In Australia and snake-infested parts of Indonesia‚ it pays to be resistant to snake venoms even‚ or perhaps especially‚ if you’re part of the same zoologic order as snakes. A study of how large and medium-sized lizards handle the problem of their cousins’ toxins has revealed a never-seen-before evolutionary sequence its discoverers compare to Russian dolls.Some large lizards like to feed on snakes‚ which makes sense because the squamates often live in similar territory‚ but it comes with its own dangers. Many years ago‚ Professor Bryan Fry of the University of Queensland discovered that venom is much more common in lizards than previously recognized‚ but few produce anything nearly as potent as their legless counterparts.Such a diet comes with risks‚ however‚ since the snakes don’t take kindly to being eaten. Smaller lizards can in turn be prey to snakes‚ who use the venom to subdue their dinners. In both cases‚ having some resistance to the venom can be the difference between life and death. Fry and PhD student Uthpala Chandrasekara set out to explore how the lizards deal with the poison‚ studying 27 varanid lizard species (25 of them Australian)‚ and discovered a much more complex story than they imagined.For one thing‚ lizards have evolved two quite different methods of venom resistance. Komodo dragons and the perentie rely on armor a medieval knight might envy. “Their thick‚ bone-filled scales are enough to protect them against snakebite‚ while their large teeth are used to quickly dismember the fettuccini-like snakes‚” Fry said in a statement sent to IFLScience. Bryan Fry admiring the snake-repelling scales of a Komodo dragon‚ the future of humanity.Image credit: Bryan FrySmaller lizards can’t carry that much weight‚ so they instead developed biochemical defenses. Using synthetic nerves that Fry helped invent that allow scientists to study nerve behavior without needing to use live animals‚ the team discovered some lizards have evolved nerves that are less susceptible to the local snakes’ neurotoxins.“Every biological application comes with a tax‚” Fry told IFLScience. In the case of neurotoxin resistance‚ this is slower nerve response times – a problem for primates and lizards alike. Consequently‚ while the big lizards stay armored‚ when their smaller counterparts find themselves in places without a lot of snakes‚ they quickly lose their resistance. This can either result from moving outside the snakes’ range‚ or taking to the trees‚ where some lizards have found safety.Every time the lizards find themselves too close to snakes for comfort‚ they re-evolve resistance. However‚ Fry told IFLScience‚ each time this happens‚ it is with a slightly different mutation. Consequently‚ zoologists can track the lizards’ history by observing all the genetic changes that have seen them evolve and lose resistance genes over and over again.“This complex dance of adaptation has resulted in a Russian doll-like nesting of gains and losses over time and suggests that the evolutionary battle doesn’t always head in one direction‚” Chandrasekara said.Naturally‚ the snakes do not take the resistance… ok they’re definitely lying down‚ but that doesn’t mean they just accept it. Instead‚ they are constantly evolving new venoms that get around the lizards’ resistance‚ creating a biological arms race that only stops when the two don’t overlap much.Although Fry recently made headlines leading the celebrity-assisted discovery of the world’s largest snake‚ venom is his primary specialization. Most of his discoveries come accompanied with suggestions the work could lead to better antivenoms or have potential for medications‚ in the footsteps of captopril derived from Brazilian viper venom. In this case‚ however‚ he told IFLScience there is “zero practical use”. That said‚ he can see the appeal of genetically modifying humans to have snake-repelling scales‚ acknowledging an affiliation with the mad scientist in a Spiderman cartoon who says he doesn’t want to cure cancer‚ he “want[s] to turn people into dinosaurs.”The study is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Barbie-pink sea pigs‚ rattail fish‚ and a unicumber: these were the unexpected stars of a recent expedition into the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) where scientists are studying biodiversity. The region’s animal life is of particular interest because it’s also the proposed site of deep-sea mining‚ being home to a huge volume of “sea potatoes” that contain the precious metals we need for the green revolution.Amperima “sea pigs” and “unicumbers” were perhaps the most alien of the critters captured on camera by the team