What does it mean when a dog drools

Dr. Mark is a veterinarian. He works mostly with dogs and exotic animals.

If your dog starts drooling excessively, find out what is wrong as soon as possible.

lacylu 42455774126, cc-by, via flickr

Why Is My Dog Drooling?

Has your dog started to drool a lot? If your dog does not normally drool a lot but has started drooling everywhere, find out what is wrong and what you can do about it.

Excessive drooling is one of the worst problems for some dog owners. Every time the dog goes to the water dish, they leave a mess, and a dog with facial hair is that much harder to clean up after. If you bought a drooler like a St. Bernard, you might have known what you were getting in for, but if your dog was never a drooler before, there might be something you can do about it.

Reasons Your Dog Might Be Drooling a Lot

1. Heat stroke
2. Poison
3. Foreign body in the mouth
4. Abscess in the mouth
5. Dental problems (like an abscessed tooth)
6. Nausea or painful abdomen
7. Cancer in the mouth
8. Any infectious disease that causes nausea
9. A contagious disease that does not allow him to swallow—think rabies first!

Other less common causes include portosystemic shunt, myasthenia gravis, and polymyositis.

Other Signs to Look Out for in Addition to Drooling

Some of these things may have been going on for a while and you have not noticed them or just figured they were a normal part of a dog's life. Pay attention!

• Bad breath
• Weight loss
• Sensitive to touch around the mouth
• Gagging
• Coughing
• Seizures

A stick or other object can become lodged in your dogs mouth and cause excessive drooling.

cc-by flickr articnomad 132455259

What You Can Do at Home

If you have looked at the reasons your dog might be drooling excessively, you have noticed that some of them are serious, but many of them are nothing to be worried about.

If your dog is drooling because of cancer, and you let it go for a few weeks, there may be no way to save him. Make your dog comfortable, make sure that he has water available, and make an appointment immediately. Do you really want a dog with advanced rabies running around your house? You need to find out what is causing the drooling and fast.

There are things you can do at home, but only after you know what is going on.

Some of the Tests That Your Vet May Need to Run

• Exam under anesthesia to look for any lesions: Some of these causes will make a dog very sensitive under examination and the only way to find out what is wrong is to do an exam while your dog is under sedation.
• Neurological exam.
• CBC or a complete blood count to determine if there is an infection.
• Screen for poisons.
• X-rays: If your dog has a tumor, for example, it may appear small but if it has invaded the jaw or sinuses it will not do much good to just remove it.
• Serum biochemistry.
• Urinalysis to look for metabolic problems.
• Abdominal ultrasound if your dog is feeling nausea but the cause cannot be determined.

If your dog has a bad tooth (or teeth) it may cause him to drool a lot.

cc-by flickr grahaminteractive14373687

Possible Treatments for Excessive Drooling

This will really depend on the cause, but do not assume this is going to be something that you will not be able to treat.

• Remove a lodged stick or other foreign object from the mouth.
• Extract an abscessed broken tooth.
• Treat an infectious disease with antibiotics.
• Remove a tumor from the mouth.

If your dog is drooling a lot and has behavioral changes, rabies has to be considered.

Schedule a Visit With Your Vet Now

If your dog has a stick lodged in her mouth, a broken tooth, or is just salivating a lot because of something she ate, you should schedule a visit with your regular vet now and help her feel better. This drooling problem can clear up right away or in a few days and your lives can return to normal.

Some dogs have a more serious cause, of course, like cancer growing in the mouth, but the sooner you take your dog in the better her chances of recovering. Get them in today. If your regular veterinarian cannot schedule an appointment for your dog take her to an emergency clinic . . . it may be worth the extra expense.

A strange object in your dogs mouth will always lead to excessive drooling!

cc-by flickr australianshepherds 2091958278

Further Reading

• How to Save a Choking Dog's Life
  If your dog is choking, you need to act fast. Find out what to do now.

