Golden Retriever Recently Began Drooling

Question
Good evening! This may be nothing however our golden retriever has never been an excessive drooler.  However beginning a few days ago, ( we recently moved into a new neighborhood)  whenever we take him for a walk he begins drooling excessively almost frothing. Additionally he will shake his head repeatedly and often to clear the "drool" .  Within 15 minutes or so after returning to the house from the walk it clears up.  Is this something to be concerned about?  Should we take him to the vet? And what could be the cause of this?

Answer
It sounds like emotional drooling, something cats are very good at but dogs do it too.
When their olfactory sensations are overloaded sometimes they will drool since smell and taste are related. Now they are not tasting the air, but since their smelling is so much more sensitive then ours, it is too much at times and they start to salivate.


Excess salivation causes drooling. My guess is that he is taking in so many new smells on your walks that it is causes this overload to him. Golden's do have a tendency to be droolers so it doesn't take much to get them started.

He is either smelling a lot of good, new things, or something noxious just to him that we can't smell. I would venture it's the first one however. If it doesn't dissipate after a month I would ask the vet if there is something you can do. A little Vick's vapor rub around his nose might help. It keeps them from smelling other things. We used to use it on our stallion in the show ring. Otherwise they drop if you know what I mean!

You can call your old vet on Monday and ask them if this sounds feasible (the whole drooling thing and the Vicks). The technician can ask the vet.

Please let me know how he does in a few weeks.