Drooling is very common in dogs when they see some delicious food in front of them, like a piece of meat. Their mouth starts watering and they feel the urge to grab that piece of bone in front of them. However, excessive drooling in dogs is not a normal sign and needs attention to detect the actual cause. There are various reasons behind sudden excessive drooling in dogs, one being when the dog is unwell.

What Causes Excessive Drooling in Dogs?

Pain and Poison
Dogs drool excessively if they have pain in their body or have consumed poison by chance. Insect stings or accidental consumption of phenyl, detergents, mothballs, mouthwash, chocolates, watch batteries, houseplant leaves, etc. can cause severe nausea, drooling, vomiting, choking and headache in dogs. Other causes of excessive dog drooling are urinary tract infection, ear infection, injuries and wounds in their body, eye problem, dental disorder, back problem, etc. All these health conditions can also cause excessive drooling in dogs while sleeping.

Digestive System Disorder
In this case the dog's stomach gets bloated and dilated due to twisting of the stomach and intestinal blockage. The dog is unable to belch or vomit the trapped food, gas or water and starts drooling severely. They also drool heavily if they have pain in their stomach.

Objects Hooked Inside their Mouth
When some foreign objects like a fish hook, a bone piece, a piece of string or wire gets stuck in their teeth or gums, it causes extreme discomfort in dogs, leading them to drool profusely. In such situations take your dog to a vet without any delay.

Dental Disorder
Gum diseases like gingivitis and tartar, dental decays, tooth fractures can also cause excessive dog drooling. Another cause of excessive drooling is when your dog suffers from bleeding or swollen gums due to any injury.

Motion Sickness
Some dogs often have motion sickness while traveling. Due to this, their stomach gets upset, they feel nauseated and start drooling excessively.

Liver Disease
Liver disease in dogs is a serious condition that leads to severe drooling and needs immediate treatment by a veterinarian.

Nerve Damage
If your pet has a damaged trigeminal nerve, due to injury and tumor, it is unable to close its mouth. It cannot move its facial muscles, and finds difficulty while eating and drinking. This causes the dog to drool profusely.

Rabies
Rabies is one of the most serious causes of excessive drooling. Dogs vaccinated against rabies also have a chance to catch the disease. If there are possibilities that your pet has rabies, take him to a vet immediately, as this can be a cause of drooling.

Drooling in Puppies

The frequency of drooling varies among different dog breeds. Puppies drool while sleeping or when hungry or at the sight of tempting food. What you can do is, keep some towels with you and wrap around its neck loosely so that it soaks the saliva. However, it is always advisable to go to a vet if drooling is excessive.

Drooling in Golden Retrievers and Boxers

A Golden Retriever is one of the most friendly breeds of dogs. Symptoms of excessive drooling are seen when the dog is a victim of all these excessive drooling symptoms. However, gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) is a condition when the stomach is twisted and the contents of the stomach get trapped leading to swelling and bloating. Under this condition, the dog suffers from intense uneasiness and starts drooling heavily. If this is the case, the dog needs immediate medical assistance. Similarly, excessive drooling in Boxers is very common, as they are also susceptible to gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) and other excessive drooling symptoms. So, a regular checkup by a veterinarian is always suggested.

As mentioned, drooling in dogs may not be a cause of concern always, but the cause of the excessive drooling needs to be determined and addressed. It is always wise to take your pet to a vet to rule out any serious health conditions.