Spaghetti confetti
Dear Fisher,
I am a Black Lab from St Pete, and I really screwed up this time! My relationship with my family is excellent, especially the man of the house. I would never purposely do anything to hurt him.
The other night he was watching TV and having a huge plate of spaghetti. I was sitting at his feet and trying my best not to beg. Boy, I love food a lot. He suddenly decided to get up off the couch to get something in the kitchen. That’s when things got nuts. He slipped on the tile floor that I had been drooling on since dinner began. His arms flew up, his butt flew down, the spaghetti was like an amazing Perfect Storm, and then a big CRASH! One less piece of fine china in the house, broken glass everywhere, and then I saw his bloodied hand.
By the time he got back home from the emergency room I was trying desperately to think of a solution to my drooling so this kind of thing never happens again. Can you give me some ideas?
Zach
Dear Zach,
Some dogs just drool, and there is no discernable reason why. If this is a new thing, you should go get vet-checked as soon as you can. Have your mouth examined for something called a salivary cyst – that would look like a large blister under your tongue. Or, you could have gotten something like a piece of bone or a splinter lodged in your mouth. Try a good teeth inspection and cleaning.
Could you be a little neurotic? If you have a nervous disorder you could tend to drool more than usual. Stress can get you drooling, too. Relax, chill out, and take more naps. Sometimes eating human food, or just smelling it, will make you drool or cause you to get a little hyper.
I do not have a medical degree, nor can I endorse any medications. That will have to be done through your humans and your veterinarian. There is actually a medication on the market from Natural Pet Pharmaceuticals, called Doggie Drool. Ask your doctor or pet store professional for their opinion.
If you have drooled most of your life, you could be genetically inclined to drool, or you could just be hungry a lot. Some dogs drool from the excitement of food – the smell, the sight, or just the thought of it.
What can you do after your vet gives you a clean bill of health and the drooling continues? You could wear a dish towel or kerchief around your neck. Better yet, your humans would surely notice your sincerity if you carry a roll of paper towel around with you.
Your friend,
Fisher
published in tbt* Tampa Bay
