Why Do Dogs Foam at the Mouth?
Today we’re going to answer the all-important question why do dogs foam at the mouth as this is a cause of major anxiety and distress for canine owners all over the world.
The trouble, of course, can be determining precisely why the foaming is occurring in the first place. Read on to find out more about foaming at the mouth and when you should be concerned should it occur.
What Is Foaming at the Dog’s Mouth?
As with humans, foaming at the mouth is an involuntary response and is the result of some kind of internal unrest, whether it be neurological, digestive, or other.
Though there are many different potential causes of mouth foaming, should the foaming be accompanied by muscular spasms, then this usually indicates that your dog is having a seizure, thus requiring the immediate intervention of a vet.
Interestingly, foaming quite regularly occurs without these additional muscle spasms, which is where things can become a little confusing when you’re trying to decide whether or not your canine companion has a serious underlying problem at hand.
Common Reasons for Foaming at the Mouth
When you’re pondering over the question why do dogs foam at the mouth, the most important thing you have is to determine whether or not your dog has been in contact with anything that could pose a potential toxic threat to its digestive system.
Common reasons for foaming often include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Indigestion
- Pain
- Trying to digest something harmful
- Seizures
- Severe muscular cramping
- Excess heat
- Incompatible medication (or too much medication)
There are other potential reasons too, but the above list covers the most likely causes that are most frequently encountered.
As we’ve previously mentioned, the key is to consider where your dog was over the past hour and what it was doing. If it hasn’t been outside or been at risk of eating anything it shouldn’t, then the cause of the foaming is more likely to be as a result of an underlying health issue.
If your dog is taking medication, then this too could be one of the other foaming causes. This can either be due to an adverse reaction to the medication or because your dog has ingested too much.
When your dog hasn’t been outside or taken medication, you can rule these possibilities out and the likely reason is a seizure provided muscular cramping is present.
Conclusion
Many people ask why do dogs foam at the mouth, and the truth is that there isn’t one simple answer, as you’re now aware.
Based on the information above, it’s safe to say in summary that when no spasms are present and your dog has remained indoors, the cause is likely stress. Should the foaming persist, however, this would likely indicate a far reaching issue and requires intervention. Intervention should also occur if you believe that your dog has ingested something harmful. Never leave it to chance.