[GSDLoverII]

A friend of mine from the dog park took their dog to the vet's office for a limping leg, and found out his dog was in renal failure. His dog is 9 years old.
The vet said that he could tell right away by looking at the dog's tongue that it had kidney problems because of the small lines on the tongue and that "shriveled" tongue look.
When he looked at my dog's tongues, he said, ya, like that.
Now, I'm freaking out, because all of my dog's have small little lines on their tongues.
His one dog was limping, so she was at home and I couldn't see her tongue.
Is the vet full of it, or is there any truth to this?
Thanks,
Picture's of a couple of my dog's tongues.

 

[shilohsmom]

I really don't know but I have to say your dogs are stunning!!!!!! What an incrediable picture!!!!

 

[GSDLoverII]

Thank you Rosa.

This has really been bothering me a lot, and before I take all 3 to the vet and have blood and urine done on them, would you guys look at your dogs tongues and see if they have the little, tiny small lines on them.
You can't really see them that well in this picture, because it is too small, but they are there. Especially, on Gypsy.
I Googled it, and really didn't find too much.
Thank You!!!

 

[skyizzy]

Boy What Beautiful Dogs! I would think blood tests and urine tests would be most accurate.

 

[TMarie]

I never heard of such a thing.

But, to ease your mind some, by looking at my shepherds tongues while they were resting, which was kind of hard since I had to pull the tongues out,

it wasn't real obvious, but then after playing some, or getting a little excited, then I do see the little lines just like yours. I also went through my photos to find some with the tongues out, they look just like your dogs.

 

[BowWowMeow]

Your dogs tongues look very healthy. A holistic vet can tell a lot by the color and condition of the tongue but most dogs tongues have lines in them. I imagine that your friend was in shock and probably really wasn't paying close attention to the tongue issue.

I am sorry about his dog, btw.

 

[Avamom]

All tongues have lines on them, just like our tongues.....I agree with Ruth, your friend was probably stressed and didn't hear all of the tongue conversation...it was probably more about the tongue being wrinkled up or shrivelled looking, as in the dog was very dehydrated...that would probably be the sign of kidney distress the vet was talking about.

You would be seeing other signs of kidney disease if any of your guys were having trouble...usually starting with urine issue, peeing more often, diluted color of the urine and dogs in kidney failure usually become very picky eaters, often times not waiting to eat or drink.

My current foster dog is in chronic renal failure and his tongue looks perfectly normal, no different than the other three in the house!

 

[GSDLoverII]

Thanks you guys, I feel better now.
I'm such a worry wart when it comes to my animals.

 

[Avamom]

Thats why your a good doggie mom!