References

Freudenreich O. Drug-induced sialorrhea. Drugs Today (Barc). 2005 Jun;41(6):411-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16110348/

Kelmer E, Kelmer G, Kerl ME. Diagnosis and successful treatment of a caudal lingual abscess in a geriatric dog. Can Vet J. 2007 Aug;48(8):852-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1914323/

Cattai A, Levorato S, Franci P. A case of acute postoperative transitory sialadenosis of the submandibular glands in a healthy dog. J Vet Med Sci. 2017 Jan 10;78(12):1907-1910. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5240774/

Franco-Martínez L, Horvatić A, Gelemanović A, Samardžija M, Mrljak V, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Martínez-Subiela S, Dąbrowski R, Tvarijonaviciute A. Changes in the Salivary Proteome Associated With Canine Pyometra. Front Vet Sci. 2020 Jun 11;7:277. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7300179/

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question: My 2 yr old dog just started having a lot of saliva come out her mouth out of nowhere and she never ever drools or anything. Should I be worried about my dog's excessive saliva? This is the first time this has happened.

Answer: Your dog may have a foreign body (like a stick) lodged in the throat. Take him to your regular vet for an exam as soon as possible.

Question: My 4-year-old lab has had loose stools for the past two days. She's started drooling heavily and is restless; she's also refusing water and food. She does sometimes eat apples on the ground from our apple trees. This behavior is unusual for her. Any idea what's going on?

Answer: There are several possibilities. She may just be having a mild reaction to the fruit because of the sugars. I do not know why she is restless unless it is because of the stomach ache. There is also a possibility she has eaten enough apple seeds to make her sick. They are poisonous if many are consumed.

Question: My 10-month-old Irish terrier has had clear, grayish discharge from his eyes for a month. Now he is very sad, has slowed down, has bad breath, and a couple of days ago his mouth got wet, as though he just drank water. What's wrong?

Answer: If your puppy is depressed and moving around slowly at this age, then there is a serious problem. He needs to be examined by your vet. He may have a foreign body in the mouth, organ failure (like a kidney disease), or a systemic infection. I cannot tell you what exactly is wrong without an exam and bloodwork.

Question: My dog has recently just started drooling in his sleep, his beard is always soaked. I don’t know if it’s because of the hot weather or not but he’s never been one to drool. He is a pure bread havanese and has been throwing up not regularly but a few times in a month. Is this serious?

Answer: Although you do not indicate what age your Havanese is, the most likely problem with excessive drooling in this breed is dental problems. It would also account for the periodic vomiting, since if he is swallowing a mouthful of pus from time to time it will upset his stomach.

Get him checked out as soon as possible. The vet can look at his teeth, feel for any loose ones, but may have to do an x-ray to look for infections deep in the roots.

He may also need to be put on antibiotics before the procedure.

Question: My dog drools excessively, and he's lost a lot of weight. He is still losing weight. What should I do?

Answer: Your dog may have a blockage in his throat, a tumor growing in his GI tract, or even a rotten and abscessed tooth. There is nothing that I can recommend you do at home until you find out what is wrong.

Question: My six-month-old mastiff started drooling a lot about two days ago. Then yesterday he had a lot of gas and had a hard time peeing. Should we be worried? He just got his rabies shots yesterday.

Answer: Did the symptoms start before he was vaccinated for rabies? If they did, you should realize that it is not a good idea to vaccinate a dog that is sick.

If they started after the vaccine, it is possible that this is a vaccine reaction. He needs to be examined by your regular vet.

Yes, either way, you should worry. He may be a very sick dog.

Question: My four-month-old mini schnauzer suddenly started drooling excessively while asleep. Is this teething?

Answer: Puppies start losing their puppy teeth and getting their adult incisors at 16 weeks, so about 4 months. That is most likely what is going on with your dog. If he is acting abnormally, has any other behavioral changes, is lethargic or is not eating normally, you should take him to a visit with your regular vet.

