Drooling in dogs and cats

Important note for owners

In some large dog breeds, such as Mastiffs and St Bernards, heavy drooling is a natural feature. What should worry you is new or increased drooling, drooling in a cat, drooling from one side of the mouth, or drooling together with other signs. If there is blood in the saliva, see also the page on blood from the mouth.

Most common possible causes

• —Pain in the mouth. Periodontitis, fractured teeth, tooth resorption (TR), ulcers of the oral lining and, in cats, gingivostomatitis.
• —A foreign body. In dogs, a stick wedged across the roof of the mouth between the back teeth; in cats, a thread looped around the base of the tongue. Your pet paws at the mouth or cannot close it.
• —Growths in the mouth. Masses on the gums, tongue or palate can make swallowing and closing the jaws difficult.
• —Burns to the oral lining. From chewing an electric cable or contact with caustic substances, such as household chemicals.
• —Nausea, poisoning, overheating. Drooling can occur with nausea, motion sickness or stress, after contact with toxic substances — household chemicals, some plants, insecticides — and with heat stroke.
• —Liver or nervous system disease. In young animals, drooling is sometimes one of the signs of a blood vessel anomaly of the liver (a portosystemic shunt). Neurological disease can interfere with swallowing.
• —Rabies. In Ukraine it must be kept in mind: sudden drooling with a change in behaviour, difficulty swallowing or weakness in an unvaccinated animal, or after contact with a wild or stray animal, is a reason to contact a vet immediately.

When not to postpone an exam

• ✓Drooling has started recently or increased
• ✓Noticeable drooling in a cat
• ✓Saliva runs from one side of the mouth only
• ✓Bad breath, blood in the saliva or red gums
• ✓Your pet drops food, chews on one side only or eats reluctantly

Urgent help needed

• ✓Sudden heavy drooling with difficulty breathing, or your pet cannot swallow
• ✓Your pet suddenly paws at the mouth, gags or cannot close the mouth — a foreign body is possible
• ✓Suspected poisoning, or your pet has chewed an electric cable
• ✓Weakness, collapse, trembling, seizures or signs of overheating
• ✓A change in behaviour in an animal not vaccinated against rabies, or after contact with a wild or stray animal — don't touch its mouth at all, and keep it isolated

What you can do at home

• ✓Only if your pet is vaccinated against rabies and behaving as usual, check in good light whether something is stuck between the teeth or across the roof of the mouth; don't put your fingers in the mouth.
• ✓If you see a thread under the tongue, don't pull it — go straight to a veterinary clinic.
• ✓Wipe away the saliva with a soft cloth and offer fresh water.
• ✓Film the drooling and note what came before it: a walk, a car journey, a new food, household chemicals. You can send the video for an online consultation on Telegram — it helps to get your bearings, but it does not replace an examination.

What not to do at home

• —Don't pull a thread or fishing line from under the tongue — its other end may be deep in the digestive tract, and pulling injures the tissues
• —Don't force the mouth open or put your fingers in it if your pet is behaving unusually, trembling or having seizures
• —Don't induce vomiting unless a vet tells you to — with caustic substances it can make the burns worse
• —Don't give human medicines — many of them are toxic to dogs and cats

What diagnostics may be needed

• ✓Consultation: general condition, the parts of the mouth that can be seen, the circumstances in which the drooling began
• ✓A full examination of the mouth under sedation or anaesthesia, including under the tongue and the palate
• ✓Dental X-rays if the teeth are the source of pain
• ✓Blood tests and other investigations when a systemic cause is suspected; a consultation with your regular vet or a neurologist may be needed

A thread around the base of the tongue, a stick between the back teeth, a cracked tooth or resorption under the gums often cannot be seen while your pet is awake and won't let you look properly. And if the mouth is healthy, the cause is looked for in other organs — which needs tests, not photos.

How treatment may proceed

• ✓Treatment is chosen after the investigations — it depends on the cause
• ✓Removal of a foreign body, usually under sedation or anaesthesia, with an examination of the wound
• ✓Treatment of the teeth, periodontitis or gingivostomatitis when clinically indicated
• ✓Pain relief and other medicines — only as prescribed by a vet after an examination
• ✓If the cause is systemic, treatment is carried out together with your regular vet or a neurologist

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