Dog smacks his lips at night: causes & solutions

5. Foreign body in the mouth

Something more critical can happen in the long run Foreign body in the mouth be. These are things that are actually not edible and have mistakenly gotten into the mouth area. Often it's things like broken glass, great Wood residues or thorns, who get caught.

Even then the dog tries to react with more saliva and thus smacking his lips. Unlike leftover food, it is much more difficult for your four-legged friend to be successful with it. Furthermore, foreign bodies often cause smaller wounds, which then become… Invitation for germs are to settle down.

If a stubborn foreign body is involved, chances are the dog will be smacking all night long, desperate to remove it.

6. Infections in the oral cavity

Both foreign bodies and leftover food can become permanent Infections in the mouth area lead. Other causes are also possible, for example it is not uncommon for respiratory infections to spread to the mouth.

This of course bothers the dog, which he occasionally responds to by smacking his lips – day and night.

7. swelling & Tumors in the mouth

A significantly more dangerous cause can Swelling in the mouth area be. These also hinder the dog, to which the body often reacts with more saliva and thus smacking.

Occasionally these are caused by infections, for example in connection with a Inflammation of the oral mucosa. But it can also Tumors behind it, e.g Melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and Fibrosarcomas. These are often malignant and very aggressive.

8. hunger & appetite

Another very common cause is fairly harmless: many dogs smack their lips when they Hunger or appetite have. Their mouths really start to water in anticipation of food.

Dogs are not always ready to eat but rather have to continually prepare their bodies for a meal. The purpose of smacking is to create enough saliva to be able to swallow the food.

9. Stomach hyperacidity

Another part of this “preparation program” is this Stimulating stomach acid production. Unlike humans, this only happens with dogs when they expect food.

If the hoped-for meal does not materialize, the animal then has one Excess stomach acid. This hyperacidity then manifests itself in belching. At the same time, the dogs try to bind the excess acid, for example with saliva. That's why they smack their lips.

Animals that are fed irregularly or have another snack before going to bed are particularly affected at night.

10. nausea & Upset stomach

Also nausea can stimulate saliva production and cause smacking. This occurs comparatively frequently in dogs, because you Digestive tract is significantly more sensitive than that of us humans.

This means that sometimes just one bite is enough to cause an upset stomach. This can occur at night, for example, because the dog was still hungry and ate something that was on the floor.

In addition to smacking, you often hear it Choking sounds. Vomit and/or Diarrhea is also widespread.

11. Gastric torsion

However, the stomach can also be affected in a life-threatening manner: Larger breeds with a low-lying chest in particular often fall victim to this Gastric torsion. The stomach rotates on its own axis and thus constricts.

This is a life-threatening emergency: you need to go to the vet immediately, even in the middle of the night! Without quick surgery, the dog will die in agony.

Sudden strong smacking is a typical sign of stomach upset. Furthermore, the dog will gag unproductively, will hardly be able to move due to the pain and will no longer be able to process food: food will therefore be regurgitated undigested.

12. Dehydration

But it's not just food that can cause nighttime smacking: one too Dog dehydration is in principle possible. When there is a lack of fluids, the animal inevitably has a dry mouth, which is why it tries to produce saliva.

Dehydration can also be diagnosed other symptoms notice: Affected four-legged friends often behave apatheticly and have empty eyes, and at the same time they often appear restless. If you gently pull the dog's neck, the skin on severely dried animals no longer shrinks back, but instead remains standing, so to speak.

13. dementia

Also neurological diseases can cause the dog to smack his lips. Unfortunately, there are some four-legged friends who are under dementia suffer. This mostly affects older animals and the symptoms are similar to those of Alzheimer's disease.

In the advanced stages, the poor furry friends often no longer know where they actually are. They are still without light at night more confused – they get scared. They respond to this, for example Smacking as a skipping action.

14. Dog's quirk

However, some dogs also smack their lips without a good reason. This is often simply a matter of one Quirk of the four-legged friend, he somehow developed it over time habituated.

This may take some getting used to, but it's not a real cause for concern.

15. boredom

Another reason for smacking for no apparent reason is Boredom: If the dog has nothing else to do, he finds activities that he wouldn't otherwise pursue: some bark incessantly, others smack their lips to keep their mouth moving.

The sound itself isn't a big problem. However, dogs should employed appropriately because if you get too bored you can too more severe behavioral disorders appear. At night, this behavior also suggests that the dog is not burning enough energy during the day.

16. Increased need for hygiene

Keyword behavioral disorders: Some dogs also have a peculiarity that is still surprisingly little researched: they have a increased need for hygiene and then lick each other constantly. For this they need accordingly lots of saliva, which they produce through increased smacking.

The same applies here: the smacking itself is not the big problem. It is worth considering that the dog can harm itself through constant cleaning, which often occurs in connection with this Skin problems and itching on.

17. Metabolic diseases

Some too Metabolic diseases ensure increased saliva production and thus increased smacking. These include, among other things: Liver and kidney problems and in particular Diabetes.

The background is then that the Function of the salivary glands disturbed is: They then release secretions again and again – even at night. The dog is then practically forced to smack his lips.

18. Sensitive taste buds

The sense of taste is extremely important for dogs: That's why they need a tongue that is as free and uncoated as possible. However, if the animal has eaten something that has a very strong aroma, it can happen that This blocks receptors become.

Then the four-legged friends try theirs Clean tongue with saliva and make it 100% usable again. One way they do this is by smacking their lips a lot.

19. Poisonings

However, sudden smacking can also be a sign of one poisoning be. The dog then tries to combat the toxic substances it has ingested with saliva – unfortunately this is often futile.

There are many things that are poisonous to dogs: it's not just bait for pest control, a large number of foods and fruits can also be harmful.