WRITTEN BYVirginia LaMon, DVM Veterinarian Dr. Virginia LaMon graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She completed her clinical year at Auburn…,On hot summer days or after a particularly long game of fetch, you might wonder: “Do dogs sweat like humans do?” It may not seem like it, but yes, dogs do sweat—they just sweat differently than us. Here’s what to know about dog sweat and how you can help your pup keep cool. How Do Dogs Sweat? Instead of sweat dripping down their face or underneath their limbs—common in overheated humans—most dog sweat is released through glands in the paw pads. And, unlike humans, sweating is not an effective way for dogs to cool themselves. Dogs have two types of sweat glands: Merocrine sweat glands are made of secretory cells and are mostly found in the paws. When a dog is hot or nervous, sweat is released—you might see your dog leave behind light, sweaty footprints as they walk. The sweat evaporates from the hairless paw pads and helps release a small amount of body heat. Apocrine sweat glands are throughout the dog’s body and are not used for cooling. Instead, these produce pheromones for dog-to-dog communication. The sweat from the merocrine sweat glands in a dog’s paw pads does not have the odor associated with human sweat. In fact, human body odor is the result of skin bacteria mixing with sweat. Sweat from the apocrine glands is also not an odor us humans can smell. However, the pheromones found in the sweat from the apocrine glands can be picked up by other dogs and are used to communicate.