks. Human lips are oval and round and keep the mouth protected, whereas a dog’s jaw opens much wider and is not controlled by the structure of its lips. If you look closely, you will find that dog’s lips are seamless. Their lip lining is woven compactly and is still suckling. As the puppy began to grow, their lip lining grows and captures the complete wider shape of their mouth.
Let Us Know What are dog lips called
Now you may have understood that dogs do not have lips portioned s upper lips and lower lips similar to humans. But their lips can also be differentiated based on lower and upper regions as per the design and location of their jaws.
The lips of the dog are thinner and are more tightly attached to the soft tissue. Proportionally they are quite different from lower lips. And so, we can say that the lips of dogs are called lower lips in simple language
Now coming to the upper lips of dogs, it is a completely different story. The upper lips of dogs are called flews. Depending on the breeds of the dogs, they can be thin and small that barely covers their mouth example, Jack Russell Terriers, Chihuahuas, etc. But certain breeds such as Hounds the flews can be comparatively large and fleshy which are hanging type. In “jowly” dogs like the Bulldog, the flews forms a pouchy and large packets, and so such dogs drool excessively as these pockets constantly fill with the saliva that comes from the mouth’s dogs. But the large flews of such dogs help them to achieve better moth opening. Some breeds of dogs have excessively large flews like Newfoundlands, Basset Hounds, and St. Bernard breeds. Their flews almost covers the entire lower lips, and it feels that such dogs do not have a lower lip.
The Correct answer to why do dogs has ridges on their lips
Answers to Why are dogs lips black
Apart from why do, dogs have ridges on their lips. You may have also wondered regarding the black color of the lips of your dog. It is right that the dogs have black lips, especially Samoyeds, Pyres, and Pomeranians. It feels strange that such white breeds of dogs typically have black noses and lips. But as a dog owner, if you have such thoughts that all breeds of dogs have black lips, then no, it depends on the amount of melanin present on your dog. Melanin is the amount present in the body that decides the color of the eye, nose, and skin of your dog.
Such melanin is also present in us, but our color does not vary in sunlight. In the cases of dogs, their lips may opt for a varied color such as tan, blue, grey, and even pinkish white. Also, the lip color of the dog does not depend on its genetics, as several breeds were found to have a different lip color based on their environmental conditions. But as per the reports by experts, it has been concluded that dogs who have black noses and black lips are protected better from strong sunrays than the ones with pink noses.
Reasons Behind why do dogs have bumps on their lips
Apart from the reason behind why do dogs have ridges on their lips, you may have also noticed dogs have bumps on their lips too. Such bumps are present on the margin along the lips. Some amount of bumps present on the lips is completely natural in dogs, but excessive bumpy lips in a dog can be dangerous, and you need to consult your vet for such an issue.
Such sudden bumps on the lips of your dog are usually due to a particular type of infection named” Oral Papilloma Virus” or OPV. OPV is a highly dangerous virus in dogs and can cause uneven and huge bumps on the lips of your dogs. Such virus is usually transmitted to your dogs while they share their toys, food, and other pieces of stuff while at parks, play dates, etc. The condition of such disease is normal as long as the papillae of the dog are uninfected. But when it comes to germ-rich, rich flora present in the dog’s mouth, such bumps can be painful and will need proper treatment.
Do Dogs Smile and Kiss With their lips:
As a dog owner, you may have queries that do dogs smile and kisses with their lips as the humans do. But the answers are depressing, and dogs do not smile with their lips as humans. It is just a misconception that dogs smile similar to humans while you see their mouths open.
It is the fact that dogs do open their lips on certain happy occasions, and one may see the moment in the lower lips of the dogs, but that can be due to either happiness or the anxiety of being left alone.
The main source to predict the happiness of the dog is through the tail of the dog. Their happiness can be justified by wagging up their tails.
Similar to smiling, dogs do not kiss through their lips. They may snuggle or try to lick you as part of their affection. They may even bite you for the same.
Ways to maintain the healthy Lips of Your Dog:
Whether your dog does not smile or kiss you through their lips, it is essential to take care of lips before the problem goes at any critical stage. Dry lips of your dog if not treated at an initial stage can cause the lips bumpy, but if you took care of the lips of your dog at an initial stage, you may surely save your dog from any future troubles.
Reasons behind Dry Lips of the Dog:
Dermatitis and Hyperkeratosis are some of the health conditions that can make your dog more prone to dry or chapped lips. Similarly, constant low humidity in your city can also contribute to the dryness of your dog’s lips and even skin. If there are certain irritants and allergies present in the environment, it can also one of the reasons for the dry lips of your dogs. There are also certain jute toys and products available for the dogs that can also contribute to the dry lips of your dog. Dehydration and deficiency of vitamins can also cause dry lips problems in your dogs.
It is best t consult your vet to know the possible reasons regarding dry lips or any sort of problems in the lips of your dog. Once you find out the exact problem, it will be easy for you to find remedies for the problem. Here are some of the home remedies that you can DIY to treat the dry lips of your dog.
Home Remedies to Cure Dry Lips of Your Dog:
Dry lips generally indicate a lack of essential oils and water in the body. So it is essential to supply edible oils to your dog’s diet. You can add 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil, krill oil, or coconut oil to your dog’s food. By this, they will need the essential oils to keep their lips and skin healthy. You can also consult your vet for any kind of additional supplements that can help to naturally heal the dry lips of your dog.
Make sure that you never use Vaseline or any other products directly on the lips of your dog, as it is considered dangerous for dogs in case your dog has accidentally ingested it. Though Vaseline is not considered as completely poisonous for your dogs, it has certain side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
Some Common FAQs:
QUE: What are the “bumps” or “spikes” on a dog’s lips?
The bumps and spikes on dog lips are termed conical papilla, and it is one of the five types of such papilla that are present on the tongue of the canines.
QUE: Why are a dog’s lips serrated looking?
Dogs are gifted with serrated lips so that they easily get a firm grip on the bone. It is also necessary for them to separate their top teeth from their lips while chewing their bones.
QUE: Ask A Vet: Why Does My Dog Kiss Me on the Mouth?
It is a natural tendency of the dog as by this they show their affection towards their owner.
QUE: Why do so many large dogs have droopy lips?
Large breeds of dogs are generally used for hunting, guarding, and fighting. Through their droopy lips or extra skin, they can able to save their mouth from the teeth of their enemies.
QUE: Why do dog’s mouths have ridges?
Such ridges mouth of dogs helps them to trap the water so that it can be properly guided to the oral cavity of the dogs.
QUE: Why do dogs have ribbed lips?
As the lower teeth of the dog rest on its lips, they need to have rigged lips. The lips save them from a bump that comes while chewing the bones on their lower teeth and protects them.
I hope that now you are well aware of the reasons why do dogs have ridges on their lips. God has made everything perfect for every creature to survive at an optimal level in this world. Such serrated or ridges lips of dogs too are made for the same reason. It helps the dogs to save their lower teeth and from various other problems that they might face if they haven’t got ridges on their lips.