Why is my dog's jaw clicking and grinding when he yawns or licks?

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.

That is odd behavior for a younger dog. When you see it, try to record the episode. Also try to note if it seems to be in response to a smell or something else that might be triggering him. Sometimes dogs will do this if they smell something super enticing. Other times this can be a sign of jaw pain, a bad tooth or seizures. I have seen some dogs do this and the cause was never discovered. Since Hades can’t just talk and tell you, I recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian to check for any pain or neurological abnormalities. Show the doctor the video as that can be immensely helpful. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

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!

Hello. This is actually fairly common in older dogs, but that does mean it does not need to be investigated. It could be neurological, like something similar to an intention tremor seen in older people, but it could also be an indication of tooth or jaw pain, or possibly even some esophageal reflux. Does Dougal seem to swallow more when he is chattering? If he is, & the fact this occurs primarily at night, I would wonder if there is some kind of reflux happening. Your veterinarian can determine if there might be any oral pain or tooth problems & determine if Dougal might benefit from any stomach protectant medications. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Roxi! Chattering or clicking the teeth together without any obvious behavioral reason is usually caused by a dental problem, or a problem with the temporomandibular joint of the jaw. She may have injured herself when she hit her jaw against your weight, unfortunately. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can do a complete oral exam under sedation to check for any fractured or damaged teeth, and may also recommend x-rays of her skull to evaluate the jaw joint for any problems.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Teeth grinding is often a sign of nausea, mouth pain, or anxiety. If the first, you might also see drooling, changes in eating habits, or eating grass. If the second, you may also see teeth chattering, dropping food, etc. If it is anxiety related, you may notice patterns such as always after travel or when the other dog is near, etc. If it is only happening occasionally, I usually don't panic. If it's becoming more frequent, it's time to see the vet. Best of luck to you and Chewie!