Puddles Of Saliva?

[Guest Ummon]

Ace has been with us for about a year and a half. I am noticing him throwing up clear pools of what appears to be saliva, sometimes there is a nugget or two of food in it. He has done this time to time. but over the past few months, its become much more frequent.

 

He doesn't appear to be distressed or in pain at all. His appetite is fine. It doesn't appear that he is really gagging even when he does it. Kind of opening and closing his mouth until a big puddle of saliva or mucus falls out.

 

any ideas what it is?

[KF_in_Georgia]

Someone may correct me, but I don't think it's a big deal. Remember, when we swallow food and drink, it goes down. When dogs do it, it mostly moves horizontally. If Ace puts his head down lower than his body (because he's playing or he's sniffing at something), gravity is liable to bring things back up.

 

I'd worry more if this was gagging or if he were throwing up meals.

[Brindles]

My Australian Shepherd does that when he drinks too much water. No big deal, just don't let him tank up at the water bucket.

[TheFullHouse]

Pistol does it if he drinks too much water too fast. He just did it this afternoon because he had been playing and was really thirsty.

[RedHead]

I've had the same thing happen as well after drinking a lot of water. I think they just kind of choke it back up. I wouldn't overly worry about it unless it happens all the time.

[JJNg]

Sounds like regurgitation - essentially bringing up what's still in the esophagus and hasn't made it all the way down into the stomach yet. If it is happening frequently and not associated with activity, excitement, or drinking too much too quickly, I'd ask your vet about taking an x-ray to check him for megaesophagus. May not be a big deal if he's just bringing up just fluid, but it can cause problems if it progresses and he starts to have trouble keeping food down.

[4My2Greys]

Sounds like regurgitation - essentially bringing up what's still in the esophagus and hasn't made it all the way down into the stomach yet. If it is happening frequently and not associated with activity, excitement, or drinking too much too quickly, I'd ask your vet about taking an x-ray to check him for megaesophagus. May not be a big deal if he's just bringing up just fluid, but it can cause problems if it progresses and he starts to have trouble keeping food down.

 

I remembered reading some time ago that regurgitation of water on a regular basis could actually be a sign of something wrong. I did some searching and found megaesophogus mentioned as a possibility, but it seems there was also something else. I just wish I could remember everything I read.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Since it's getting more frequent, it merits a mention to his vet on your next visit. Start keeping track of how often it happens and how long after a meal. That way, you have some real data to give the vet in terms of how frequent it's getting. (When I have something dog-related I need to keep track of, I get a cheap wall calendar and start marking on that. I can take it with me when I go to the vet, and it helps to be able to see patterns.) And if you keep records and notice it getting a lot more frequent, then you'll know to schedule a vet visit sooner.