3 Reasons Why Your Puppy is Drooling so Much

Puppies are interesting and fun animals to have around, but you may have noticed that your puppy is drooling more than normal. Excessive drooling in puppies could be a sign of a medical issue and it’s important that you are aware of what could be causing this issue. Here are a few of the biggest causes of your puppy excessively drooling and what courses of action you should take to resolve the issue.

1. Your Puppy Has Ptyalism

Ptyalism is when there is an overabundance of saliva being produced, which is also known as hypersalivation. Puppies often times will develop ptyalism as a result of a congenital defect, with the most common defect being portosystemic shunts.

Yorkshire Terriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Miniature Schnauzers, Maltese, and Australian Cattle Dogs are more likely to have portosystemic shunts. This happens when the portal vein has been connected inappropriately to another vein. The blood ends up bypassing the liver, whereas normally the portal vein goes into the liver to help detoxify the blood.

Esophageal enlargement, which is hereditary in certain breeds of dogs, also are to blame for ptyalism. This could happen with both the Miniature Schnauzer and Wirehaired Fox Terrier. Other breeds also have a predisposition for it including the Great Dane, Irish Setter, German Shepherd, and Newfoundland. Hiatal hernias could cause ptyalism and it’s common among certain dog breeds like the Mastiff, Chinese Shar-Pei, and the St. Bernard.

2. Your Puppy Has Nausea

If your puppy is drooling a lot, then he could simply have a case of nausea that could be causing excessive saliva to be produced. When you are about ready to throw up, your body will send you signals that will produce the excessive saliva in an attempt to dilute the stomach content that is about to be expelled. Stomach content often is acidic and can really harm the esophagus and mouth as it’s coming out.

The acid found in stomach content also is known to cause an erosion of the enamel on the teeth. In an effort to reduce the acidity found in vomit, your puppy will begin producing more than normal amounts of saliva. Think of this as a protective coating for the throat and stomach and this could create uncontrolled drooling with your puppy.

Nausea and other related symptoms can also develop if the dog was in a place with poor temperature control. For example, dogs and puppies that have been in the garage with no proper ventilation can definitely suffer and start to show symptoms like excessive drooling.

3. Your Puppy is Anxious or Stressed

Anxiety or stress could also contribute to your puppy drooling excessively, especially if you are taking him on a car ride. Puppies can get motion sickness which is both stressful and anxiety-provoking. If it’s anxiety, you also might notice open-mouth breathing or panting as well.

The anxiety and stress don’t have to be related to car rides though, and it can happen during any stressful situation your dog finds himself in. You can put him in a place where those triggers are not present or try to redirect his attention with toys and treats. It’s always a good idea to take your dog to the veterinarian to ensure that the stress or anxiety isn’t being caused by an underlying medical condition.

How Can I Get My Puppy to Stop Drooling?

Since many medical issues could cause drooling, it’s important to see your veterinarian to rule out any dental problems or neurological issues. A physical examination is completed, and your veterinarian will look closely at the throat, gums, teeth, and neck. The treatment for stopping the drooling really depends on the cause of the drooling. Medications can help prevent the drooling if it’s stress related or anxiety-related. Treating the underlying medical or dental issue will most of the time help resolve drooling if that was the cause.