led by Dr Adrian Glover‚ a deep-sea researcher at London’s Natural History Museum (NHM). This included the hot-pink "Barbie pig" whose nickname was coined by Southampton PhD student Bethany Fleming after most of the team watched the movie on the plane to Costa Rica. The curious creatures may even be new-to-science species‚ making their debut in these first-ever high-definition photos."We can assume that many of these species will be new to science‚" Regen Drennan‚ a post-doctoral marine biologist at London NHM‚ told IFLScience. "Sometimes they have been seen/observed/known before‚ but not collected or formally described. For example‚ the sea pig nicknamed the unicumber had been seen in previous seabed imagery surveys‚ but not collected or imaged in high definition to the best of our knowledge.""All the specimens that have been collected will be brought back to the museum‚ where they will be identified and studied by the researchers here‚" added Eva Stewart‚ also a post-doctoral marine biologist based at the NHM. "Some may be described as new species‚ and lots of the specimens will be used for research looking at patterns of diversity across the seafloor in this area."The team also spotted rattail fish‚ one of the few vertebrates that can survive at such great depths. The expedition journeyed 4‚000-5‚000 meters (13‚000-16‚000 feet) below the surface of the central Pacific as part of the SMARTEX project to explore the CCZ‚ keeping an eye out for what curious life exists here.It’s a question of global interest due to the great fields of sea potatoes‚ also known as deep-sea tubers or manganese nodules‚ that can be found here. These black rocks don’t look like much‚ but they are one of the richest-known sources of cobalt‚ nickel‚ and manganese on the planet: three things we’re going to need a lot of if we’re going to turn all the planet’s gas-guzzling cars into battery-powered ones.The "Unicumber"‚ a see-through sea cucumber.Image credit: © #NHMDeepSea Group‚ Natural History Museum‚ UK“[Ninety] percent of the world's exploration contracts for nodules are in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone‚ which represent less than half of 1 percent of the global seafloor‚” The Metals Company PR and Media Manager Rory Usher told IFLScience. “But this represents the largest source of manganese‚ nickel‚ and cobalt‚ anywhere on the planet and that dwarfs everything on land by many orders of magnitude. There are enough metals in situ at two of the sites that would satisfy the needs of 280 million cars‚ which represents every car in America‚ or a quarter of the world's vehicle fleet.”Deep-sea mining aims to harvest these nodules by scooping them up off the seabed and transporting them to the surface. The motivation to search for these resources on the seabed is that it represents a purer source that would produce less run-off compared to terrestrial mining. It likely also has less biomass per square meter compared to the forests of Indonesia‚ which is a leading site for mining.“The distribution of these animals seemed to be quite patchy - the dominant sea cucumber on one ROV dive might be completely absent at another location‚ with a different one more common‚” continued Drennan. “But in terms of density that we are used to‚ for example on land or shallower marine systems‚ the deep sea in general (and this area of the CCZ) is characterised by very low population densities‚ largely because food is so limited at these depths.”Rattail fish‚ one of the few vertebrates that can survive at these depths.Image credit: © #NHMDeepSea Group‚ Natural History Museum‚ UK“Therefore‚ even when we discuss a ‘dominant’ species‚ this is still at relatively low numbers. What will be important to understand is the presence of species over large spatial scales‚ and connectivity between populations across these large scales.”Before we can start scooping up these precious potatoes‚ much research needs to be done to establish if disturbing the seabed and creating sediment plumes in this otherwise pristine environment could have a negative influence on the survival of wildlife and ecosystems. That’s one of the things SMARTEX – aka‚ Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact – hopes to ascertain.

Imagine stumbling upon a story so charming it feels like a breath of fresh air‚ where a wild fox and a dog meet by chance and dive into the most endearing playdate you’ve ever seen. This delightful saga isn’t just a treat to watch — it’s a journey into the heart of animal friendships. With... The post Wild fox sneaks up behind ‘unsuspecting’ dog leading to cutest ‘playtime’ appeared first on Animal Channel.

