If you are like most people, then you love to eat spicy foods. However, you may be wondering if dogs can taste spice since some dog owners seem to believe that their pets enjoy the sensation of heat. While dogs have taste buds that can sense salty, sweet, sour, and bitter, they have significantly less than humans. This is because they evolved from wolves and had to learn to survive in the wild. As such, their primary senses are smell and touch.

They also have a can dogs taste spice organ in the roof of their mouth that improves their sense of smell. Therefore, their noses often prevent them from eating something that tastes bad. But if they do accidentally ingest a bit of spicy food, they are likely to experience uncomfortable symptoms such as licking their lips, excessive salivation, panting, head shaking, and backing away. In addition, they may drink a lot of water to try to flush out the spicy flavors in their digestive system.

Hot and Bothered: Understanding How Dogs React to Spicy Food

It is important to note that the spiciness of some spices is due to a chemical in them called capsaicin. This chemical binds to the receptors in human taste buds and makes food taste hot. However, the sensitivity to this chemical is different in dogs. Instead of sensing a taste, it triggers pain fibers in their mouth and throat that are activated by hot temperatures and strong mechanical stimulation, such as cutting or pinching. If your pet eats spicy food and experiences these uncomfortable symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.