Dogs drooling is completely normal, depending on the breed, the dog drools more or less.
But... to what extent is it normal? What happens if your dog is drooling a lot? We will discuss these topics below.
Causes of excessive salivation in dogs:
There are dogs that drool more than others and that largely depends on the shape of their lips and jaw. Some examples of breeds that drool a lot are the Saint Bernard, the Bulldog, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the Hound, the Boxer, the Newfoundland, and many others, but the main common characteristic that we can distinguish is the shape of the lips. These types of dogs usually have "hanging" lips.
But... What if your dog is drooling more than normal? There are a series of factors that must be taken into account to determine if it is necessary to take the furry dog to a consultation with the veterinarian or if we can handle it ourselves.
Excess salivation is called ptyalism and can occur due to:
1. Arousal:
Our dog can start to salivate a lot when he gets excited and has a very strong stimulus, such as the smell of a dog that is in heat, the excitement of receiving you when you get home, when playing with something he really likes, such as his ball. and they are waiting for you to throw it to them, when they hear something that alerts them like an unknown noise or some other animal in the distance.
In this situation, drooling is completely normal and we should not be alarmed.
2. Presence of Food
You've probably noticed that as soon as you show him some food or he just smells it, he starts to drool a lot. This is a natural reaction of the dog that serves to prepare its body to digest the food.
In dogs, the digestion of food begins in the mouth. Saliva helps dogs process the food we give them, facilitating chewing and promoting swallowing.
The more he likes the food that is generating the stimulus, the more your dog will salivate.
3. Thirst
If your dog is drooling and it is not a result of excitement or food, it may be a sign of dehydration.
In this case we will see excess salivation accompanied by other symptoms such as exaggerated panting and white gums.
It is essential to keep your dog well hydrated and carry water when you go on very long outings in areas where you have no guarantee of finding a source for your dog to hydrate.
It is also important to control the level of energy expenditure, especially in puppies that become overexcited and begin to run non-stop.
In this case you can supplement their dry food diet with wet dog food 2-3 times a week. Wet food helps dogs stay hydrated and in turn is an exquisite snack that drives them crazy.
4. Mouth problems
Another reason why you may see your dog drooling excessively is that he has a problem in his mouth. Some examples of these problems could be a rotten or infected tooth, an injury caused by chewing on branches or something hard, or something getting stuck between your teeth.
It can also be a symptom of diseases or infections such as gingivitis, gum inflammation, or even tumors. This may be the cause, especially if we notice a bad odor in their breath in addition to excess drool.
There are products that help your dog keep his teeth and gums clean, such as Plaque Off that is added to his food every day or natural snacks that clean his teeth through chewing.
5. Use of medications
Some medications and especially tranquilizers that are very common for managing pain that our furry friends may have, as well as impulsive behaviors that we want to correct.
However, in many cases these medications cause excessive relaxation and one of those symptoms is that your dog is drooling a lot. If you are medicating your dog and you think this may be the case, we recommend that you consult with your veterinarian so that they can assess the severity of the situation and determine if it is necessary to remove or modify the dose of the medication.
6. Intoxication
In this case, in addition to seeing your dog with excessive drool, you will surely identify other even more important symptoms such as vomiting, tremors, foaming at the mouth, cough, breathing problems, fever, among other symptoms.
If your dog drools a lot and also has one or more of these symptoms, it is essential that you go to the veterinarian as an emergency, poisoning must be treated as soon as possible since time is vital to avoid any major problem.
This can occur by eating spoiled food, being stung or bitten by an insect, ingesting a chemical or poison, etc.
What should I do if my dog drools a lot?
You already know that there are different factors why your dog may drool more than normal that are not of concern. Furthermore, these occur to us at many times of the day, however, it is important that you carefully observe all the details of their behavior to ensure that excessive salivation is not accompanied by another symptom that indicates a reason that is of greater concern.
In that case and in any case in which you have doubts about your dog's health, we recommend that you visit your trusted veterinarian to make a professional diagnosis.
If you have any questions about this topic or any other, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to answer them. Until next time =D