If you’re a proud pup parent or just utterly smitten with canines‚ you’re well aware of one universal truth – dogs absolutely adore their snacks! But here’s the thing: when you snag those dog treats off the store shelf‚ do you really know what’s inside them? Many of us never glance at the ingredients list‚... The post 8 super-easy and healthy dog treat recipes using just 5 ingredients or less appeared first on Animal Channel.

The post “Weird Animals Page” Shares 40 Animals You’ve Never Seen Before appeared first on Animal Channel.

Imagine you’re on the edge of your seat‚ eyes wide‚ heart racing. That’s exactly where a group of tourists found themselves during a safari adventure in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Their guide‚ a quick-thinking individual named Bongani Yende‚ was about to become an unexpected hero. The day took a turn when an elephant‚ clearly in... The post Tourists’ safari ride turns frightening when they encounter angry elephant appeared first on Animal Channel.

A video from earlier this month is going viral on X showing Minnesota State Rep. Leigh Finke‚ a biologically male "transwoman‚" stating that he/she wanted to devote more Minnesota tax money toward making the state a refuge for kids who “are transgender" and to help train more doctors on how to provide sex change surgeries and puberty blockers for minors. During the nearly one-hour long presentation at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities on March 8‚ Finke advocated for “legal action on trans and nonbinary rights.”   Finke represents District 66A in Saint Paul‚ Minnesota. He’s Vice Chair of the Legacy Finance Committee and also serves on the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy‚ Human Services Policy‚ and Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committees. Most notably‚ he’s also Chair of the Queer Caucus in the state. No surprises there. “If you promise trans refuge then you need to increase the number of people who are offering gender affirming care because we already have a shortage‚" Finke said in the video clip‚ which was shared on Sunday‚  Trans Minnesota State Rep. Leigh Finke says he wants to use tax money to make Minnesota a trans refuge for kids and train more children’s doctors on s*x change surgery and puberty blockers. pic.twitter.com/onZ9qeilkr — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 25‚ 2024 Finke is one of those people who believes that "gender-affirming care” includes chemically poisoning a child's body with cross-sex hormones‚ stopping the natural processes of puberty‚ and surgically removing‚ adding‚ or “changing” the appearance of gender-specific genitals - all of which often lead to deep regret‚ worsened depression‚ infertility‚ and physical and mental health complications‚ and none of which actually do any gender changing. Nonetheless‚ Finke wants taxpayer money to go toward luring kids into Minnesota as refuge to get these procedures done. Finke also wants to lure gender-affirming “care” providers from other states. We have some money‚ hopefully we can pass‚ to help entice people to move from those states who also practice gender-affirming care. If you live in Missouri and all your clients can no longer access care‚ well‚ if they’re leaving‚ you might also be interested in coming with your clients and going to a place where you can serve without prosecution. He even explained that he wanted to implement internship and fellowship programs for providers to learn how to groom and ruin the lives of kids … though he called it “gender-affirming care.” In response to the video which has more than 600‚000 views so far‚ users were perturbed. Related: 'Queer Power': First Trans Queer ‘Woman’ Elected For MN House “How is this person allowed to be a representative of the people while putting kids in danger?” a user asked.  “It’s disgusting how he uses the word 'care' as a euphemism for sÄ™x change surgery and puberty blockers. There’s nothing caring about pushing gender ideology onto children and then mųtilating them in its name. That should get any adult who’s involved life in prison‚” another said while others called Finke a “pedophile‚” a “cockroach” and a “POS.” While I can’t comment on whether or not I agree with those users' analysis on Finke (*hint hint‚ *wink wink‚ *nudge nudge) I can say that any surgeries or procedures that harm kids‚ or harm anyone for that matter‚ shouldn’t be considered “care‚” shouldn’t be part of healthcare‚ and certainly shouldn’t be covered by taxpayer funds. Follow us on Twitter/X: Woke of The Weak: Dylan Mulvaney's Idea of A Woman Is Just Disgusting Stereotypes Men cosplaying as women are not women. pic.twitter.com/948c9thOtZ — MRCTV (@mrctv) March 19‚ 2024

