In such cases, it is also noticeable that swallowing is relatively loud and audible. Physical restlessness, on the other hand, is usually a sign of pain.
In order to be able to limit the causes, you will learn below about the most common triggers, their typical symptoms, and what to do in a specific case.
1. Nausea
Dogs are known to be descended from wolves, which are primary carnivores. Dogs only became omnivores when they were tamed.
This explains why dogs’ digestive systems are very primitive and fragile compared to ours. It just hasn’t had enough time to mature.
In practice, this often means that even small things can lead to abdominal pain, flatulence, and nausea. Typical triggers for this are:
- Eating too fast
- Inferior feed
- Food intolerance
- swallowed air
- Human leftovers
- Food allergies
- Eaten grass
In most cases, nausea can be recognized by the fact that affected dogs swallow all the time, drool profusely and lick their mouths. Other symptoms are:
- Dog refuses food
- Listlessness
- Restless behavior
- Dog smacks all the time
- Sudden vomiting
- Bloating
Nausea usually subsides on its own after fasting. However, if severe or chronic symptoms occur, I recommend carrying out a feed check.
There you will not only receive individual food recommendations for your dog but also a whole box with free food samples to test yourself.
Allergies, intolerances, or simply poor-quality food can lead to nausea in dogs. In practice, this can usually be recognized by the fact that the dog constantly swallows, suddenly drools, and generally behaves restlessly. Usually, this resolves itself.
2. Heartburn
Normally, the sphincter at the entrance to the stomach prevents stomach acid from entering the esophagus. However, it can still happen in the event of a malfunction.
In principle, heartburn refers to nothing more than the burning pain that the stomach acid causes in the esophagus. Typical causes of this are:
- Chronic stress
- Pregnancy
- Frequent vomiting
- Anesthetics during surgeries
- Allergies and intolerances
- Young age
- Medicines
The best way to tell if your dog has heartburn is if your dog chokes walk around restlessly, or refuses food. Other classic symptoms are:
- Sour bad breath
- whistling after eating
- Constant and loud swallowing
- Dog chokes white mucus
- Sudden drooling
- Frequent licking of the mouth
In most cases, the problem resolves itself within 1-2 days. If, on the other hand, it becomes chronic, doctors also speak of “reflux disease”.
Changing the feed or dividing the daily feed into smaller portions can often be sufficient. If this is not the case, then I recommend going to the veterinarian.
Dogs with heartburn or reflux disease usually behave restlessly because of the burning pain. In addition, these problems are often recognizable by the fact that the dog has particularly bad breath, and constantly swallows or even chokes on mucus.
3. Dental Problems
Communicating existing pain is not exactly one of the strengths of dogs. The same goes for wolves. Because their DNA is still 99.9% identical.
In the wild, this trait is used for self-protection. Because the moment a wild animal appears weakened, it becomes a target for other predators.
In practice, this instinct still leads to dogs in Germany tacitly accepting existing toothaches. Typical symptoms here are:
- Blood in the mouth
- The dog is touch sensitive
- Red gums
- Dog refuses food
- Swelling of the mouth
- Restless behavior
- Sudden aggressiveness
- Dog chews on one side
It is often triggered by the fact that they have bone or wood splinters in their gums. Here the body produces more saliva, which means that the dog has to swallow frequently.
But broken teeth, tooth cavities, caries, or excessive tartar can also be responsible for this. If you suspect this, you should visit the veterinarian.
To prevent this, I also recommend purchasing dental care toys, special dental care treats, and high-quality dog food.
Problems with the teeth or gums often lead to increased saliva production. In practice, affected dogs, therefore, swallow very often. In addition, it can usually be recognized by the fact that they become sensitive to touch and restless.
4. Hypersalivation
Saliva production is normally stimulated primarily by eating. However, if the dog produces a lot of salivae regardless of this, then this is called “hypersalivation”.
It is most commonly triggered by medication, allergies, or other irritations. Other possible causes are:
- Injuries
- Tumors in the mouth
- Poisoning
- Kidney disease
- Tonsillitis
- Motion sickness
If pain occurs at the same time, this can also be recognized by restless behavior. Other typical symptoms are:
- Dog suddenly drools
- Foamy saliva
- Constant swallowing
- The dog rubs his snout
- Loss of appetite
- Frequent smacking
For diagnosis and treatment, I recommend going to the veterinarian. In many cases, pathological symptoms can also be seen in the mouth itself.
