Why Poodles Drool Excessively (And What To Do!)

Intelligent, friendly, clean, and lovely– there’s much to love about Poodles. However, there is one thing that all Poodles have in common which a lot of people don’t like: They drool! And it can be quite a mess. Ever wondered why your furbaby drools more than normal?

The good thing is drooling in poodles is not always a cause for concern. It may come as a result of hunger, stress, teething, or temperature extremes and this may be normal bodily reactions to stimuli. Only under rare cases can it be attributed to underlying medical issues.

Therefore, if you’ve got a Poodle, you don’t need to be upset about their drooling. It’s not that there’s something wrong with them, it’s just a normal bodily reaction. In this article, we will be discussing in detail why Poodles drool and what you can do about it.

Is Drooling Healthy For Poodles?

Even before we sink deeper into examining the causes of drooling, let’s first find out whether drooling is healthy or harmful for Poodles.

Well, the fact is that it is both beneficial and harmful to Poodles in different ways.

Yes. You read it, right. Drooling can be BENEFICIAL!

Just like any other dog, drooling in Poodles serves a number of purposes and can be considered natural bodily functions. It assists in digestion, helps ease pain, regulates body temperature (to some extent), spread saliva to aid with chewing food and mouth scent, and protects the throat and teeth from foreign objects. Drooling also moisturizes their coats which protects them against environmental damage.

On the other hand, too much of it may affect their respiratory system and cause congestion. Moreover, they also tend to slobber all over, which is not only unpleasant for the owner but also gives them a very unhygienic appearance.

With that said, let’s proceed and examine why Poodles drool and what you can do about it.

Why Your Poodle Is Drooling Excessively

Drooling is common in dogs and shouldn’t be viewed as a serious problem, especially if it occurs occasionally and on an isolated basis. However, a sudden or frequent increase in drooling frequency should raise some concerns. Here are some of the reasons why your Poodle is drooling excessively;

• Hunger: Some poodles drool because they are hungry. So, the next time they drool while looking in your direction, think about serving them their food! Additionally, Poodles tend to drool while eating, so a slightly messy eater could also be the reason behind their slobbering.
• Stress: Poodles in distress over anything may drool excessively as well. This includes stress caused due to allergies or something along those lines. Other causes of stress that poodles experience include fear and anxiety, which can result in drooling.
• Teething: Newborn poodles start teething almost immediately after birth, and it’s their first source of defense. When they feel discomfort, this may result in excessive drooling.
• Temperature Extremes: If a Poodle is feeling hot or cold and is drooling because of that, you should let them rest and cool down. You can also give them some water to drink.
• Congestion: A congested Poodle tends to drool more and they tend to hack and pant more often as well. Thus, it’s better if you pay a visit to their vet beforehand so as to avoid any severe complications.
• Medical Issues: Under rare circumstances, drooling might be an indication of some underlying medical issues such as seizures or epilepsy, rabies, stomach upsets, infections of the mouth or teeth, nerve disorders, and more.

Unfortunately, dogs are unable to tell us why they drool or what’s making them feel uncomfortable. In order to understand their drooling behavior better, you can take your dog to the vet for a check-up, so as to rule out any underlying medical issues. Then in case it turns out that there isn’t anything wrong with them, you should find some ways to manage their drooling.

How You Can Prevent Your Poodle From Excessive Drooling

Now that we know why drooling happens in Poodles, next is how to prevent it. There are several ways to do this-

• Maintain consistent feeding times: Feed your Poodle at the same time and in the same quantity every day. This helps make sure that they don’t get extra hungry, which might lead to excessive drooling.
• Exercise regularly: One way of keeping your Poodle from drooling excessively is taking them for a walk or some other form of exercise daily. Exercising prevents drooling by keeping your Poodle’s body temperature and digestion in check.
• Create a favorable environment for them: As aforementioned, if your dog is feeling hot, he may start drooling. Therefore, it’s best to keep your Poodle in an environment that is neither too cold nor too hot. You can create a more favorable environment for them by cooling and heating the room accordingly.
• Provide safe food: Food poisoning can cause drooling. To prevent this from happening, only feed them safe and healthy food. Avoid foods that you know are more likely to attract bacteria.
• Give them toys: A lot of poodles need to chew on something, so you can give them a chew toy, which will prevent them from chewing up things around the house. Chewing helps maintain bone and teeth health as well as reduces drooling to some extent.
• Examine their throats more often: Examine your dog’s throat, especially after they have eaten something. If there is anything lodged in their throat or if the drool smells bad, this should be taken care of immediately by a veterinarian.
• Provide extra attention to them: Show your Poodle how much you love and care for them through affectionate gestures such as petting, cuddling, etc. This will make them feel comfortable and loved within the family, which can significantly reduce their drooling behavior.
• Seek Veterinary Attention: Where drooling is a result of some underlying medical issue, you should take your dog to the vet. The vet will examine your Poodle and provide recommendations of how to reduce their drooling.

A Few Tips To Guide You Identify The Cause

If you aren’t sure of what’s causing your poodle to drool so much, this is a good guide that you can follow when examining them –

• Drooling that doesn’t stop even after they have had enough water might be a sign of nausea and vomiting.
• Excessive drooling in hot weather may be a sign of heatstroke.
• Where your dog is having seizures or exhibiting odd behavior, he may be suffering from epilepsy.
• In case your dog is drooling excessively while resting, he could be experiencing nerve disorders.
• When your dog is drooling heavily, his stomach could be upset.
• If you notice that every time your Poodle wags its tail rapidly, it’s probably a sign of pain or discomfort somewhere in their body.

Important Precautions To Take If Your Dog Is Drooling Excessively

Once you notice that your Poodle is drooling excessively, you need to take the necessary precautions to help manage the condition and prevent other issues;

• Don’t let them lick open wounds; this can lead to infection.
• Don’t let them lick around their rear; this can lead to incontinence.
• Keep your Poodle away from the kitchen and any other place where cleaning fluids are present.
• Don’t give your Poodle any medications without checking with a vet first.
• If you frequently come into contact with other dogs, make sure that they are up to date with vaccinations so that they don’t get infected or sick yourself.

When Should You See A Vet?

If your Poodle is drooling excessively and you are unable to determine the reason, then you should take them to a vet. A vet will be able to diagnose their condition by asking about the symptoms and looking at any visible symptoms.

Also, if you notice that the drooling is frequent and results in a bad odor, then you should take your Poodle to the vet immediately since they are experiencing some sort of infection.

Additionally, if your Poodle is drooling excessively and it’s accompanied by vomiting, fever, seizures, etc., then you should take them to a vet as soon as possible.

Final Verdict:

While drooling is usually not a reason for concern, there are instances where excessive drooling is the result of some underlying medical issue. If you notice that your Poodle is drooling excessively, make sure you take necessary precautions to keep them healthy and happy. Where you can’t tell the cause of their drooling, the best bet is to take them to the vet, so that they can pinpoint the cause and suggest ways to manage your Poodle’s condition.