Dog drooling

[MaryLennoxsScowl]

My 11-month spaniel has suddenly started drooling. He has been picky with his food for a week or so (has to be cajoled into eating kibble or only eating part of the meal) which isn’t that unusual for him, but he will eat any treats on offer. He’s bright and perky and plays as usual. But he’s leaving puddles of drool when he’s been lying still and his jaw is all wet. This started yesterday. I noticed him drooling more than usual over the last couple of weeks when running around outside but put that down to the hot weather. It isn’t hot here today and wasn’t yesterday either. He’s got plenty of water and I’ve looked at his teeth to see if he’s damaged one or got something stuck and can’t see anything. He doesn’t react to having his stomach poked. The internet suggests a huge range of possibilities but mostly seems to suggest he would be showing other symptoms alongside. I’m reluctant to phone the vet as they’re only doing emergencies. Can anyone suggest anything, please?

[threemilesupthreemilesdown]

Your vet will be doing risk-assessed urgent and essential work too, and many have teleconsultation arrangements in place - please do call them for advice.

[JKScot4]

Call vet, sudden drooling can be a sign of having ingested something toxic, are his gums pale?

[MaryLennoxsScowl]

His gums look the usual colour and he hasn’t been sick or anything.

[JKScot4]

I’d phone vets if I was you, one of mine was 3 hours from death with kidney failure when she arrived at vet, suspected ingestion. Had been drooling, no vomitting, next day it was her pale gums that made me go.
It could be something dental and non urgent but please call vet.

[MaryLennoxsScowl]

Thanks, I will. Was your dog off-colour or was it only the drooling? If he was miserable or anything I wouldn’t have hesitated but he’s playing and bouncing about as usual.

[JKScot4]

She was a bit lethargic but the next morning more so and the pale gums, I felt sick when the vet said how bad she was. 4 nights in vets and she recovered thankfully.

[DahliaDay]

How was your dog? All ok I hope

[DogInATent]

Ring the vet. Excessive salivation was a sign ours was in pain from her teeth. She's started lip-smacking again so when she's in for her jabs next week I'll ask the vet to check her teeth over again.

Combined with avoiding kibble, I'd suspect the teeth. See if they'll take wet food in the mean time. And don't be fussy about the wet food if they're not eating, Chappie or Pedigree Chum from the corner shop can spark an appetite when "better" foods fail.

[MaryLennoxsScowl]

The vet reckoned it was something caught in his teeth - we couldn’t find anything so kept an eye on him (I got up in the middle of the night in sudden fright he wasn’t ok but he was fine!) and the dribbling decreased and then went away over a couple of days so I think he had something stuck that worked its way out. He spent ages chewing on his yak chew so I concluded his teeth couldn’t hurt. He was always eager to eat anything that wasn’t kibble so perhaps he was just being a picky sod over that. He’s now eating it again.

[suggestionsplease1]

Glad it's sorted! When my dog had similar symptoms it was due to a large splinter of wood in his tongue which then became swollen, so he needed to have that removed and some stitches.