Question: My fifteen-month-old husky is drooling really bad and breathing sounds like he's had pneumonia we took him to the vet and all test are negative, now they are sending users to a neurologist for his brain. Do you have any thoughts?

Answer: A young Siberian with excessive drooling may have a portosystemic shunt. Here is an article with the symptoms. https://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Health/Portosystemic-...

Question: Why is my pitbull drooling ?

Answer: There are many possible causes of drooling. Examine his mouth, and have him checked out by your veterinarian.

Question: How do I know if my dog had a seizure?

Answer: The only way to tell for sure if your dog had a seizure is to see it happen. After, a dog will have symptoms like excessive drooling, stiffness when walking and getting up slowly, and in some cases, a dog will be disoriented and may even bite (even if he would not normally do so).

Question: My dog just started to express a lot of water from his mouth. It isn’t thick drool. It’s like he’s just come from his water dish with water in his mouth. What might be the cause?

Answer: Some dogs will have very thin saliva, so any of the reasons in the article (foreign body in the mouth, etc.) are a possibility.

It is also possible that the water coming out of his mouth is a very thin vomit. The most likely reason for a very thin liquid like you describe is a toxic plant or grass. You can read https://pethelpful.com/dogs/my-dog-is-vomiting for more possibilities and try to hold off on food to see how he does. However, if this continues, you are going to need to take him to your regular vet for an exam.

Question: My 5 month old Shar-Pei drools excessively whenever we take her for a ride in our vehicle, but never at home. Is this drooling caused by anxiety and is there anything we can do to curb this?

Answer: It is a symptom of nausea. It is much easier to prevent than to treat, Some puppies will grow out of it alone but you should try taking care of it now so that your dog is not so stressed out;

Call your dog, put her in the car, tell her what a good dog she is, take her around the block, give her lots of praise, then take her home and give her a treat and lots of praise. That is it. Do this every day, but do not make the ride longer than a minute or two. Make the idea of getting into the car for a drive a lot of fun.

Some people recommend crating the dog during the trip. I think this is a bad idea unless you have large unruly dogs that need to be crated in back. If your Shar pei is loose and able to look out the window she is less likely to have problems.

Car sickness can also be treated with antihistamines. They will make the dog sleepy and she is less likely to be stressed out during the ride. I do not recommend this unless this keeps going on despite behavioral treatment (short rides around the block, lots of praise, etc.)

Question: Why is my four-year-old Mastiff slobbering like crazy?

Answer: If your dog starts drooling excessively, a lot more than is normal, consider all of the causes in the table posted in the article. You will need to have his mouth examined and determine if there is a foreign body, and injury, or a broken and abscessed tooth. Get your Mastiff in to see your regular veterinarian as soon as possible.

Question: Why do my two Siberian Huskies start salivating every time I take them to the dog's park?

Answer: Dogs can drool just from being excited. Your dogs know they are going to run around, and maybe find some treats that another dog owner has allowed to fall on the ground. That alone would be enough to cause a dog to start salivating.

Question: My eleven-week-old pit had a round bone lodged in her throat and collapsed(she wasn't breathing, moving, and had bowel movements). Once I realized what was going on I immediately dislodged the bone. She came to and now is breathing shallow/heavy breathes and is drooling quite a bit still. Should I be worried?

Answer: It sounds like you did a fine job and saved your puppy´s life. You should listen to her chest to make sure she does not have pulmonary edema, or take her to your vet and have him do a physical to make sure there is no lasting damage.

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/how-to-save-a-choking-...

Reggie on September 07, 2020:

Sir my Eight month old german shepherd just started drooling all of a sudden yesterday and it hasn't gone down .He also doesn't eat his food.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on August 25, 2020:

George, if her stomach is swollen too this is an emergency. Get help now.

If not this is probably stress related.

