Do Flat-Coated Retrievers Drool?

After you bring your Flat-Coated retriever, you will start to notice some unique personality traits that come with them. 

This can be part of their endearing nature and can make them more fun to have around the home. 

One thing that you may notice is that your Flat-Coated retriever is drooling around the home and you may wonder whether this is normal or not. 

Do Flat-Coated Retrievers Drool?

Flat-Coated retrievers do drool. Most of the time, drooling is normal and will provide the dog with a way to keep the mouth moist and prevent tooth decay along the way. It’s usually nothing to worry about but excessive drooling may be a sign of a health issue.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the common reasons that your Flat-Coated retriever is drooling and when it will be cause for concern. 

Flat-Coated Retrievers are going to drool on occasion. This is pretty normal and is usually not a cause for concern. 

We will look at some of the concerning reasons that your Flat-Coated retriever may be drooling, but for the most part, the dog will do it to help them get food, when they feel a little bit stressed out, or after they spend time running around outside. 

There are different reasons why your Flat-Coated retriever will drool. The first is when they see food. 

If you have some food in your hands, even if you do not plan to give it to the dog, they can start to drool a little bit.

This is similar to how humans will drool when they see food in preparation to eat it.

Some dogs will even drool when they are done eating. 

Some Flat-Coated retrievers are going to drool more when they are feeling anxious or stressed out. 

This can be a defense mechanism that allows them a way to try and prepare for whatever is stressing them out.

Try to figure out what the stressor is in the first place and then work to avoid this so your dog no longer feels worried or stressed out in the process. 

Another reason is that the dog is using this as a way to cool down when they are tired from exercise and being active. 

It seems like this dog breed is going to be fond of drooling quite a bit when they are done with a workout and other types of activity so get ready for some of the drool when you get back from a long walk. 

Keep in mind that a little bit of drool is not a bad thing, though you may not be fond of it. 

This drooling helps to bring saliva into the mouth of the dog and will prevent them from having a dry mouth, which can be painful and uncomfortable. 

With the help of the drool, they can keep their teeth as healthy as possible along the way.

What are Some of the Concerns for My Flat-Coated Retriever Drooling a Lot?

While most of the reasons that your Flat-Coated retriever is drooling are completely natural, there are times when the dog will drool too much. 

There are health conditions that can trigger excessive drooling in the dog and you need to get these checked out by the vet to make sure that your dog is as healthy as possible. 

Some of these problems include:

Liver Problems

One reason that your dog is drooling is a problem with their liver. 

This can be a serious issue and if your dog is suffering from one of these liver problems, they may start to have an excessive amount of drool.

If you notice that they are doing this amount of drool, then it is a good idea to take them into the vet and get the issue checked out to make sure that this is not a serious issue that they need to work through. 

Heatstroke

It is possible that your dog is overheating and the heatstroke will make them drool a lot.

If the dog is out in extreme heat for a long time or you try to get them to exercise and run a lot when the sun is hot, they may overheat and then drool quite a bit. 

Since this is a dog that has a double coat, you have to remember that they are going to get warmer faster than some of the other dogs. 

It is like wearing a few layers outside.

While this may feel nice and be useful when you are in the winter and the cold, it can make you get too hot when it is warm outside. 

You need to take care of the pet to make sure they are always protected from the extreme heat. 

Along with some of the issues with excessive drooling, there are some other symptoms that you should look for when it comes to heatstroke in the dog. 

Some of the other symptoms that the pet owner needs to look for is vomiting, fever in the pet, and their tongue turning red. 

Digestive Problems

Another issue that can cause some problems for your dog is in their digestive system.

If they have something that is upsetting the stomach or something that makes them sick, then they may end up having extra drool that they need to work with as well. 

There are several issues that can end up causing this. 

For example, if your dog has something known as gastric dilation-volvulus, or GDV, which is caused by twisting of the stomach, it can make the stomach get bloated and dilated. 

And when the dog is not able to vomit the food and water or expel some of the gas that is stuck in the stomach, that is going to result in them drooling quite a bit. 

The reason for this excessive amount of drooling is because the dog is in a lot of pain and the stomach issue is just going to get worse. 

If you notice the drooling along with some of the bad stomach issues, you should take them into the vet as soon as possible to get the issue fixed. 

Dental Issues

You may notice that the dog is drooling because there is some kind of dental issue that they are dealing with. 

This can be a variety of different issues like a tooth fracture, tooth decay, or gingivitis to name a few. 

You may need to take them into a vet or another option to get the teeth checked out and to make sure that you are able to get the teeth fixed so that the drooling is able to stop. 

If your dog has been injured recently in the mouth, then it is possible that they still have swollen gums or bleeding. 

This is enough to cause an excessive amount of drooling and it is a good idea to look into some of the possible treatment options to make sure the dog is safe along the way. 

Take the dog into the vet right away if you notice the drooling along with a lack of eating, whining, whimpering, and even a bad mood in this normally pleasant dog. 

Motion Sickness

The next thing that you should look for is whether the dog is dealing with motion sickness. 

If you are on the road with the Flat-Coated retriever and you notice that there is some excessive drooling, then this is a sign that the dog is suffering through motion sickness. 

If you do plan to travel often with the dog and they tend to have this problem, then talk with your vet to discuss what medications and other options that you can choose in order to help the dog feel better. 

Excited or Anxious

For some Flat-Coated retrievers, the reason that they are drooling is because they are excited or anxious. There are a lot of things that this dog can be excited about including food, seeing someone they love, or something else.

If the dog is anxious or nervous, they may drool as well. 

There are different steps that you can take to help fight off the anxiety and make sure that your Flat-Coated retriever is going to feel better and to get the drooling to stop. 

Understanding the Drooling Process for Your Flat-Coated Retriever

While the drool can be a little bit annoying when it starts to get on everything, it is usually a natural process for your dog and is not such a big concern at all. 

Make sure to watch out and see if it is something that your dog does too much, but in most cases it is a natural process that you will not need to worry about.