Seeing your dog suddenly vomit and drool excessively can be frightening, especially when the drooling is heavy, constant, or accompanied by visible nausea.
These two symptoms appearing together usually mean your dog’s digestive system, throat, or nausea center is being strongly stimulated.
We outline the common causes of vomiting and excessive drooling in dogs, what you can do at home, and when to seek veterinary help.
Dog Vomiting and Drooling Excessively: Why It Happens
A dog vomiting and drooling excessively may be experiencing nausea, toxin exposure, digestive upset, foreign objects, bloat, pancreatitis, pain, or something stuck in the throat. Because drooling often signals nausea or distress, this combination should always be taken seriously.
Dog Vomiting and Drooling Excessively: Common Causes
Gastrointestinal Upset
Simple digestive upset is one of the most common reasons for vomiting paired with excessive drooling. When the stomach becomes irritated—whether from eating something unusual, sudden diet changes, spoiled food, or mild inflammation—the nausea response is activated.
Nausea stimulates the salivary glands, causing thick, ropey drool to drip or pool in the mouth.
Dogs experiencing stomach irritation often lick their lips repeatedly, swallow hard, and appear restless before vomiting. The drooling begins because the body tries to protect the throat and stomach from the burn of stomach acid.
Vomiting then temporarily relieves pressure, but if inflammation continues, the cycle of nausea and drooling repeats.
Some dogs also pace or whine because stomach discomfort makes them feel uneasy. If the upset is mild, symptoms may pass quickly, but persistent drooling combined with repeated vomiting suggests deeper irritation that needs attention.
Read more: Dog Excessively Drooling Suddenly (What it really means)
Nausea From Toxins
Exposure to toxins is a more serious cause of vomiting and excessive drooling. Many toxic plants, household chemicals, medications, and foods stimulate the salivary glands and trigger nausea almost immediately.
Dogs may drool thickly and continuously as the body attempts to flush out the irritant, and vomiting follows as a protective mechanism.
Common toxic triggers include chocolate, xylitol, grapes, pesticides, certain indoor plants, cleaning chemicals, and poisonous outdoor materials.
Even licking or tasting a toxic substance can cause intense drooling as the body reacts to the chemical irritation in the mouth and throat. The vomiting that follows can be severe, sudden, or repeated in short bursts.
Toxin-induced nausea often comes with trembling, rapid heartbeat, or sudden behavioral changes. Because toxins can cause rapid deterioration, dogs with these symptoms need urgent care.
Something Stuck in the Throat
A piece of bone, rawhide, toy, stick, or any foreign object lodged in the mouth or throat can cause instant drooling and vomiting.
When something gets stuck, the body produces large amounts of saliva to try to lubricate the area and dislodge the object. The dog may gag, retch, or vomit as the digestive system attempts to clear the obstruction.
Dogs with something stuck often paw at their mouth, stretch their neck, swallow repeatedly, or make choking-like motions. The combination of drooling and vomiting may appear suddenly and escalate quickly.
Sharp objects can also cause injury inside the mouth or esophagus, leading to pain, bleeding, or further drooling.
Even partial obstructions—where the object isn’t fully lodged—can cause repeated vomiting and excessive saliva production as the dog tries to soothe the irritation.
Bloat or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV)
Bloat is a medical emergency and one of the most dangerous causes of vomiting and drooling. When the stomach fills with gas and begins to expand, dogs become extremely nauseated and drool heavily.
As bloat progresses, the stomach may twist, preventing the dog from vomiting effectively. Instead of actually vomiting, the dog produces frequent retching attempts paired with thick, foamy drool.
This is a hallmark sign of GDV: unproductive retching, intense drooling, abdominal swelling, restlessness, and pain.
The drool often appears stringy or foam-like due to trapped air and stomach acid. Large-breed dogs with deep chests—like Great Danes, German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Standard Poodles—are at highest risk.
Bloat requires immediate emergency treatment, and any dog showing these symptoms must be seen urgently.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis—inflammation of the pancreas—causes severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and profuse drooling. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, it releases digestive enzymes that irritate surrounding tissues, creating intense nausea.