George on August 24, 2020:

My dog started drooling a while ago, she's walking with her head down and even looks like she's about to vomit at any time. I'm not sure what might be the cause of this, there were loud fireworks around my house in the morning and those loud noises (thunder, heavy rain, fireworks, etc.) make her very anxious.

George on August 24, 2020:

My dog started drooling a while ago, she's walking with her head down and even looks like she's about to vomit at any time. I'm not sure what might be the cause of this.

Seri on August 17, 2020:

My 60 days puppy has started drooling

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on August 14, 2020:

Antonette--yes, it could be poison. I do not know what it is, and it is well worth your time and money to take your dog to a vet and have him examined immediately. If they are not able to determine the type of poison involved they will probably give activated charcoal to lock up any loose poison still in the bowel.

Kimberly--when is the last time your dog was examined? You are describing dental abscesses, common in old dogs. He needs to be seen by your local vet.

Antonette on August 13, 2020:

I saw my two dogs start to drolling at the same period of time and have difficulties eating and after one died could it be poison ?what can I used to treat the other one if it is poison?

Kimberly on August 12, 2020:

My dog is drooling and coughing, sometimes he vomits and he is 16 years old. What should I do?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on August 11, 2020:

Amaris, I assume they already did a good oral exam so the most likely possibility, since it started after the camping trip, is that your dog scratched up the inside of the throat eating a stick or some chicken bones. Most dogs get better but it does take some time to heal and it is not unusal to lose weight during this.They also drool, as you have noticed, since it is more painful to swallow.

You could probably get a diagnosis with an endoscope but I do not think it is worth stressing your dog out with this. I am glad you went to the vet and had blood work though to rule out other things.

Best of luck.

Amaris1113 on August 08, 2020:

I have a cockapoo who is 10 years old. After camping trip, she came home and started drooling excessively. In the beginning she was not quite herself, seemed more tired, and wasn’t really eating normally either. She’s been to the vet three times and they can’t figure out what’s wrong. Her blood work is normal and nothing came up on the x-rays, and they’ve done a sedated exam and everything comes back normal. She is starting to behave more normally after 2 mo the bit still drools excessively and hacks a lot.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on August 05, 2020:

Tracy, as far as I know that is not one of the usual side effects of that drug, but your dog may have had an unusual reaction. I am glad to hear he is eating and drinking okay, but I would suggest that you not use that again. Switch to a topical for fleas and for heartworm the medication in Heartgard (ivermectin) has been used since the 1990s, so we know a lot about it.

Tracy on August 05, 2020:

My 9 month old golden retriever was given interceptor with his lunch on Monday, for the past 2.5 days he has had excessive drooling. Otherwise he is eating and drinking as normal and has lots of energy to play and go for walks.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on July 13, 2020:

Ellwood, poisoning, internal bleeding, and cancer are all possibities. You cannot be sure without taking him in for an examination. If his gums are already pale he is severly anemic, and if this has happened fast it is an emergency.

Ellwood on July 13, 2020:

My dog is drooling and his gums are pale he is 10 years old. What might be going on .

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on June 23, 2020:

Kate, there is no such thing as "just an illness". If your vet does not examine your dog to find out what is wrong it can become very serious. Your dog may have laryngeal paralysis, inflamed tonsils, or any number of things. Make an appointment and have your GSD examined immediately.

Kate McDermott on June 22, 2020:

My 4 year old GSD, has started coughing and doing a swallowing motion. She is eating and drinking fine, but sometimes coughing when she’s eating. This has been going on for around 5 days and I have called the vet and they said it is just an illness and it will pass and only worry if she stops eating or becomes lethargic. Today I have noticed a lot of drool coming from her mouth, this is unusual. When it first started she was crazily eating the grass, but she is not doing that anymore. She has had coughs and sickness like this in the past, but they have always passed, although today the drooling has really worried me, I haven’t seen this before.

