As many dog owners know, our beloved canines tend to drool. Usually, our dogs drool when they are hungry or excited. Some degree of drooling is normal in dogs, particularly in breeds with big, loose lips such as boxers.
Excessive drooling is also triggered by psychological events such as fear, apprehension, and nervous anxiety.
However, excessive salivation on an ongoing basis is not normal. In fact, in extreme cases, it can lead to dehydration. In order to figure out why your dog is producing so much saliva, you need to get a good look inside your canine’s mouth!
Look for Foreign Objects
Look for anything that obviously doesn’t belong in your dog’s mouth, such as wood splinters, fish hooks, bone fragments, or bits of plant matter or fabric.
These could be embedded in your dog’s gums or tongue or wedged between her teeth or across the roof of her mouth.
If you find a foreign object in your dog’s mouth, use common sense to decide whether you feel comfortable trying to remove it. When in doubt, check with your dog’s vet.
Examine Your Dog’s Teeth
Examine your dog’s teeth. Sometimes a hairline crack right at the border of the gums can extend into the root, causing your pup pain and excess salivation. You might see a lot of blood.
Since the area inside a dog’s mouth is loaded with blood vessels, injuries there bleed a lot. For the same reason, small cuts, scratches, and even ulcerations in the mouth often heal quickly without you doing a thing.
As long as the bleeding is not excessive, place some hydrogen peroxide on a cotton swab or gauze pad and place it on your dog’s wound. The hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant and it can also clean the area so you can get a better look at it.
If you spot signs of infection, take them seriously. You can probably take care of a small amount of pus, irritation, or even mild gingivitis by simply dedicating yourself to a strict tooth-brushing schedule.
But most of the time oral infections need veterinary treatment since they can lead to more serious infections.
Dental Problems in Dogs
If your dog has areas of red, sensitive gum tissue, often with tartar accumulation and parts of the tooth roots exposed, with or without pus indicates gingivitis, which is a common symptom of dental disease.
If you discover any broken or cracked teeth, your dog is probably going to need some veterinary attention. Only the simplest cracks and breaks, right near the tip of the tooth and not exposing any of the gum can safely be left untreated.
As always, consult your veterinarian if you find anything abnormal and/or simply don’t feel comfortable looking into your dog’s mouth. Good luck!
For more articles with dog advice, check out our Dog Blog!