Washington Week with The Atlantic‚ public television’s taxpayer-funded weekly political roundtable analyzing the major news stories of the week‚ is brazen enough to tout itself as "objective….known for its depth‚ balance‚ and civil discourse.”  But a review of six months of episodes after the launch of Washington Week’s partnership with The Atlantic magazine (August 11‚ 2023 -- February 9‚ 2024) proved liberalism still reigns over the public airwaves. Key Findings: More than half (88) of the 157 topics addressed focused on Republicans‚ over twice as many as those focused on Democrats (38). The panelists spent 149 minutes opining about Republicans‚ nearly 90% in negative fashion. The Democrats received just 66 minutes of opinionated commentary‚ split much more evenly (57% negative vs. 43% positive). Republicans were branded as “extreme” 11 times over the study period‚ Democrats none. Meanwhile‚ Joe Biden was praised for being “mentally…quite acute.” One reason for the ideological imbalance: The exclusion from these weekly discussions of journalists from any conservative media outlet‚ such as Fox News‚ The Washington Times‚ New York Post‚ Washington Examiner‚ Washington Free Beacon‚ or Daily Caller.   What Topics Were Covered? A related way liberal slant revealed itself was topic choice. 157 separate topics were covered within the 27 episodes comprising the study period (average episode length 23 minutes). Of those‚ 88 were focused on Republicans‚ compared to just 38 for Democrats (21 featured both parties‚ while 10 dealt with non-partisan subjects like the fighting in Ukraine). That’s a ratio of 2.3 to 1 of Republican-focused stories compared to Democrat-focused stories during the six months we examined.  At first glance those numbers may sound favorable for Republicans. But Washington Week is a political roundtable‚ not a straight newscast‚ and emphasizes topical controversies‚ concerns‚ and scandals involving political personalities‚ not in-depth examinations of issues‚ meaning the one-sided GOP numbers were the opposite of a campaign favor to the Republican Party. When the show did touch on issues such as abortion‚ immigration‚ Israel‚ or Ukraine‚ it was often focused on how those issues could affect the 2024 elections.  Bias By Omission: Democratic Scandals Ignored Democratic Party scandals and problems‚ when not being downplayed‚ were often omitted entirely. There was no scrutiny of the progressive-activist “Squad” members recently elected to Congress‚ though several added fascinating scandals to their names during the period under study:  Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) was convicted of pulling a House fire alarm to delay a vote. Later‚ old blog posts from Bowman resurfaced‚ promoting 9-11 conspiracy theories he wrote before taking office. Rep. Cori Bush’s (D-MO) allegedly committed campaign finance violations involving security payments to her then-boyfriend. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) spouted anti-Semitic comments in the wake of the October 7 Hamas invasion of Israel‚ for which she was censured by Congress. Topics devoted to those Democratic scandals on Washington Week? Zero. Not a single mention. Even when a scandal involving a Democrat did break through‚ coverage was sparse. Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-N.J.) corruption scandal‚ involving media-friendly details like gold bars‚ was relegated to a single brief segment on December 1‚ 2023‚ and a three-second reference on January 5‚ 2024‚ for a total of 34 seconds. Yet viewers heard more about kerfuffles involving Republican officials‚ like Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) threatening to go mano-a-mano with a Teamsters union president during hostile testimony (1 minute 44 seconds) and accusations by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had sucker-punched him in the back (46 seconds). Partisan Spin The numbers reveal the show’s strikingly negative treatment of Republican figures and entities‚ coupled with a marked disinterest in stories involving Democrats besides President Biden. Comments about Republicans‚ of which there were 149 minutes worth‚ tilted strongly negative‚ with evaluative statements nearly 