Why is my dog's tongue darker after dog hotel stay? Should I worry?

Question

I just picked up my dog after 5 days of being at a petsmart dog hotel. For some reason his tongue looks much darker than usual. What does this mean? NOTE: I do not mean the black dots, he has those usually. I am referring to the whole coloring of his tongue. Is there anything medically this could signify or something that could have happened at a boarding facility for this to happen? He also came back more itchy and smelling bad (not sure if related). Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | neutered | 8 months and 4 days old | 57 lbs

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

His tongue does not appear to be critically discolored or alarming. It is actually quite pink still. If it seems darker to you, you could always take him in to have his blood checked to make sure he does not have any red blood cell abnormalities or clotting disorders. Otherwise, it is too difficult for me to give you an exact diagnosis without examining him. I would have a vet examine it just to be on the safe side if it is still there and you are concerned about it. A hands on exam will give you so much more information than a picture.

Why is my dog's tongue darker after dog hotel stay? Should I worry?

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