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Why Is My Dog Drooling After Eating Snow?
Ice melts contain urea-based materials, including salts like calcium, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride.
When the dog ingests it, it can trigger excessive drooling as a reaction along with some mild digestive upset.
Some of the larger ingestions might cause weakness, tremors, and higher methemoglobin in your dog’s blood.
There are some instances when the dog might not eat snow but will lick his paws. It makes them ingest some unwanted rock salt.
These small amounts can cause nausea, irritation in the mouth, drooling, and even vomiting tendency.
Here, in this article, I will talk about some easy remedies to treat your dog’s drooling right after he ingests snow. So, read along for better information.
Ways To Handle Dog Drooling After Eating Snow?
There are some special ways to handle when you see your dog drooling after eating snow.
Simple steps can go a long way here:
Step 1
I have tried tying a bib or bandana around my dog’s neck, and you could do the same. It reduces the current amount of secreted saliva and gives the dog something to absorb the saliva while it falls.
Step 3
Try laying a washable towel or rug on the floor, especially near your dog’s mouth.
Step 4
I would recommend you take your dog for a homeopathic remedy if you see minimal drooling and not something serious. However, with homeopathic treatment, you better be careful as not all dogs will react to such treatments well.
Symptoms of Drooling
It is better to learn about the symptoms of a dog drooling after eating snow to take care of it ASAP.
You might notice an increase in drooling or even a change in its consistency.
If your dog’s natural salivation changes without any mouth injury, then chances are high, it might have eaten snow.
There are some issues that you might want to look at beforehand.
- Eating snow will increase the quantity of drool in your dog.
- You might watch out for some neurologic symptoms, which indicate its exposure to snow.
- Pawning at the muzzle or face is another symptom of excess drooling among dogs.
- Some general behavioral changes like aggression and irritability are other signs as it indicates that the dog is in pain.
- Apart from increased drooling, dogs will show signs of sudden diarrhea or vomiting as signs of eating snow, and the appearance seems unwell.
- Dogs might drool with one foamy or white appearance.
- Swelling or redness of lips or mouth is one sign of excessive moisture, which results from drooling way too much.
Ways To Diagnose Excess Drooling
If you see your dog drooling after eating snow, you have to take it to a vet. The vet in charge will check the history of your dog’s health status, including details of any ongoing medication or vaccination history.
Some medicines might instigate more saliva formation, as with radiation therapy.
It is mandatory to rule out rabies during this stage and check for some other symptoms.
You must inform the vet about any possible exposure like snow, which can result in excessive drooling.
Your vet must first establish that it is excess salivation and difficulty in swallowing, which is actually causing the issue.
The doctor will first carry out a physical examination and will look for some depression signs.
He/she will have a proper look inside your dog’s mouth to establish if there is any local reason behind your dog’s uncontrollable drooling.
Most of the time, with dogs drooling after eating snow, the cause is inevitable.
In case the doctor fails to find anything in your dog’s mouth, he will start looking for any infectious disease or any sign of systemic illness affecting the dog’s entire body.
The vet will check your dog’s nerves and reflexes, and sometimes, ultrasound imaging and x-rays will be taken.
The main goal is to examine the internal organs of your dog.
Basic Treatment For Excess Drooling
The following are some points to consider once your dog starts to drool after coming back from a walk outside.
Carefully try to venture out these points.
Step 1
Step 2
If you notice any serious symptoms or foam formation in the mouth, it is better to take your dog to the emergency. It means your dog is having some severe allergic reaction. The treatment your dog receives solely depends on excessive drooling. Some conditions are pretty easy to solve, but then you have others, which might take some time.
Step 3
While eating snow, sometimes your dog might mistakenly eat any foreign object, which results in pain. You can easily remove those foreign objects by appointing an emergency meeting with your vet. The vet will provide medications for cuts if any, and for some mouth and salivary gland-based infections. It helps in clearing out dog drooling after eating snow easily.
Step 4
Get ginger pills for your dogs, available at health food stores. It can help to slow excessive drooling in your dogs. You can directly have a chat with your vet regarding some other remedies. Sometimes, vets might suggest prescription medication for your dog to find instant relief from excessive drooling.
Some Worst-Case Scenarios
In some of the worst-case scenarios, vets might suggest you remove your dog’s tonsil if it has been severely affected by snow.
However, there is nothing to worry about as the recovery time from such minor surgeries is pretty short.
On the other hand, I have seen vets talking about congenital mouth defects, which are quite severe.
Reasons For Dogs Getting Sick After Eating Snow
Not just excessive drooling, but your dogs can get really sick after eating snow.
There are so many reasons behind it. I would like to share some of my findings with you.
Sensitive Stomach
Eating too much snow can create stomach upset in dogs, especially if they already have a sensitive stomach. The dog’s stomach might react to the water gulped down all at once, causing vomit.
Ice Melts Or Contamination
Most of the time, the snow is dirty, which makes it conterminous and poisonous. So, if your dog starts eating ice melts, that will result in stomach upset.
Rock Salts Are Highly Dangerous For Dogs
Not just for dogs, ice melts are very dangerous for other living things.
Most ice melts contain potassium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium salts, or magnesium chloride.
None of these minerals are suitable for your dog, causing diarrhea and excessive drooling.
Ways To Limit Exposure To Snow
To prevent dog drooling after eating snow, it is vital to limit your dog’s exposure to problematic snow.
There are some simple steps I would suggest you follow as precautionary measures.
Step 1
Always clean your dog’s paws right after it comes back from a walk in the snow. Prevent it from licking the paws as ice melts might remain stuck to it.
Step 2
Try to keep your bags of ice melts away from your dog’s reach. If you do have some, keep them inside closed cupboards.
Step 4
Always be alert and see that your dog does not drink from the snow puddles, where ice melts might have been used.
Step 5
If your dog has the tendency to eat lots of snow whenever it gets thirsty when immediately bring it back home. Keep a bowl of water handy so that it can start drinking from it just after entering the room.
Step 5
Make it your first-hand priority to keep your dog away from snow that has already been treated with ice melts.
In case your dog starts to feel sick after eating snow, take it to your vet immediately.
If you think that your dog consumes snow, which consists of ice melts, immediately dial your vet’s number.
Here Is A List Of The Best Vet Hospitals
In case you need to contact a hospital for the worst scenario, there are a number of variables to consider.
- Animal Medical Center (AMC)
- Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital
- Angell Animal Medical Center
- Prestige Animal Hospital
- Alta View Veterinary Clinic
How to Protect Your Dog’s Paws From the Snow, Salt, and Ice During the Winter
Before You Go
If you find your dog suffering quite a lot due to excessive drooling, I recommend you take your furry little friend to the vet immediately.
Most hospitals have emergency hotline numbers to treat cases like this one.
Medical help at the right time can prevent this situation from taking a turn worse.
So, keeping the numbers of your vet handy can surely work out pretty well for you.
All in all, try keeping these points in mind to take immediate action when the time comes.
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