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why dont dogs get fur balls like cats do when they lick themselves?

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Answer #1

Well, one thing, they don’t do as thorough of a job cleaning themselves, and therefore don’t swallow near the amount of hair. I’ve heard of dogs getting hair balls during times of stress, or when having a dermatitus flareup, and they lick themselves bald in spots. So tho it’s not common in dogs, it’s not unheard of, either.

Answer #2

A cat’s tongue has backwards-facing spines about 500 micrometres long, which are called papillae. They act like a hairbrush when the cat is grooming itself, and like the bristles on a hairbrush, they trap hair. The only way to clear that hair is to swallow the hair.

A dog’s tongue is smooth and so does not do the same.

Answer #3

No they do! My dog had hairballs. She is a pomaranian and has a lot of hair. She coughed just like a cat with hairballs and I called the vet. He told me to get some hairball medicine for cats. I gave it to her for a couple of days and haven’t heard one hack from her since!

Answer #4

cause most dogs have tougher fur. and when dogs lick themselves they lick their privets(cleaning them. they don’t lick their back or another part unlike cats do.

Answer #5

Thank you guys, I stand corrected on the dog hairballs, but the cat physiology still stands.

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