My Dog Keeps Smacking Their Lips: 9 Vet-Reviewed Causes

Sometimes, dogs behave in ways that baffle and intrigue us, including lip-smacking and licking. Although lip-smacking can occur for innocent reasons that shouldn’t be cause for concern, it’s important to work out what could be causing this behavior because a medical issue might be involved.

In this article, we'll examine the factors that might cause your dog to smack their lips.

The 9 Potential Causes for Lip Smacking in Dogs

There are various causes behind lip-smacking in dogs; some are benign, and others may indicate an underlying health issue.

1. Hunger

If your dog is excited about eating a snack or meal, they might lick and smack their lips or even drool with anticipation. This happens because the very prospect of food can make dogs salivate. Lip-smacking and licking may also occur when the dog has finished eating.

2. Stress

Stress is a common cause of lip-smacking in dogs because smacking and licking the lips releases soothing endorphins. Other signs of anxiety and stress in dogs include destructive behavior (for example, chewing or scratching furniture), urinating or defecating in inappropriate locations, excessive barking, head-turning, yawning, pacing, compulsive behaviors, and panting.

3. Submission

If a dog wants to signal to another dog that they’re not a threat, they may smack their lips. As mentioned above, this is a self-soothing mechanism, and your dog may also turn their head or body away from the perceived threat, adopt a friendly, soft expression, yawn, or freeze in place. So, if you see your dog displaying these behaviors, especially around bigger and stronger dogs, submission could be the reason.

4. Dehydration

When dogs are dehydrated, their saliva gets thicker, and their gums become dry and sticky, which may cause them to lick and smack their lips. Other signs of dehydration include dry eyes or nose, sunken eyes, weakness, dark urine, panting excessively, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, and loss of elasticity of the skin.

Keep clean water available for your dog at all times, and if you travel, be sure to take portable water and food bowls. It’s not a good idea to let your dog drink from natural bodies of water like lakes, ponds, or the ocean due to the presence of saltwater, toxic blue-green algae, or organisms that can make them sick.

5. Medical Issues

Diseases that cause pain, dehydration, and anxiety can cause lip-smacking, either because the mouth is dry or the dog is trying to calm down due to discomfort or stress.

Some conditions that can lead to lip-smacking include dental disease, kidney disease, liver disease, bone and joint diseases, seizures, and nervous system diseases.

6. Nausea

Lip-smacking in dogs is a common sign of nausea that often occurs before vomiting. While nausea might not always lead to vomiting, it is uncomfortable for a dog. This discomfort can cause the dog to appear restless, drool, and smack their lips.

7. Acid Reflux

A dog experiencing heartburn or acid reflux will appear restless, have excessive saliva production, and smack their lips. When the acidic stomach juices reverse into the esophagus, the sensation is uncomfortable, and the dog is also at risk of developing esophagitis.

If your dog smacks their lips often and you suspect gastric reflux might be the cause, contact your vet for an examination. Early treatment, which could be as simple as a dietary change and medication, will prevent a simple issue from becoming esophagitis or even ulcerations.

8. Salivary Gland Issues

Issues with the salivary glands, including salivary mucocele, could also be behind lip-smacking and licking. Signs include swelling of an area on the head or neck or under the tongue, drooling, gulping, gagging, eating difficulties, bloody saliva, breathing issues, weight loss, vomiting, depression, fever, and regurgitation.

9. Foreign Bodies

Lip-smacking can sometimes be triggered by a foreign object getting stuck in the dog’s mouth or throat, like something they’ve been chewing on, and it’s the dog’s way of trying to remove the object. Excessive salivation is another sign that something’s stuck. If you think that something might be stuck in your dog’s throat, don’t try removing it yourself—call a vet immediately.

Conclusion

If there’s no food in the vicinity or anything to signal to your dog that they’re about to eat, their lip-smacking is likely caused by either stress, an attempt to appease another dog (or sometimes person) that they feel is a threat, dehydration, pain, discomfort, or a medical issue. Don't hesitate to contact your vet if you suspect a medical problem or injury is causing your dog to smack their lips.

• Related Read: My Dog Keeps Licking His Lips and Swallowing: 10 Likely Causes

Featured Image Credit: Blazej Lyjak, Shutterstock