90% negative versus just 10% positive for the GOP. Panelists described Republicans as “extreme” or “extremist” 11 times over the study period‚ often in reference to the right flank of House Republicans. There were zero references to Democratic extremism. Within the smaller universe of Democratic-focused topics‚ scandals involving Democratic politicians were mostly ignored. Coverage of President Biden himself‚ while not wholly positive when it came to voters’ concerns about his age‚ or ideological challenges from his left flank on immigration or Israel‚ often either criticized his Republican opponents or rallied to his defense. Worth noting: Retired Utah Sen. Mitt Romney comprised over a quarter of the GOP’s positive coverage (4 minutes)‚ portrayed as a moderate hero for blasting his Trump-loving party’s alleged slide into “authoritarianism.” If one removes Romney’s coverage from the count‚ the anti-GOP slant was further strengthened to 92.4% negative versus 7.6% positive. While Donald Trump’s legal woes and courtroom controversies garnered the most opinionated airtime‚ Republicans in Congress also received plenty of coverage‚ and near-universal condemnation‚ with a staggering 99% of commentary skewing negative‚ whether it was criticism of the dysfunctional House of Representatives or Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL) holding up military promotions to protest abortion-related expenses for servicewomen.  Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was the beneficiary of some positive coverage‚ especially as a potential moderate competitor to Trump in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. Democrats fared far better with the panelists‚ covered less often (66 minutes) and far more positively‚ with only 57.2% negative commentary and 42.8% positive commentary -- close to an even balance.  Here’s how Washington Week panelists treated the top five most-discussed Republican political personalities/groups over the six-month study period: Donald Trump: 72 total minutes‚ 67 minutes negative‚ 5 minutes positive: 92.6% negative coverage  Republicans in Congress: 46 total minutes‚ 45 minutes negative‚ 28 seconds positive: 99% negative coverage  House Speaker Mike Johnson: 492 total seconds‚ 472 seconds negative‚ 20 seconds positive‚ 96% negative coverage Nikki Haley: 370 total seconds‚ 88 seconds negative‚ 282 seconds positive‚ 23.8% negative coverage Sen. Tommy Tuberville: 276 total seconds‚ 276 seconds negative‚ 100% negative coverage The chatter on the Democratic side was far less robust. After President Joe Biden‚ who received relatively generous coverage (39% positive) compared to his once and likely future Republican opponent Donald Trump (7.4% positive)‚ comments on Democratic politicians and controversies were hard to come by. The show even managed to spin up some sympathy for Hunter Biden‚ cast as a victim of a “political hit job” in its sparse coverage of his scandals. President Joe Biden: 57 total minutes‚ 22 minutes positive‚ 35 minutes negative‚ 61% negative Democrats in Congress: 253 total seconds‚ 208 seconds positive‚ 45 seconds negative‚ 17.8% negative Hunter Biden: 104 total seconds‚ 75 seconds positive‚ 29 seconds negative‚ 27.9% negative Gen. Lloyd Austin: 50 total seconds‚ 18 seconds positive‚ 32 seconds negative‚ 64% negative Sen. Bob Menendez: 34 total seconds‚ 34 seconds negative‚ 100% negative   What They Said: ‘Extremist’ Republicans‚ ‘Mentally‚ He’s Quite Acute’ Biden The Washington Week-Atlantic partnership got off to a biased start on August 11‚ 2023‚ with Goldberg and company casting Florida governor and then-GOP candidate Ron DeSantis as an extremist autocrat.  Following a clip of DeSantis saying that when he became president‚ “We’re going to have all these Deep State people‚ we’re going to start slitting throats on Day One‚” Moderator Goldberg asked PBS NewsHour reporter Laura Barron-Lopez: “Laura‚ let me turn to you‚ because you’ve covered extremism. Talk about the relationship between rhetoric like that and the threat of violence in our society.” The NewsHour’s White House correspondent did not disappoint: “…when you talk to historians‚ especially those who study authoritarianism‚ they will tell you that that is a classic tactic used by authoritarian figures‚ autocratic figures‚ to try to rally their base around them and they know exactly who they’re speaking to.” On the August 25 edition‚ Barron-Lopez‚ serving as guest host‚ made it clear her preferred Republican candidate in the then-crowded field‚ the “rational” Nikki Haley‚ who was “trying to get Republicans to contend with reality” on liberal issues like climate change and abortion‚ while bluntly saying of conservatives‚ “They're feeling more emboldened to say racist things in some cases.”  