Reasons for drool

[InkedupTara]

If teeth have been ruled out, what can other reasons for intermittant drool be?

I have a chin who I rescued, Sissy, who has always been "off" but she drools sometimes. She wont really have any other signs of anything. Her poops are fine, belly isnt hard. She is eating and drinking fine. Weight is maintained and in fact gaining....

She gets a wet mouth time to time. I dont change their diet, and I dont mess with weird treats. They get one or 2 oat cookies a week and they are smaller then a pea. So any ideas?

 

[ticklechin]

If its not the teeth, look for pain elsewere. A chronic pain can cause drool, usually from the gut.

 

[InkedupTara]

What would be the options to diagnose that kind of issue?

 

[Silverrose]

Does the chin have/had seizures? I used to have a chin who drooled during a seizure episode.

 

[InkedupTara]

Not that I have noticed. She is a calm and slow mover. I am not sure what ever happened to her. Do you think a heat issue could have caused brain damage to cause that?

They did not have adequate care before I got them, and they claimed to have rescued her from someone else. She is missing a front paw. I was told it happened when a cage fell on her foot and she chewed the paw off and the vet finished it for her. So she did not have a good start in life.

 

[InkedupTara]

Any ideas on how to diagnose chronic belly issues?

 

[Claire D]

Is the chin on any pain relief?

 

[ticklechin]

You could ask the vet for famotidine and see if that helps, chins can get ulcers like humans which would cause chronic pain, just a thought.

 

[InkedupTara]

Oh I have some ulcer medicine here! Good idea! No she isnt on pain meds, I dont see anything other then her drool to indicate she needs it, and I figure if it is an upset tummy, then I dont want to add pain meds to her belly.

 

[ticklechin]

Run it past your vet first and see if from what he has saw of her would this be a good thing to try out.

 

[Claire D]

No she isnt on pain meds, I dont see anything other then her drool to indicate she needs it, and I figure if it is an upset tummy, then I dont want to add pain meds to her belly.

Chins can drool for a number of reasons which is why I was asking about pain meds - to see if we could theoretically rule pain out.

Some chins have a lower pain threshold than others - it could be that although the xrays have been interpreted as being ok your chin may still be experiencing some discomfort which is causing the drooling. I would also discuss with your vet whether it is worth considering a low dose of pain relief alongside the gut medication - two birds, one stone & all that.

 

[ticklechin]

Good idea, she could be on something like that for awhile to see if the drool ceases.

 

[InkedupTara]

The drool isnt an every day thing. It is off an one. One day she will, she will be good for a few weeks, and then she will do it again. But I will discuss it with the vet. Thanks