If dogs consistently produce saliva regardless of the meal, this can be recognized by a lot of loud swallowing. Sometimes hypersalivation is also noticeable when the dog drools heavily, becomes restless, and rubs its mouth.
5. Poisoning
Poison baits are often mentioned in the news. In practice, however, most cases of poisoning in dogs come from the ignorance of their owners.
Because many of the common foods are toxic to dogs and can even have life-threatening consequences. Known examples are here:
- Garlic and onions
- Macadamia nuts and walnuts
- Alcohol and some sugar alcohols
- Raisins and grapes
- Cocoa and chocolate
- Avocados
What many don’t know? Not only does saliva kill bacteria and germs, but it can also reduce the effects of toxic things.
With existing poisoning, dogs therefore often produce excessive amounts of saliva and swallow all the time. Other classic symptoms are:
- Loss of appetite
- Sudden diarrhea
- Lethargic behavior
- Restless wandering
- Dog is listless
- Nausea and vomiting
- Breathing problems
- Dog trembles
Poisoning can cause permanent kidney and liver damage. If you suspect it, you should contact the veterinary emergency service immediately.
Both food and other toxic substances can cause poisoning in dogs. It can usually be recognized by the fact that the dog refuses to eat and constantly swallows. Sudden vomiting, physical restlessness, and diarrhea are also common here.
6. Tumor in the Mouth
In very rare cases, oral tumors can also be responsible for the symptoms. Around 6-7% of all cancer diagnoses are said to be due to this.
The cause of this is still unclear. However, male dogs are said to be affected about twice as often as female dogs. It is also more common in the following breeds:
- German boxer
- Golden retriever
- German shepherd dog
- Gordon Setter
- chow chow
- Weimaraner
- Miniature Poodle
The most common manifestations are the dog suddenly bleeding from the mouth and swelling of the gums. Other classic symptoms are:
- Strong bad breath
- Frequent swallowing
- Sudden drooling
- Problems eating
- Dog is restless
- Touch sensitivity
- Tooth loss
In most cases, the tumor is surgically removed to treat it. Unfortunately, it has often spread by the time it is diagnosed. In this case, radiation therapy may also be necessary.
If a tumor forms in the dog’s mouth, this can be shown by constant swallowing and restless behavior, among other things. In most cases, there is also visible swelling, loss of appetite, and bad breath.
7. Inflammation
A sore throat or tonsillitis is usually triggered by bacteria building up and multiplying. It hits the tonsils in particular more frequently.
Surely you know the feeling when swallowing becomes loud and painful due to inflamed tonsils. The same can also occur in dogs. Typical symptoms are:
- Increased salivation
- Dog refuses food
- Restless walking around
- Dog breathes loudly
- Problems swallowing
- Frequent gagging
- Dog drools profusely
In some cases, tonsillitis is only a late symptom of other diseases. This is particularly common when there are problems with your teeth.
As “unnecessary” as the tonsils are portrayed in the media, they actually play an important role in the body’s natural defense system.
Removal is therefore only advisable in exceptional cases. For this reason, the vet usually recommends antibiotics for treatment instead.
Various inflammations in the neck and throat area can lead to increased saliva production and constant swallowing. Often it can also be recognized by the fact that swallowing becomes loud, and the dog is restless and refuses its food.
Rare Causes
- Esophagitis: A chronic autoimmune disease affecting the esophagus. The symptoms overlap a lot with heartburn.
- Snake bites: A adder or other poisonous snake bite on the mouth can cause severe pain and constant swallowing.
- Mouth ulcers: In addition to tumors, other mouth ulcers can also affect the dog’s behavior.
- Flavors: If the dog has accidentally eaten something hot or heavily spiced, it can make itself feel physical.
- Foreign objects: If a splinter of bone or wood gets caught in the dog’s throat, it can lead to constant gulping.
- Food allergies: Express themselves primarily through severe itching, diarrhea, and vomiting. Depending on the species, the symptoms can vary.
- Stings: Bee, wasp, and hornet stings in the mouth can massively stimulate saliva production and lead to physical restlessness.