Maybe you have noticed that your dog has some unusual colouring inside his or her mouth, such as blue or black spots on the tongue, gums or roof of the mouth.

Some breeds are renown for having oddly coloured tongues – like Chows and Sharpeis. So how did your seemingly normal dog end up with these strange colourings?

The simplest answer is that your dog has heavy pigmentation. Tiny granules of melanin create flat, dark areas over the skin in and around the mouth in a similar way that humans end up with birthmarks and freckles.

Over 30 different breeds have presented with this phenomenon, passing the effect into their litters of both pure and mix-bred lines. In short, your dog doesn’t necessarily have any connection to Chows or Sharpeis, but could be related to Akitas, Airedales, Australian Shepherds, Dalmatians, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Labrador Retrievers, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Pitbulls, Pomeranians or Rottweilers.

If your dog does have these spots in their mouth it is always a good idea to let your vet know, especially if they are raised and not flat. Plus, if your dog suddenly adopts blue/grey gums when they usually have pink ones then this is a sign that something is not right and your pet needs veterinary attention immediately. See our article on GUM HEALTH.