In a segment that didn’t‚ ahem‚ age well after Biden’s disastrous classified document-related press conference in February‚ Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic came huffily to the defense of the octogenarian president in this now-notorious exchange on September 1‚ 2023:  Leibovich: Can I just actually just point out‚ though‚ that‚ I mean‚ it’s not just making an issue of Biden’s age‚ it’s lying‚ it’s saying he’s senile‚ saying he’s demented‚ saying he’s out of it. I mean‚ I think it’s important to sort of state for a fact that a lot of these are just -- Goldberg: Right. Mentally‚ he’s quite acute. Leibovich: It seems like it. In contrast‚ the November 24‚ 2023 edition treated taxpaying viewers to how the Republican “anger caucus” was “willing to blow things up” in Washington‚ while new House Speaker Mike Johnson was a “deeply‚ deeply religious conservative” who had‚ according to NewsHour’s congressional reporter Lisa Desjardins‚ “dehumanized the LGBTQ population in this country.” Perhaps most revealing was the December 29‚ 2023 episode dedicated to the latest issue of The Atlantic‚ wholly devoted to the dangers of Donald Trump‚ with a roundtable of Atlantic-only magazine staff taking over the taxpayer-supported airwaves to fret over a second-term Trump administration that threatened to usher in “authoritarianism.”  Who’s Talking? Besides chief moderator (and Atlantic editor-in-chief) Jeffrey Goldberg‚ who mediated 24 of the 27 episodes‚ the show features a rotating panel of journalists from various outlets. New York Times’ White House correspondent Peter Baker‚ National Public Radio White House correspondent Asma Khalid‚ and PBS NewsHour White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez each appeared around the table five times‚ the most of any journalist. Liberal and even left-wing outlets dominated‚ making for a plethora of agreed-upon liberal-leaning opinions and interpretations of fact with no conservative rebuttals. Staff from The Atlantic itself were the most frequent guests‚ with 22 total appearances (Goldberg counting as a single appearance). The public airwaves were also well represented‚ with reporters from NPR and the PBS NewsHour appearing frequently alongside liberal media stalwarts like the Washington Post and Politico. In all‚ eighteen separate media outlets were represented by a total of 57 individual panelists‚ some of whom made multiple appearances.  By contrast‚ there was not a single appearance made by a member of a conservative media outlet: Not a single staffer for Fox News‚ Washington Times‚ New York Post‚ Washington Examiner‚ Washington Free Beacon‚ or Daily Caller appeared. (Note: Similar taxpayer-funded slant involving the PBS NewsHour program’s choice of guests was documented in 2023.) CONCLUSION: The publicly funded Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that airs Washington Week was launched in 1969 by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting‚ which was born with a congressional mandate to maintain "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature.” Yet judging by our findings -- an unbroken line of liberal-leaning panelists providing blatant anti-Republican spin on anti-Republican topics -- the tax-funded Washington Week with the Atlantic is a gross failure on the fairness front. METHODOLOGY: We tallied all explicitly evaluative comments from Washington Week panelists (e.g.‚ colorful‚ mocking‚ or ideologically loaded descriptions‚ either critical or supportive) regarding Democrats or Republicans. Straightforward descriptions of the issue at hand were not included. We also counted the topics covered and assigned them a value based on partisan emphasis‚ if any (Democrat/Republican/both/neither). We also counted and sorted the media affiliation of the panelists. The top five topics involving each party were then ranked based on the total amount of time in which they were evaluated‚ along with a percentage figure documenting the resulting spin‚ positive or negative. Note that the study period encompassed the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary‚ and thus includes evaluations of the state of the presidential “horse race.”

