My dog is foaming at the mouth and licking his lips. Is it serious?

Hello, Salivating is a normal event while eating. If your dog is drooling excessively, it could be due to nausea or anxiety. If you are concerned, I'd recommend taking her to her veterinarian. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Excessive salivation is often a sign of nausea. Nausea and diarrhea can occur secondary to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, dietary indiscretion, parasites, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have Lily evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. At the very least they can start her on medications to make her feel better and check her hydration status. In the meantime, keep water available at all times to try to prevent dehydration. Good luck and have a good day!

Licking the lips can sometimes be a sign of nervousness, nausea, or even an issue with the teeth or mouth. If he hasn't had a dental cleaning recently, tartar on the teeth or gums could be causing some irritation and thus the licking behavior. Nausea such as from minor GI upset, may also cause drooling, or have signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, but this is not always the case. If it continues or you see any signs of illness/smell bad breath, etc, having your vet take a look is best. If you've changed something in his environment around the time the licking started (new pet, people, items in the house, etc) it could be that he's feeling a bit nervous or uncomfortable as well. Making sure he gets some extra attention and the cause of the nervousness is addressed (IE making sure he has someplace to go rest and hide, using a pheromone diffuser, etc) may help.

I can understand being worried. Foaming out of the mouth is never a good sign. The immediate concern I have is rabies. If he's never been vaccinated against rabies, there's a potential he could have it if he came into contact with a rabid animal recently. It could also be that he is nauseous or has a dental problem. Because I can't see him in person to rule out rabies and because I don't know his vaccine status, do not handle him if he's not vaccinated. Call your local animal control for help with him. Isolate him from other people and animals until they get there. Now if he is fully vaccinated against rabies, then he won't have it but I would still have him seen by a vet today. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

There are a couple of things that cause foaming at the mouth. These include upset stomach (nausea), stress, illness, poisoning, exposure to foul-tasting substances, or dental disease. For now, I would monitor Shreder. Try to get him to drink some cool water, as he needs to stay hydrated. If he is still foaming at the mouth in the morning, I would take him into the vet to determine what is the cause of the foaming at the mouth, and how to treat it. If Shreder starts vomiting, becomes extremely lethargic, vomits water, shows difficulty breathing, or begins to have diarrhea, I would take him into your vet right away.

Your dog may have ingested something bitter or toxic, burned or otherwise irritated his mouth or could be nauseated. I recommend getting him seen by your vet right away for an exam and treatment if needed.

It sounds like Nene may be feeling a bit nauseated or anxious. This can cause symptoms such as burping/hiccuping, licking lips, drooling, etc. Causes can be anything from GI upset, to illness, bloat, or even something stuck in the mouth or throat. If he won't let you examine his mouth at all and is refusing to eat or drink, seems painful, or in distress, having him examined by a vet ASAP is best to rule out more serious issues.