Drooling begins because the body attempts to manage stomach acid and the rising discomfort.
Dogs with pancreatitis often vomit repeatedly, even when the stomach is empty. The drooling may increase as the dog feels waves of nausea between vomiting episodes.
Dogs frequently appear lethargic, adopt a prayer position (front end lowered, rear end raised), or refuse to lie comfortably because of abdominal pain.
Pancreatitis is commonly triggered by eating fatty foods, dietary indiscretion, obesity, or metabolic conditions. The vomiting-drooling combination is one of its earliest signs.
Heatstroke or Overheating
Dogs experiencing heatstroke often drool heavily due to saliva production attempting to cool the body.
As overheating progresses, nausea develops, leading to vomiting. These symptoms often appear with panting, bright red gums, rapid breathing, or collapse.
When a dog is overheated, the drool becomes thick and excessive, and vomiting may come suddenly as the body struggles to regulate temperature. Heatstroke is life-threatening and requires immediate cooling and veterinary intervention.
Kidney or Liver Disease
When the kidneys or liver aren’t functioning correctly, toxins build up in the bloodstream and trigger nausea.
Dogs experiencing organ-related nausea often drool constantly, especially when the nausea is severe or prolonged. Vomiting follows as the digestive system reacts to the toxin buildup.
Dogs with kidney or liver disease may show additional signs such as lethargy, weight loss, bad breath, and decreased appetite.
The drooling becomes more pronounced as nausea intensifies, and vomiting may be sporadic or frequent depending on toxin levels.
Motion Sickness or Anxiety
Motion sickness can cause a dog to drool excessively before vomiting, especially during car rides or stressful situations.
Anxiety triggers the same nausea pathways, making the dog drool heavily, lick their lips, and swallow hard before eventually vomiting. Dogs may tremble, pace, or appear restless during these episodes.
While motion sickness isn’t life-threatening, the combination of nausea and drooling can be overwhelming and uncomfortable for the dog.
Read more: Dog Suddenly Not Eating and Vomiting (Why it happens)
What to Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting and Drooling Excessively
Start by keeping your dog calm and in a comfortable environment. Stress increases nausea and drooling. Gently wipe excess drool from the mouth and chin to prevent skin irritation. Offer small sips of water once vomiting has paused for at least an hour, but avoid forcing water or food.
Remove access to toys, bones, plants, or household chemicals in case something ingested is causing the symptoms. Observe the dog for signs such as abdominal swelling, severe pain, gagging, or attempts to vomit without producing anything—these signs require immediate veterinary care.
If you suspect dietary indiscretion or mild stomach upset, withhold food for a short period while monitoring hydration. Small amounts of bland food can be reintroduced once vomiting stops. A humid, quiet room may help soothe a dog experiencing nausea or throat irritation.
Watch closely for patterns: how often the dog vomits, how intensely they drool, and whether the symptoms improve or worsen.
Persistent drooling paired with vomiting should always prompt a veterinary evaluation, as many underlying causes require medical treatment.
When to Call or Visit Your Vet
Contact your veterinarian urgently if your dog:
• Vomits repeatedly or cannot keep water down.
• Drools continuously for more than 30–60 minutes.
• Tries to vomit but nothing comes out (sign of bloat).
• Shows abdominal swelling or pain.
• Ingested something toxic or suspicious.
• Has blood in the vomit or drool.
• Acts lethargic, weak, or collapses.
• Has pale gums or rapid breathing.
• Refuses water and shows signs of dehydration.
• Has diarrhea along with vomiting and drooling.
• Has pre-existing kidney, liver, or pancreatic conditions.
Vomiting and excessive drooling together can escalate quickly, so early care is essential.
Read more: Dog Panting Excessively and Drooling (Here’s Why)
Key Takeaway
A dog vomiting and drooling excessively is showing signs of nausea, digestive upset, irritation, or a potentially serious underlying condition.
While some causes are mild, others—such as toxins, foreign objects, pancreatitis, or bloat—require immediate medical care.
Monitoring your dog closely, offering calm support, and seeking veterinary attention when needed will help ensure a safe and speedy recovery.