Stuart on June 16, 2020:

My dog has started producing a lot of saliva and coughs on the odd occasion why would that be should I take him to a vet immediately

Somgolie on June 13, 2020:

My lhasa has gust been drolin ,scraching its lie he is sick

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on May 31, 2020:

Margo, yes, at that age that is the most likely cause. If her breath becomes foul be sure to have her checked by your regular vet.

Margo on May 28, 2020:

Hi I have a five month year-old puppy and last night she woke up with draw all over her chin just wondering if that’s from teething or something she is eating fine using the restroom fine playing fine but she has not had her rabies shot yet

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on May 22, 2020:

Ellen, it depends on how long it has been going on. If this is a recent event you should be more concerned, if it is a chronic condition it is often an issue like a retained tooth. If this is excessive you should take your dog in to your regular vet for an examination.

Ellen Florence on May 19, 2020:

Hi my Lhasa female 1yr6 months today has just started to have excessive saliva . Her beard is continually been wet . Looked in mouth don’t see anything advice please

Lisa on May 12, 2020:

I have a 7 yr Lab bolor collie and purebred golden reteriever he has in the last 2 days start drooling his neck is usually soaked he is still eating and drinking alright for him nothing has change any ideas for me

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on February 02, 2020:

Franklin, the puppies need to be examined by your regular vet as soon as possible.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on February 02, 2020:

Chrissie, without an exam it is impossible to tell for sure but that sounds normal for a log that has loose lips. Newfoundandlands are like that too, they do not salivate more but it does leak out more often. The only way to take care of this is plastic surgery, so unless it is a gigantic problem it is just something to live with. Again, I am telling you this without examining your dog. The next time you take him to your regular vet point this out and he or she can look at the lip commisure.

Chrissie Dalton on January 30, 2020:

Hi, my golden retriever boy is nearly four. He salivates quite a lot when he’s waiting for his food, literally drips on the floor in anticipation of his food. But he also dribbles when he’s not eating. He often leaves a puddle on his bed in the morning from over night. His sister also dribbles when waiting for food but not to the same extent. He seems fine in every other respect, eats, drinks, poops & plays ok, though he does sometimes seem very quiet, eg, he’ll wander off to his bed & sleep quite early in the evening. Rabies is not an issue as we live on a Rabies free island.

Franklin on January 28, 2020:

I have 5 hybrid puppies ...A sheprador... which is a Labrador retriever breed and a German Shepherd breed...my 5 puppies 11 weeks old ... they are all drooling excessively at the same time...and are not active as usual... I'm really scared right now...they are not wagging their tail when I'm with them and not able to chew dog treats or take water...and no response to my commands anymore instead it keeps drooling for about 2 hours and scared of me ....I don't know what to do right now I'm scared I don't want to lose them

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on January 16, 2020:

Coleen, there are a lot of possibilities. it may be as something as serious as poisoning, or may just be nausea from eating something odd. The behavior you describe can be caused by either one.

It is up to you on how to proceed. I think you should take him in for an exam, strong palpation of the abdomen, and possibly x-rays, depending on the exam. You might wait, but if the drooling continues get him in for an exam.

Colleen oh on January 16, 2020:

Hi, I have a year old dog. This morning he was soak with drooling. Very odd for him.

Looking back and thinking whats going on with him. Last night I gave him a bully stick. He chewed on it for a few mins and stop. Not like him. He is a big chewer. Love to chew on sticks and horns antlers.

Anyways I am worried he ate something and its setting in his tummy or a problem with a tooth. I don't see anything when I look in his mouth. Thoughts?

In the past he had thrown up 3 or 4 times with sticks he has ate. But these times he never droop like now.

Other then these things. He is fine, eating, drinking, potting.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on November 30, 2019:

Miranda, are you able to look in his mouth? Consider a foreign body. Do you have a veterinarian that is willing to check him out for you? If he gets out and is in contact with other animals you do need to consider rabies.

Miranda Forrest on November 27, 2019:

I have a 9 year old Shepard/wolf mix and he started drooling not thick but thin but alot and won't put his head down he keeps just shaking it loosely n looking around like and when I called him he wouldn't get up I had to drag him out of a corner just to get him up I'm so worried.

