My dog won't open her mouth and is drooling a lot. What should I do?

Poor pup! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. There are a number of different things that could cause problems with closing the mouth and excessive drooling like this, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine her. Some common possibilities would include an injury to the mouth or jaw, a tumor or infection in the mouth, or a neurologic problem such as a stroke. I would recommend taking your dog to the vet for an exam today, if possible, since some of these problems can be quite serious. Your vet can do a complete neurologic exam and may also sedate her so that a thorough oral exam can be performed as well. Once a diagnosis is made, he/she can talk to you about what treatment will be needed.

I would worry that something in her mouth is hurting her! There could be something lodged in her mouth or throat area, a tooth abscess or she could have pain in the muscles that contract with her jaw. I would recommend to take her into the veterinarian tomorrow for an exam. I hope Aqua starts feeling better quickly!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Even though he is no longer bleeding, this is likely causing him a great deal of discomfort. There is most likely a wound in the mouth which is why he is drooling. I highly recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what may be wrong so that therapy can be started right away. Best of luck!

Poor pup! It sounds like she may have a neurologic issue of some kind that is causing her to have trouble getting water into her mouth and swallowing. She could also have severe dental disease, or a wound or tumor inside her mouth causing the problem. I would recommend having her examined by a vet right away - he/she can do a thorough oral exam to check for any problems in her mouth, and also check her reflexes and neurologic function for any abnormalities.

Poor Royalty! This knot could be due to an abscessed tooth, a broken tooth, or a growth in her mouth. You are correct that it will be painful to her if she won't let you touch her by her mouth. Feeding her wet food tonight, and soften it further with warm water or gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth. Bring her into the vet in the morning, but do not feed her in the morning. That's in case the vet needs to sedate her in order to look into her mouth. The vet can discuss what they feel is causing the knot and outline a treatment plan. I hope this helps!

Poor Daisy! If she couldn't close her mouth, isn't biting food, and her tongue is sticking out, I would be very concerned there is a serious injury with her mouth. She could have a broken or dislocated jaw, or she could have a broken tooth. The only way to know for sure is to have her seen by a vet as soon as possible. She needs a physical exam, and possibly x-rays to check her mouth and jaw. With these tests, the vet can determine the best treatment for her. She also likely need pain medications, as I'm sure she is in pain from the fight. The only safe pain medications are from the vet. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Lola. Unless she is foaming at the mouth, there is excessive drool from her mouth, vomiting, refusing to eat, or acting abnormal then I would watch her closely. If the drool is continuing tomorrow or becomes excessive, then I would consider taking her to your emergency vet. Drooling can be a sign of toxin ingestion but they usually are drilling excessively and it isn’t just from one side of the mouth. She could be drooling due to nausea, a tooth problem, oral ulcers, tumors in the mouth and much more. Your vet will be able to help determine the cause if she continues. I hope this helps.