Golden Retriever With Purple Spots on Its Tongue

What does it mean if your golden retriever has purple spots on its tongue? Fortunately, it doesn't mean much. These spots are the same as freckles on humans, just pigments with extra coloring. Many breeds of pure-bred dogs, including the golden retriever, have perfectly healthy members with dark purple spots on their tongue.

  1. The Chow Chow Myth

    • One of the most common myths involving dogs with purple tongue spots is that they are somehow descended from the chow chow, a breed of dog known for its blackish tongue. This myth would imply that your pure-bred golden retriever's lineage was mixed with a chow chow or mutt somewhere up the family tree. This is simply not true. Purple spots on a golden retriever's tongue do not imply a mixed breed.

    A Sign of Heat Stroke?

    • Another popular myth is that dogs with purple spots on their tongue are suffering from dehydration or heat stroke. This is not true, and it is probably associated with dogs' need to cool themselves by panting, thus giving humans more opportunity to notice the purple spots than when the dog is at rest. If a dog is suffering the heat stroke, the dog's tongue will turn bright red not gain purple spots.

    Removing the Spots

    • There is no way, or need, to remove the purple spots from the dog's tongue. The spots are not a sign of illness or genetic default. They will not cause the dog any physical harm nor do they affect the tongue's ability to taste, lick or give off heat.

    Other Pure-Breds with Purple Spotted Tongues

    • Besides golden retrievers 29 other pure-bred breeds are known to have members with dark spots on their tongue. Some of the breeds include the rottweiler, the bull mastiff, the Siberian Husky, the Dalmatian and the cocker spaniel.