Michelle garcia on September 26, 2019:

I have a one year old chawinnie and she is having a slippery slimy saliva....which hasn't happened before any ideas on what it could be and should i be worried for my children????

Niccimarie on September 05, 2019:

Thanks Dr Mark. After xrays and an ultrasound we found nothing wrong. My normal vet (she was closed over the holiday so I was taking her to a different one) integrates holistic medicine and we proceeded with treating for a possible ulcer (even though none were seen on the ultrasound). Gave her sucralfate and "stomach happy" herbal meds. The next day she was eating, pooping and wagging her tail...and most importantly NOT drooling any more! 2 days later she is still doing well and slowly getting her energy back enough to play! Will continue with both meds for a week just as a precaution. I love my baby girl, she’s a rescue turned service dog and I would have been devastated to lose her!

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on September 04, 2019:

Nicci--I hope things work out okay. You sound like a great person and she is lucky that you care so much.

Niccimarie on September 02, 2019:

Thanks Dr Mark, took her back yesterday and they did CBC, 15 chemistry panel, electrolytes test, pancreatic lipase test and all were normal except she was dehydrated. They gave her subcutaneous fluids and recommended we try Benadryl to see if that settles her drooling and possible upset stomach, also Prilosec. Did that and she vomited last night, won’t eat solid foods (dry kibble or green beans, which we loves), she would only eat dehydrated food that is hydrated to a soupy texture (I alternate Instinct dry kibble and honest kitchen dehydrated food as her daily food). She hasn’t pooped today and is still drooling excessively and drinking massive amounts of water. Both my vet and the other I took her to this weekend are closed today so I am taking her to a 24 hr emergency vet to ask for xrays and go from there.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on September 01, 2019:

Nicci--make sure the vet you see has access to the records from the first vet. The next step would be to do x-rays or an ultrasound of the abdomen.

Niccimarie on August 31, 2019:

My 5 year old am staff suddenly started drooling excessively and has no appetite. Took her to a local vet (her normal vet was closed) and they did a thorough exam. Her teeth are fine, mouth is fine, heart rate is fine, no temperature. They gave her a shot for nausea, 6 hours later still drooling excessively and still won’t eat. What should I ask the vet to do when I take her back tomorrow? Normal vet is closed until Tuesday bc of holiday, seeing a different vet bc of this.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on August 25, 2019:

Britt, it sounds like you have done a great work up. That list includes most of the things that should be ruled out, but if this were my dog I would want to get a second opinion. Ask the vet for a referral and tell him or her that you want the records sent to the other person you will be seeing, so that the same tests do not need to be twice.

Britt on August 24, 2019:

My German Shepard is drooling excessively.. 48 hours now.

He’s eating drinking and using the bathroom

I took him to vet they did blood work said no poisons showed up and teeth looked ok ..

I’m scared to death what else could it be ? I asked if he could have something lodged in his intestines they said wouldn’t show up on X-ray if he did ... but would be throwing up and he’s not !

I’m about to have a panic attack over it

Chi on April 10, 2019:

My dog is drooling alot from mouth for 2 days now had him for 4 yrs

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on December 01, 2018:

David, have you taken your Corgi to your vet? The most likely cause of his drooling is an infected tooth. They are painful. Get him taken care of as soon as possible.

David Eves on December 01, 2018:

PLEASE HELP!!! My 14 year old corgi is drooling excessively and has bouts of reverse sneezing. Any ideas???

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on November 24, 2018:

Yamel, with a 10 month old puppy I would be worried about poisoning or a foreign body in his mouth or intestine. There is not much you can do at home. Look in his mouth and see if you see anything, but if you do not he needs to be examined by your vet immediately.

Yamel on November 23, 2018:

Help! My 10 month old puppy is drooling excessively and his stool is liquid. He’s never drooled like this before and his stool hasn’t always been fine.

