Why does my dog's jaw chatter and drool sometimes and what's wrong?

A chattering jaw can be a sign of few different things from something serious, such as a neurological condition, to a dental condition , or being cold or even a sign anxiety. There are different reasons why this behavior or symptom may be happening . The first thing to ruke out is cold room make sure he is nice and warm. If it still persist then the best thing would be to take him to the vet to examine him and rule in/out the medical causes and try diagnose it. If the dog is not doing the behavior all the time but in episodes it may be a good idea to video it so you can show the vet how it present.

This could be a neurological problem you are describing, or some kind of arthritis in his jaw/temporomandibular joint area. Or, sometimes dogs when they smell a strange smell, like urine for example, will exhibit something similar to what you are describing that almost looks like a very fast teeth-chattering kind of behavior. This is normal. I do recommend a full exam by your vet to make sure that this is not a partial focal seizure or severe dental disease or jaw arthritis/jaw dislocation that is causing the behavior, as these things are much more serious and a possibility as well. Try to video tape this behavior-- we'd be happy to view this on a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach consultation, or you can take it to your vet during the examination. Best of luck and hope that helps!

Some dogs will have focal seizures known as 'chewing gum' seizures where the mouth will tremble or they will make chewing motions. Usually dogs will act a little disoriented after a seizure like this, but some dogs don't. If you think he may be having seizures you should see a veterinarian right away. It might be helpful to video an episode to show your vet. Of course it's possible that this is just a behavioral tic too, but it's better to be safe and have a veterinarian examine Mega to make sure.

Duchess' chattering could be a result of either oral pain or a focal seizure (more subtle repetitive neurologic behavior). At this point, the best thing you can do is take her to the vet to determine if she has signs of dental issues, or any neurologic deficits. Until you can take her to the vet, keep a log of when this chattering behavior occurs including the time, duration, any preceding events (meals, exercise, stress, etc.), and take a video of this chattering to show to your vet.

Sometimes dogs shake their head if their ears are itchy or infected. If you are worried that it may be a seizure, try to video an event so your veterinarian can see exactly what is happening. I would highly encourage that you have Beau examined to help identify the problem and find out what you should be doing for him. Good luck and thanks for using Pet Coach.

I'm sorry to hear that Zorro has had some jaw chattering lately. As you'd mentioned, oral pain is one of the most common causes of jaw chattering. Oral pain can arise from dental disease, jaw pain, and injuries. I do see a fair amount of tartar and gingivitis in the pictures you'd attached, but the tricky part is that for most dogs, the worst part of the dental disease is often below the surface of the gums. Since Zorro recently fell off the couch, it's also possible that he injured his jaw or another body part in the process, resulting in jaw chattering from pain. Regardless, the best thing is for you to take Zorro to his vet for a full physical exam. Since he tends to bite from anxiety, I'd recommend calling your vet to discuss the exam process first because they'll certainly need to look in his mouth for a thorough assessment. Your vet will likely prescribe oral sedative to be given before the exam or may recommend injectable sedation at the time of his appointment. I hope that everything goes well!

I hate the hear that Chubby is having these odd behaviors. My first thought is that maybe she is having a seizure. A problem with her liver could also look the same way. I would recommend to record one of these episodes and then make an appointment with her Vet for bloodwork and to review the video. This will give the doctor a better idea of how to proceed. Depending on how frequently this is happening, the doctor may recommend medications. I hope this helps!