Ask the Vet | 24 Little-Known Facts About Dogs

There are many little-known facts about dogs (Canis lupus familiaris).

Little-Known Dog Facts

• Dogs are descended from wolves.
• The normal body temperature of a dogs is 38.6 degrees celsius. They regulate their body temperature by panting.
• Dogs have 231 bones and 42 permanent teeth.
• Dogs are prone to tuberculosis.
• Similar to humans, dogs tend to have a dominant hand they usually use when one hand is needed.
• Chocolate is toxic for dogs.
• There are seven types of blood group in canines.
• The average life span of dogs varies from 8 to 15 years.
• The sweat glands in dogs are located between their paw pads.
• Dogs mature at the age of approximately 6 months.
• The normal gestation period of canines varies from 60 to 65 days.
• Dogs’ respiratory rates and heart rates vary from 10 to 30 breaths/minute and 70 to 120 beats/minute, respectively.
• Dogs have night vision as the number of rod cells in their eyes is greater than that of cone cells.
• Dogs can be identified by their nose prints.
• Dalmatians develop black spots only after they grow older. The puppies are pure white in colour.
• Laika (named after the dog’s Russian breed; literal meaning: “Barker”) was the first dog to travel to outer space.
• Saluki is the oldest breed of dog.
• Lhasa Apso guarded Tibetan temples.
• Pekingese, the royal dog of China, was once considered to be sacred; common men could not own this breed.

Little-Known Puppy Facts

• Newborn puppies are blind, deaf and toothless.
• In dogs, bladder control is attained 4 months after birth.
• In the first week after birth, puppies spend almost 90% of their time sleeping and the rest of the time feeding. Later, they sleep for at least 12 to 14 hours a day.
• The canine achieves his sense of smell only 3 weeks after birth.
• The first teeth (milk teeth) appear between 3 and 7 weeks of age, and the adult teeth adult teeth (permanent teeth) appear after four months. By Dr Ruan Du Toit Bester
  

Hope this info’s interesting
Till next week
Dr Ruan

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