What can I do to help him?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on September 04, 2018:

Bev, has your vet xrayed your Doxies mouth to look for changes to the roots? If she has a deep infection that would account for the pain in her face.

If you are not happy with the way things are going, ask for a referral to your state veterinary college. They may not have any easy answers for you but should be able to find the source of the problem.

Your vet will provide your dog´s complete medical records at the time of the referral.

Bev on September 04, 2018:

My 12 year old dachshund had 9 teeth removed in March. Prior to that time there was no drooling but since quite a lot. I have taken her to the vet 3 times now and she seems to think it is due to plaque on her teeth. She has bad breath and doesn't want you to touch her face. I am at a loss as what to do next. Do you have any suggestions?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on July 15, 2018:

Faye, sudden onset in a young dog would make me suspect poisoning or a foreign body in the mouth. Get him to the vet as soon as you can and have him checked out.

Faye on July 15, 2018:

My Australian Shepherd & border Collie mix is 4 years old and he has been drooling excessively since this morning, what should I do?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on April 20, 2018:

Renee, I can not be sure if the excessive drooling is from an inability to close the mouth correctly (seondary to myositis), inflammation in the mandibular muscles, or an oral disease. Take him to your regular vet for an exam before going back to the university. Good luck with him.

Renee on April 20, 2018:

Hi, My 3-1/2yr old pit bull who I fostered at the age of 7 months then adopted was diagnosed with Myositis, he was on Prednisone for over a year, after taking him to Ohio State University, they determined he's Myositis is in remission. However he still has very bad breath and excessive drooling when food is around. He also licks the humans any chance he keeps for long periods of time. He also grinds his teeth/jaw at nice. He recently has been gagging and throwing up small amounts of barf.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on April 05, 2018:

Luis, you should call the vets office and let them know that things are not improving. The vet probably suspects a gastric ulcer or esophageal problem, and may want to continue the regimen for 10 days or 2 weeks to monitor the response. If things are not changing, let him know before starting over with another vet.

Luis P. on April 05, 2018:

My dog is a 2y1mo old old english bulldog, he would never drool. 2 days ago he started drooling constantly to the point everything is wet. I took him to vet yesterday and after examination I was told to give him famotidine 20mg once a day. Today nothing has changed, he is eating normally.

Should I wait a little bit more or get another vet to check him?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on January 13, 2018:

Mary Lynn, I would just toss the toy, but if this keeps up for a few days and you are sure there is no FB or oral problems, have a CBC done by your vet to look for an infection.

Mary Lynn Futers on January 13, 2018:

my dog has been drooling on the right side of his mouth. it has caused me such confusion as i am uncertain of etiology - pain, nausea etc. i know seem to think it starts after he plays (suckles) with a certain toy - so now I am thinking the toy is toxic. i have checked his mouth for FB and broken tooth - nothing. any recos?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on December 18, 2017:

Miguel, what kind of dog do you have, and how old is he? He might have a spinal disease. The drooling is just nervousness, the thing you should be worried about is the loss of balance.

Miguel on December 17, 2017:

What does it mean when my dog drools then right after start to lose balance on his back legs and he has a hard time getting up,why would that happen.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on December 04, 2017:

Bettie, is he drooling excessively or a normal amount? Is the drooling causing a skin infection or a lip fold infection?

Bettie on December 04, 2017:

Good morning Dr. Mark

Our golden retriever Lincoln stinks and we were told his drool gets on his fur and that is what causes the smell is there a natural home remedy.he is on raw food. We bathed him yesterday and the smell is back

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on November 23, 2017:

TK, maybe your dog is smart enough to realize that dry food is nasty overprocessed junk that is not fit for a dog. You can check his mouth or take him to your regular vet for an oral exam, but as long as you are offering alternatives that are better than dog food (canned chicken and turkey, for example) he is unlikely to eat that stuff again.

