Ptyalism in Dogs

Almost all dogs drool, especially if they are happy or excited, and even more so if they know they are about to get a treat. Saliva production is a normal response to stimulation. It lubricates the mouth, helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, and begins breaking down food for digestion. However excessive drooling caused by too much saliva in the mouth is not normal and can be a sign of a serious condition. There are a number of different causes for ptylism or excessive saliva production in dogs. Some can be local issues in the mouth or throat, while others are more systemic disorders. Rabies can cause excessive salivation, so it’s important to eliminate that possibility before seeking other treatment.

Salivation or drooling is universal among dogs and is not a sign of ill-health. However excessive salivation or hypersalivation occurs when the salivary glands produce more saliva than the dog is able to swallow. Veterinarians define this as ptyalism. The excess moisture can cause inflammation and irritation around the dog’s mouth and lips, and can be a sign of an underlying problem.  

Problems can often be detected by an increase in the level of salivation or a change in the saliva consistency. Recognizing excessive salivation will depend on knowing what is normal for your dog since some dogs drool more than others, especially among different breeds. Seek treatment if you notice any of the following symptoms in your dog:

• Drooling more than normal
• Drooling with no apparent cause
• Inflammation on the mouth or lips as a result of too much moisture
• Refusal to eat.
• Behavioral changes.
• Saliva has a white foamy consistency.
• Increased salivation is accompanied by sudden vomiting, diarrhea or other symptoms of serious illness.

Types

There are basically two types of situations which create excess saliva.

• Hypersaliosis or hypersalivation means that the salivary glands are producing an abnormal amount of saliva.
• Psudoptylism is when the dog is unable to swallow the saliva produced by the salivary glands. Although this is not actually an overproduction of saliva, it can look very similar to hypersalivation since the result will still be an excessive amount of saliva in the mouth.

• Irritation from a foreign object - sticks, stones or plastic toys can become lodged in your dog mouth and may cause excessive salivation as well as eventually pain and inflammation.
• Injuries to the mouth - cuts, scrapes or bites inside the mouth can lead to excessive salivation.
• Excessive emotions - dogs normally drool in response to emotional stimuli, but intense or traumatic emotions can increase this natural response.
• Motion sickness - nausea caused by motion sickness can increase saliva production, as can the anxiety of traveling in a car.
• Difficulty swallowing - irritation or blockage of the throat can make it painful or difficult for a dog to swallow which will lead to excessive saliva.
• Inflamed tonsils - these can also make swallowing more difficult.
• Medication - medication administration can cause increased saliva production, as can certain medications.
• Allergic reaction - severe allergic reactions cause increased drooling, among other symptoms.
• Poisoning - different types of poisoning can lead to excessive salivation. As symptoms worsen, the dog will often start to foam at the mouth.
• Infectious diseases - rabies and certain forms of distemper can lead to excessive salivation and foaming at the mouth.
• Seizures - some seizures can cause excessive salivation or foaming at the mouth.
• Tumors - certain types of mouth tumors, including malignant cancer tumors, can cause excessive salivation.
• Mouth defects - congenital defects in mouth conformity can make it difficult to swallow and lead to excess saliva.
• Kidney Failure or Hepatic encephalopathy - both of these systemic failures will cause excessive salivation.
• Disorder of the salivary glands - abscess or inflammation of the salivary glands can sometimes cause excessive salivation.

It’s important to rule out rabies before attempting any examination, but this is relatively easy if your dog has been vaccinated and isn’t exhibiting any other rabies symptoms. Once this possibility has been ruled out, the veterinarian will perform an oral exam on an office visit. If your dogs has no other signs of ill health, the veterinarian will also check for irritation of the mouth or throat, tumors, inflamed saliva glands and other local causes.

If no local cause is found, or if there are other signs the veterinarian will perform further tests to check for infectious diseases or other systemic problems. Pay attention to when your dog produces excessive saliva, and try to look for patterns or triggering causes. Check for other signs such as lack of appetite, increased thirst, vomiting, or diarrhea. Supporting signs can often be important for an accurate diagnosis.

Cleanse your dog’s mouth with an antiseptic solution and keep the skin as dry as possible until you can seek treatment. Salivation accompanied by other serious symptoms or foaming at the mouth should be treated as an emergency since it can be the result of poisoning or severe allergic reaction. Most other types can be treated on an office visit at your earliest convenience.

If there is a foreign object in your dog’s mouth, it can usually be removed in a single appointment. Medication may be prescribed to help heal cuts or scrapes inside the mouth, as well as throat infections that lead to problems swallowing. These are usually easy to treat and clear up quickly.

Inflamed and abscessed salivary glands can also often be treated with medication. Occasionally removal of the gland may be necessary. Tonsillitis and more serious issues like tumors may also require surgery. This will generally be minor surgery, but there is always a certain amount of risk as well as recovery time. Congenital mouth defects will most likely not be modified with surgery unless they create a serious problem.

If the excessive salivation is due to kidney failure or an infectious disease, it will depend on the severity of the condition and the degree to which it has progressed. Advanced conditions may be difficult to treat or dialysis may be required in the case of kidney failure.

Most local causes for excessive salivation can be treated, and your dog will make a full recovery. If the salivation is due to intense emotions, it is likely part of your dog’s personality and will not be treatable. It can be managed however with good hygiene. Salivation due to motion sickness can also be managed by limiting car rides as well as adjusting the dog’s position and opening windows. Medication can be prescribed before long car rides.

Monitor your dog’s mouth closely for foreign objects as well as cuts and scrapes to catch any problems as soon as possible. If poisoning or allergic reaction was the issue, take steps to prevent the situation from recurring. Most other sources of excessive salivation are difficult to prevent, but, with regular monitoring, they can be recognized early and treated.