INTRODUCTION

Have you ever seen a little dog with its tongue hanging more or less constantly out of its mouth? Many people think this is a cute or funny trait and, while it may give the dog a certain expression of tenderness or sympathy, it is actually called ‘paralysed tongue syndrome’ and can have serious health consequences.

WHAT IS TONGUE-TIE SYNDROME?

Tongue-tie syndrome is the inability to control and retract the tongue into the mouth. This can hinder the dog's ability to eat, drink water and even regulate its body temperature, as the tongue is an essential organ in this function.

In addition, a hanging tongue can also be a risk for injuries to the dog's mouth and infections. For this reason it is important to take your pet to the vet and seek treatment for this condition.

CAUSES OF PARALYSED TONGUE SYNDROME

Tongue-tie syndrome’ can have several causes:

• CERVICAL INJURIES: Injuries to the dog's spine or neck can cause damage to the nerves that control the tongue.
  
  
• NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES: Neural diseases such as myasthenia gravis or polyneuropathy can affect nerves, muscles and neuromuscular junctions, causing muscle weakness and affecting the dog's ability to control its tongue.
  
  
• GENETIC DISORDERS: Some breeds are more genetically predisposed to hang tongue syndrome in dogs because they may develop a disproportionate size in relation to the oral cavity.
  
  
• METABOLIC DISEASES: Diseases such as hypothyroidism can affect the dog's hormonal balance and cause muscle weakness.
  
  
• DENTAL DISEASE: Some dental diseases cause the front teeth to disappear, making it difficult for the dog to hold its tongue in its mouth.
  
  

CONSEQUENCES OF PARALYSED TONGUE SYNDROME

What are the possible consequences of this syndrome? This will always depend on the severity of the situation, as some dogs may have the tip of their tongue sticking out and others may have it hanging out entirely. These are some of the consequences:

• Difficulty eating
• Difficulties in drinking
• Difficulties regulating body temperature
• Infections
• Tongue lesions
• Dermatitis
• Changes in the texture and colour of the tongue
• Necrosis
• Alopecia (due to localised dermatitis)
  
  

CONCLUSION

The ‘paralysed tongue syndrome’ can complicate your dog's life in different ways, and may even require surgery to solve the problem or reduce its severity.

If your dog suffers from this syndrome, see your vet for the best possible advice.