A dog’s tongue plays a vital role in how they interact with their environment‚ from licking your face in greeting‚ to panting after a run through the woods. If you’ve noticed it feels hot‚ you might wonder why and if it’s something to be concerned about. Thankfully‚ a hot tongue is generally nothing to worry about‚ but on some occasions‚ it might warrant a trip to the veterinarian. So‚ let’s examine why your dog’s tongue might be hot and what you should do about it. The 4 Reasons Than Your Dog’s Tongue Is Hot 1. Naturally Warmer Than Us Dogs run hotter than we do; their average is around 101 to 102.5°F‚ compared with our 98.6°F. This means it might feel warm when they lick you on the face‚ but actually‚ it’s at a completely normal temperature. A dog’s mouth is not the best way to determine their temperature‚ which is why you’ll have noticed the veterinarian sticking a thermometer up your dog’s bottom instead of in their mouth. This‚ and the fact that if they were to put a thermometer in your dog’s mouth‚ they might not get it back! Image Credit: Michael J Magee‚ Shutterstock 2. Cooling Down Dogs don’t sweat like we do to cool down. Instead‚ their tongue helps lower their body temperature. Panting works much like sweat in the sense that as the water on their tongues evaporates‚ it cools them down‚ much in the same way sweat evaporates off our skin and cools us down. As your dog does this‚ you might notice that their tongue feels warmer than usual. 3. Heatstroke If your dog’s temperature reaches above 106°F without previous signs of being unwell‚ and they’ve been exposed to excessive environmental heat or humidity‚ it is safe to assume they are suffering from heatstroke. Other signs of heatstroke include: Abnormal gum color Bruising of the gums Dry or sticky gums Elevated breathing rates Lethargy or disorientation Seizures If their temperature reaches about 107°F to 109°F‚ multiple organ failure and death can occur‚ so you must act swiftly. You must reduce your dog’s temperature in a controlled‚ safe manner. Pour cool (but not cold) water over the stomach‚ head‚ feet‚ and armpits‚ or apply cool cloths to these areas and replace them continuously. If possible‚ make sure air flows across their body to increase water evaporation. Contact your vet as soon as possible and follow their advice. Generally‚ if a dog’s temperature hasn’t become extremely high‚ they will be fine and recover quickly. However‚ heatstroke can result in organ damage‚ and dogs have been known to die later from complications. Because panting relies on water evaporation to cool your dog down‚ they can suffer from heat stroke at much lower temperatures if the conditions are humid. Image Credit: New Africa‚ Shutterstock 4. Fever Fever can cause your dog’s tongue to become hot. If your dog’s temperature is above the normal range of 102.5°F‚ and they haven’t just come in from running around‚ they are considered to have a fever. Signs of a fever can vary from mild to severe and include diarrhea‚ vomiting‚ lethargy‚ shivering‚ and loss of appetite. Identifying if your dog has a fever can be tricky‚ as they run naturally hotter than humans. So‚ generally‚ it’s caught by the vet. There are a variety of causes of fevers in dogs‚ such as: Cancer Infection Inflammation Immune-mediated A dog’s ears are a more reliable way to tell if your dog has a high temperature. If your dog feels warmer than usual‚ take them to the vet. It’s considered an emergency if they have blood in their vomit or stool‚ stop eating‚ become lethargic‚ or their fever reaches 104.5°F. Never try to treat your dog’s fever at home; there could be something seriously wrong‚ and most human medications can be harmful‚ even toxic‚ for your pet. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What Does a Healthy Tongue Look Like? You might assume that a healthy dog’s tongue is bright pink‚ and that is true for many‚ but not all dogs have pink tongues. Shar-Peis and Chow Chows‚ for example‚ have blue-black or blue tongues. Some mixes even have spots of color on their tongues. It’s essential to be familiar with what your dog’s tongue looks like; that way‚ you will notice when or if it changes. A change to a dog’s tongue can indicate a medical emergency‚ for example: Dark red or blue tongues can indicate heart/lung disease‚ toxin exposure‚ electrical shock‚ or heatstroke. Pale pink or white tongues can indicate internal bleeding or anemia. If you notice any changes to your dog’s tongue‚ contact your vet immediately. Image Credit: Happy monkey‚ Shutterstock How Can You Tell if Your Dog Is Unwell? Identifying if you should be worried about your dog is sometimes tricky because they can’t tell us what’s happening. That’s why it’s crucial to be familiar with what subtle signs your dog might show to hint they aren’t feeling like themselves. So‚ it’s a good idea to be on the lookout for: Aggression Changes in water and food intake Confusion Excessive licking (you‚ themselves‚ or objects) Excessive panting Eye changes Hiding Lethargy Problems urinating Changes in behavior Changes in voice Conclusion If your dog’s tongue feels hot but they haven’t shown any signs of being unwell‚ they’re likely fine. Dogs run hotter than humans‚ and their temperature might rise slightly when they’re running around and enjoying themselves. However‚ if you notice other signs accompanying a warmer-than-usual tongue‚ such as lethargy‚ vomiting‚ or diarrhea‚ contact your vet for an examination. Sources https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/taking-your-pets-temperature https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/12-dog-tongue-facts https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/heat-stroke-in-dogs https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/why-do-dogs-get-fevers Featured Image Credit: Mary Swift‚ Shutterstock The post Why Is My Dog’s Tongue Hot? 4 Vet-Reviewed Reasons appeared first on Pet Keen.

Kamala Harris visited Puerto Rico for the first time as vice president Friday in an apparent effort to drum up support among Hispanic voters — even though Puerto Rican residents cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections. While making her way around the territory's capital of San Juan‚ Harris seized upon an opportunity to embarrass herself. Video shows Harris‚ 59‚ standing in a courtyard near La Goyco Workshop Community and Cultural Center‚ clapping along and smiling as a group of locals drum and sing in Spanish. Unbeknownst to the Democrat‚ these locals were protesting her visit. Harris grins and claps through several lines of the protest song‚ but then Mariana Reyes Angleró‚ executive director at La Goyco‚ appears to lean in and tell the vice president the meaning of the lyrics. The mood immediately changes. Frankie Miranda‚ the president of the Hispanic Federation standing on Harris' left‚ scowls. Harris stops clapping altogether but nods to the beat with pursed lips. — (@) — (@) According to one translation‚ the lyrics were‚ "The vice president arrived making history / We want to know what do you think of the colony? / We will continue playing the full song of my country / Long live free Palestine and also Haiti!" The Associated Press reported that one protester yelled‚ "Yankee‚ go home!" Protesters held signs that said‚ "Kamala Harris war criminal" and "Free Palestine‚ Free Puerto Rico." Joseline Velásquez‚ a spokeswoman for the radical group Jornada: Se Acabaron Las Promesas‚ was among the demonstrators who turned out to condemn Harris during her visit over the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war‚ reported NBC News. "It is disrespectful‚" said Velásquez‚ who perceived Harris' trip ultimately to be a shakedown for campaign money. The stated purpose of Harris' visit was to emphasize the Biden administration's "ongoing commitment to supporting the island's recovery and renewal" and to "highlight how Puerto Rico's economic turnaround has begun thanks to more than $140 billion in federal obligations for the island." The unstated purpose of the trip was to boost Democratic outreach among Hispanics‚ particularly the over 5 million Puerto Ricans living in the United States who will be able to cast more than a symbolic vote. CBS News indicated that recent polling shows Harris' running mate has shed a great deal of support among Hispanics since 2020‚ dropping from 65% to 53%. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!