Dogs drool from time to time, and they get slobbery and drippy in their mouths. But if your dog drools and poops at the same time, you may be left wondering why does my dog drool when he poops?
Diarrhea in dogs can occur due to a bacterial or viral infection, change in food, stress or intestinal disorders. While drooling may result from a myriad of issues such as tartar build-up, mouth infections, natural hypersalivation (or ptyalism) because of breed type, dental problems, etc.
It isn’t commonplace, however, for dogs to drool when they poop, as it can be a nauseating or messy experience for the dog owner.
Why Does My Dog Drool When He Poops?
A dog drools when he poops could be a symptom of a bad health condition, an allergic reaction to food or a dent in the doggy’s nervous system.
But wait – there’s more:
Let’s take a closer look at some of these reasons why your furry friend drools while pooping in detail.
Seizure
Does your dog drool while he poops? It could be a sign that he has a neurological issue. There may be a problem with his nerves, and he could be experiencing a seizure.
Is there intense shaking or freezing while he drools?
Does he pass a normal stool?
These are some of the other indicators of seizures. Perhaps there is an infection that has affected his nervous system and is causing him to drool while he stools. You should take him to see a veterinarian to confirm the kind of neurological issue.
Some breeds are fond of drooling
Some dog breeds are heavy droolers. They often have very large cheeks and lots of space in their lips where saliva collects.
Though excessive drooling can signify underlying conditions like dental problems, nausea, stress or allergy, some pooch breeds are natural droolers. Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, Boxers and Bloodhounds are great droolers.
These dogs drool every time and leave slobbery pools around the house. The excess saliva drips down from their pendulous oversized upper lips normally or into the air when they shake their heads.
Whenever they take fluids or water, it can also get trapped in their flews and build up with saliva, causing drooling.
So if you have a dog from one of these breeds that drools while he poops, it may not be a cause for alarm. It could be because he has a habit of drooling, so when he goes potty from time to time, he keeps drooling.
If your breed is slobbery, you should keep a drool rag handy or tie a handkerchief around his neck. That way, you can always wipe his drool before it messes with the carpet, furniture, or even his stool.
Diarrhea and Nausea
Diarrhea in dogs can be caused by different factors such as food poisoning, food change, intestinal parasites, increased stress levels, change in weather, bacterial and viral infections, bowel sensitivity and bowel obstruction.
Diarrhea, also called runny bowels, causes dogs to frequent the potty and pass watery stools. It upsets the body’s balance of fluids and minerals and causes them to be dehydrated.
It also causes a lot of nausea, the feeling of wanting to vomit, and vomiting itself.
Nauseous dogs tend to salivate a lot, and this causes heavy drooling. If your dog drools when he poops, it could be because he is down with diarrhea or a diarrhea-causing underlying condition.
It would be best if you took your pooch to the vet clinic for proper medical attention to stop this unusual behavior.
Side Effects of Drugs
Has your pup been administered a drug lately? Did your dog start taking some medications for an ailment recently? Then he began drooling while he pooped?
This could be a result of these medications. Drugs could have a lot of serious adverse effects, and they depend on the individual body in which they have been ingested.
Some medications for digestive issues, like antibiotics and tetracyclines, may affect the bowels adversely, causing diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. This will eventually cause the dog to poop and drool frequently.
If your doggy behaves this way after recently taking some medications, perhaps his body is reacting to the drugs. It would be best if you took him to the vet so he can be given alternative medications of which his body would be more accepting.
Mouth or Throat Infections
Dental problems such as a fractured tooth, gum irritation, tartar build-up, tumors, etc., may cause difficulty when swallowing for dogs.
This, in turn, allows the build-up of excess saliva in their mouth. This will cause a lot of drooling all the time.
Also, anything caught between your dog’s teeth or lodged in his mouth, throat or esophagus will cause him to hypersalivate and drool every time.
So if you notice your dog has an infection or lodged particles in his mouth or throat and he drools even when he goes potty, he needs expert care and attention from the veterinarian, who should check him for mouth or throat problems.
