White foam from your dog’s mouth can be a scary sight. Usually, this is associated with rabies, which you never want to see happen to your dog.
But wait, is white foam coming out of your dog’s mouth a clear-cut sign of rabies?
Well, no. There are many reasons there’s white foam coming out of your dog’s mouth. And while rabies could be one of the causes, there are hundreds of other reasons, which means you shouldn’t panic right away.
With that said, this is still something you should take seriously, at least until you can determine the exact cause of the foam coming out of your dog’s mouth. So, we’re going to take a look at some of the reasons your dog may have white foam coming out of its mouth and a couple of things you can do to handle the situation.
Why Is White Foam Coming Out of My Dog’s Mouth?
Here are some of the common reasons your dog may be foaming at the mouth.
Ingesting a Toxic Substance
Spot & Tango explains the causes of dogs vomiting white foam and one of the most common causes is ingesting a toxic substance.
There are tons of things in the natural world that could be toxic for your dog, including common kitchen ingredients like onions and garlic, all the way down to substances in your garage that could cause some harm to your pet.
Eating Something Bitter
If your dog eats or drinks something very bitter, the white foam could be one of the side effects of this. This is a completely natural reaction and nothing you have to worry about. However, if a bitter substance caused the reaction, the issue should resolve itself quickly.
Dental Disease
Dogs are at high risk of developing numerous dental diseases over time, especially if they don’t practice good oral hygiene. And one of the symptoms of many of these diseases is white foam coming out of their mouth. Typically, this condition will worsen over time, so the sooner a vet handles the situation, the better.
Nausea
Another reason your dog could be foaming at the mouth is nausea. If your dog is nauseous, it could start drooling excessively. And when there’s a lot of drool, the saliva could start looking like white foam.
Seizure
Seizures, while they are scary and serious, can occur in a lot of different dogs. And when this happens, your dog could start foaming at the mouth. With that said, if your dog is foaming at the mouth without a seizure, then this is definitely not the cause.
Rabies
Now it’s time to look at the most serious cause of white foam coming out of your dog’s mouth: rabies. This is a very serious condition that can be fatal for your pet and spread rapidly among other dogs in the area. And one of the key symptoms of rabies is white foam coming out of your dog’s mouth. If you suspect that your pet has rabies, then you need to contact your vet immediately to figure out what to do.
With that said, you shouldn’t jump to rabies as the conclusion right away. Nowadays, most dogs have effective and adequate vaccines against rabies. So, there’s a very low chance that your dog actually contracted the disease.
Additionally, rabies comes with a range of other symptoms. These can include:
- Hallucinations
- Sudden and serious mood swings
- Seizures
- Weakness
- Light and touch sensitivity
- Difficulty breathing
What to Do If My Dog Starts Foaming at the Mouth?
If you see your dog with white foam on its mouth, we advise you against panicking. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously. One of the first things you need to do if you see your dog foaming at the mouth is to call your vet. Since your dog’s vet is aware of their specific situations and medical history, they have a better chance of getting to the bottom of this white foam.
Figuring out how to treat white foam coming out of your dog’s mouth is key to administering the right treatments. And the sooner you contact your vet, the sooner they will be able to take action.
The exact treatment that your vet will give your pet varies depending on the type and severity of their condition. But you need to take fast action to give your dog the best chance of getting over the reason they are foaming at the mouth.
Conclusion
In the past, white foam coming from a dog’s mouth was a clear-cut sign of rabies. However, most modern dogs get really effective rabies vaccinations early in life. So, they reach adulthood with a certain immunity to the disease.
So, there’s a chance that your dog isn’t foaming because of rabies. But taking this condition seriously is still important as it will allow you to take proper action.
