Insane drooling: left hanging with no diagnosis

[ShannonO]

Five weeks ago Sage started drooling. He has never drooled much in the past; this is a very marked increase. He leaves a puddle on the couch arm where he rests his head (I've put a towel down since), as well as any where else he hangs out. He hasn't changed in any other way as far as I can tell: he's eating, sleeping, and playing normally. He is drinking extra thought. I kind of assumed he had gotten into something and it would just pass. After two weeks it seemed too long for it to go away on its own, so we went to the vet.

The vet looked for mouth issues and perscibed pepcid for possible nausea. She found an ulcer in the back of his mouth, which looks just like a canker sore. She perscribed a barium squirt in his mouth with a bit of lidocaine to sooth it, to see if that was the cause. No dice.

There has been no improvement. In fact, over the last weekend, his drooling levels stepped up a notch. The vet did a CBC - nothing out of the ordinary. They did an xray of his head and neck today - nothing. He hasn't responded to pepcid nor the barium. The oral ulcer has improved and he hasn't, so it's not that. It's not separation anxiety, almost garunteed. In fact the liklihood of it being related to anxiety at all is really low since the drooling is almost constant, even when he's sound asleep. He doesn't have any other symptoms outside of the drooling and a little bit of lethargy. That apparently seems to rule out non-seiziure epilepsy, which is really rare but causes drooling in cats, but usually comes with vomiting. She also asked about his ability to go on walks. She said some neuro issues present with drooling and outright exhaustion after short exercise. He doesn't show that.

So we're being sent to a specialist. It'll cost $500-$600 for a first visit (already spent $400) with no reason to think we'll figure out what this is. There's no question we'll pay it, but paying for something that might not get us anywhere. Granted we'll rule out other things, but damn the idea of not knowing hard to stomach. But I'll NEVER know if they don't diagnose, and it's showing no signs of going away.

What's worse is they won't take me until the 3rd of December. His case is apparently not emergent, even though it drinks up to 3x his normal water intake BECAUSE HE'S DROOLING SO MUCH! So I get to wait two and a half weeks. And Sage gets to be sick lethargic, and drooly.

What am I supposed to do with him when we spend four days with my husband's parents next week? They're wonderful people whom I love deeply, but I dont want to push it with Sage, since they're not really "dog" people. This drool is couch-ruining, floor-ruining, and really gross.

Oh yeah, and the vet didn't seem to worry at all that he went from 71 to 69 to 67 pounds in two weeks.

I'm so frustrated. And it's HORRIBLE to see him looking so tired all the time. he's just not quite his perky happy wiggle-butt self.

Any thoughts?

[Maggie]

Hi there,
I hate to tell you this but your pooch will drool all the time none stop, just basically because its an AB
I also have one and she drools all the time. If you go to any of the shows you will see that everyone walks round with towels hanging in the back pockets, so they can wipe the drool off before going into the show ring
My Ethel dro9ols more if there is food, if there is a game she is playing, if there is someone knocking on the door. If they get excited by anything they drool, if they like something they drool, bascially they drool for any reason whatsoever. The classics tend to drool more than the standards, but Ethel is a standard and drools constantly.
Its just another one oif those thigs you have to put up with with an AB
I am constantly walking round with a dry cloth to mop up puddles, and the inlaws comeround every friday, and only ever wear the oldest of clothes or they go home with snail trails down their decent stuff.

Hope this helps, maggie and ethel

[Maggie]

Just out of interest... where did you get Sage from, I also know of a site you could take a look at where its all just AB's on there so you could ask them if you are really worried about him. Have you tried asking the breeder, I know with myu Ethel if I had any worries I used to ring her breeder and she would give me the answer.
Any pics by the way

[ShannonO]

Sage isn't a drooler normally, he's a standard AB and pretty tight-lipped. The only drool I use to fin were just drippings across the kitchen after he'd taken a drink.

This change was sudden and significant. He's drooling pools, constantly, regardless of his activity level or the environment around him. He's drooling so much that he's drinking 2x his normal water intake and losing water weight as well.

Here are pictures.

[ShannonO]

Oh and I forgot: I'm in constant contact with his breeder since he's a co-own and she's my friend. None of his siblings have experienced anything like this, and she's never seen it before. I haven't posted on True Grit, the AB forum I read, but we've PM'd and email a bunch of folks who also haven't had an issue like this.

I guess we'll just have to wait for the specialist to tell us something.

[Victoria]

Has he had his thyroid tested? Is the drooling from one side of the mouth only or everywhere? Sometimes sudden drooling, lethargy and sometimes weight gain can be a sign of a hypothyroidism. The fact that he has lost weight though might negate this but still check it out. If his thyroid function hasn't been tested go back to the vet and ask for one or see another vet asap! Has he been tested for diabetes?

[emmabeth]

Asides from Victorias suggestion... saliva gland infection, either current, or there was an infection which is now gone but its damaged the gland?

I would seek another vet for a second opinion I think.. I wouldnt be happy being left or being told its not an urgent thing, your dog is clearly not well or happy, poor guy.

[Maggie]

Oh I see, Sorry i didnt realise it was quite that bad

My Ethel is a very heavy drooler, she is also a standard, but she is no way tight lipped, ooer missus

I dont really iknow what to suggest. There is another AB forum, is you would like to take a look. Its the one i used to go on a lot when I first got Ethel, and they were really helpfull. Its the ABR UK one and you can join it anytime. I can send you the link if you like. The4res loads of folks here in the UK on it, and also a few from the USA. Some top breeders here in the UK on it too.

Hope you find out what is wrong soon, I know what its like trying to clean up endless amounts of drool... at aint funny

He's a stunning looking dog by the way, Looks very much like my Ethels dad Jake. Can I ask his pedigree, if you dont mind. Its just that he looks stunning.