Why Does My Dog Have Diarrhea And Drooling?
When your dog has the shits, he probably eats something he shouldn’t have. It may be a part of his plastic toy (scavenging), a new diet, an allergen, or a food he is intolerant to.
Your dog may also have runny bowels from a gut infection (usually the one that affects his intestines) and bacterial and viral infections, which will keep him in a potty frenzy.
And this will also show in the nature of his poop, which will become more and more watery than usual. You may become frustrated from cleaning up his shit more times than you can count.
More so, if your pup drools while he has diarrhea. Here, we will look at why your dog drools when he has diarrhea.
Colitis or Inflammation of the large bowel
When there’s an inflammation in the large intestine of your doggy, it is often called colitis. This condition causes diarrhea which presents as mushy or soft stools, sometimes laden with blood and mucus.
Your pooch would always have a sense of urgency to drain his bowels. This may cause him to poop indiscriminately anywhere, even when he has been trained to use his potty.
Colitis is caused by parasitic infections, toxins, colon cancer, dysfunction of digestive organs, etc. Not only does it cause heavy bowel movements, but it also causes abdominal pain and nausea.
Nausea often manifests as retching and drooling. You should take your dog to the vet, who would then ask for the history of these signs and perform examinations to confirm the condition.
Before you make contact with the veterinarian, endeavor to give your dog as little food and water as possible. You may want to fast him to provide his gut with some rest.
When he returns home, you should start him on small digestible meals like rice, pasta, etc., to allow his stools to solidify; and avoid giving him fluids and greasy food like sauces and gravies to stop his drooling.
If you notice any improvement, you may gradually start giving him his regular diet. If diarrhea and drooling persist, the colitis may have become chronic, and you may want to call the vet’s attention again.
Indigestion and Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestines by bacteria or viruses. It can cause tummy upset, pains, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea (which in turn causes drooling) for the dog.
Gastroenteritis occurs when a foreign body or microbes have infected almost the whole length of the dog’s gut. Indigestion is when your dog has ingested a foreign or unusual food in his body.
It can happen when you give him human food or change his diet, which is alien to his digestive system. He will find it difficult to digest the food as it stays in his system longer, causing bowel issues.
Indigestion and gastroenteritis cause urgency for dogs’ bowel movements, resulting in watery stools and nausea symptomatic of diarrhea and drooling, respectively.
If your canine experiences any of these, you need to contact an experienced vet as soon as possible.
What To Do If My Dog Has Diarrhea And Drooling
Stop feeding him the irritant
Perhaps you gave your doggy human food, changed his diet to something he isn’t used to, or he mistakenly ingested a foreign body and started to drool and poo excessively.
You should try not to give him those meals again. If he accidentally ingested a foreign material, wait to give him food for a while and see if he would pass the foreign substance in his stool before you resume giving him his normal diet.
Be more watchful of what your doggy eats, especially when he picks up house litter or plays with his favorite toy, ensure he doesn’t swallow any part of it.
Fast your dog
Suppose your doggy is down with diarrhea and drools a lot, especially when he poops. In that case, stop giving your dog any food for a while to give his bowels some calm and enough time to eliminate the source of diarrhea.
Give your pooch some Pepto Bismol, which is very safe for dogs and watch if diarrhea stops. If his drooling and excessive pooping stop, gradually reintroduce solid food like pumpkin, rice and pasta and keep away liquid foods like gravies from him so his stools can normalize.
Contact a Vet
Endeavour to contact a trained veterinarian if your dog’s diarrhea and drooling persist even after fasting and keeping him from the food that causes it.
Your vet would want to conduct a physical examination after ascertaining your dog’s medical history. It may be a case of colitis, gastroenteritis or indigestion, each with its treatment method.
Diarrhea isn’t usually an irresolvable condition. Your dog will improve after a few days with proper care and treatment. Chronic diarrhea causing drooling is often rare but still not beyond the reach of an expert vet.