Question of the day. Can dogs cry?

Like humans, animals can experience sadness, fear, love, and jealousy. At the same time, complex feelings of revenge, guilt, and resentment are not available to them at all. In this article, let’s explore how dogs express their strong emotions. And can they do so… with tears?

How do dogs express joy or sadness?

Through body language and verbal cues like barking and whining.

When a dog is in a happy mood he wags his tail, barks loudly and squeals, and may even smile. In some cases, he might even try to jump onto his master after a long separation.

In times of sadness, the dog will lie quietly, tuck its ears in, or lie quietly at the feet of a family member. He may whimper and stare at people with pitying eyes. When stressed, the dog tucks his tail, licks his face more often than usual and yawns.

Sadness may cause the dog to become apathetic and lose interest in food. Be careful! These signs often indicate a general decline in the dog’s health. If this is the case, it is better to immediately consult a veterinarian and find the cause of the ailment.

Can dogs cry from sadness or happiness?

People readily attribute human feelings, complex emotions and thoughts to animals. Often such “humanization” is not only erroneous, but also dangerous.

Of course, dogs are emotional creatures. They can experience both sadness and joy, but crying from an overabundance of these feelings is definitely not.

Tearfulness in a dog has nothing to do with their mood or state of mind. The fluid in the eye has a purely biological function – it washes and moistens the cornea of the eye.

Why are my dog’s eyes watering?

It is important to understand that discharge from the eyes is a natural physiological process. Normally, tears are clear, leave no traces and do not bring discomfort to the dog. However, if the discharge has become too profuse or has become colored – show your pet to the veterinarian.

Excessive lacrimation is a common sign of an allergic reaction. It may also indicate a blockage of the lacrimal duct or an infection. This in turn is dangerous in that it may lead to complications in the form of conjunctivitis, uveitis and corneal inflammation.

What’s important to know?

Take care of your dog’s hygiene. Wipe the area around the eyes regularly with a cotton pad or clean cloth. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Give your pet clean, fresh water. Poor liquid quality can also provoke copious tears.

Feed properly. An unsuitable or unbalanced diet often leads to problems not only with the eyes, but also with the dog’s gastrointestinal tract.