PS: I would never ask my dog to live on processed dog food. She eats a natural diet. Look into it.

TK on November 22, 2017:

My dog has stopped eating dry food. He will eat canned food and food in a roll and canned chicken and turkey with vegetables. He will also eat a raw hide treat. But why won't he eat his dry food anymore?

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on July 19, 2017:

Wendy, if it is mostly at niht, while roomin´, and no infections or lesions in the mouth, I would consider behavioral.

Wendy on July 17, 2017:

Hi, this info was helpful but I still have questions. My dog (20 month old, chocolate lab, female) does not drool so much all day/everyday, but often at night, laying down, cleaning herself, she leaves PUDDLES. I actually thought she lost bladder control it was so wet. She was tested for infections but is negative. She is being treated for stomach acid and seasonal allergies and takes 20 mg. Pepcid and 1-2 Benadryl daily. I'm starting to wonder if there is something more systemic that we are missing.....

Suhail Zubaid aka Clark Kent from Mississauga, ON on October 25, 2015:

Dr. Mark,

I can fully relate to your ordeal. This is pretty much my thing in summers of Ontario too. July-September went lazying around. K2 won't really put his heart and soul in hiking during those months hahaha.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on October 24, 2015:

Thanks, Suhail. I hope you and K2 are enjoying your Canadian fall. Down here it is hot and very dry (spring, of course) so I have only been taking my dog for long walks late at night when it is cooler.

Suhail Zubaid aka Clark Kent from Mississauga, ON on October 23, 2015:

Very informative hub indeed! Thanks for educating us.

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on October 23, 2015:

Hi Marie thanks so much for that nice comment. Hopefully most of us will not need this info but I want it out there in case someone does need it.

MarieLB from YAMBA NSW on October 23, 2015:

What a great hub. I had not read it before but this time I did not let it pass by! You do tackle some real difficult subjects and give us all the gen we need. Thanks DrMark 1961.

Bob Bamberg on October 23, 2015:

Thanks for the clarification on the timing of the symptoms, Doc. I would not want to witness a case of rabies in a human...talk about a feeling of helplessness!

Dr Mark (author) from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on October 22, 2015:

I saw a lot more rabies when I lived in Africa, not so much now since the government comes by and gives free rabies vacc to the farmers that own dogs (which is almost everyone). I even saw it in a person once--he was bitten by a rabid dog and did not follow his vacc protocol. Really sad.

Dogs lose the ability to swallow long before showing clinical symptoms, so they drool and can pass on the rabies virus long before the dumb or violent stages. It really pays to be cautious if your dog is drooling.

I always appreciate your comments. Hopefully you will get lots of ladybug visits again this year and will be around for AT LEAST another year!!!

Bob Bamberg on October 22, 2015:

Great hub, Doc! It's very easy for owners to dismiss a dog's drooling because "that's what dogs do." The same with excessive scratching or body odor..."all dogs scratch" and "all dogs have doggy odor."

The reasons for uncharacteristic drooling can produce some pretty heavy consequences, though, so this hub is a real service to owners.

The rabies mention made me cognizant of the fact that we're on a worldwide stage and rabies is a problem in some parts of the world. Here in the U.S., because of the legal requirement that dogs, cats and ferrets be immunized against rabies, we don't see it too often. Once every year or two, a rabid skunk, raccoon, or bat will be confirmed locally and the alert will go out to make sure pets are vaccinated.

I'm of the belief that a rabid animal is at the terminal stage when symptoms appear, and by the time it has reached the drooling stage, it's just hours away from death, but that they can transmit the disease even before they show symptoms. Is that right?

BTW, my ladybug hub is getting a ton of hits now. This is the time of year that the phenomenon occurs. Last year, it generated 340-something dollars for me in about two weeks. This year, though, they're not clicking on the ads. I haven't reached $7 yet, lol.

When should I worry about my dog drooling?

Is drooling normal for dogs?

Do dogs drool when stressed?