Dog foamy mouth and chasing his tail

by Rob
(Dominican Republic)

I have a 1 1/2 year old chow chow that all of a sudden has started foaming at the mouth and chasing his tail. He's done it 3 times about 4 hours apart. I took him to a vet and the vet says it may be the start of epilepsy, but wouldn't he lose energy if that was the case?

We live in the Dominican Republic and good vets are hard to come by. Can it be something he ingested or possibly rabies? I know you're not a vet but can you please give me your opinion. thanks, Rob.



Hi Rob
This is only my opinion, and you'll need to rely on your vets as they are the experts, but it could be the beginning signs of epilepsy. If a dog is going to develop this condition it usually shows up for the first time between 6 months and 3 years of age.

What you describe isn't really a 'seizure' though, as there doesn't sound like there's muscle spasms or twitching which you would expect.

It could also be a neurological problem, either a congenital condition that is just now showing up, or in response to a toxin of some sort.

Of course, if your pup hasn't been fully vaccinated against Rabies, it's possible that this behavior is being caused by that virus. There are usually other signs such as a marked change in behavior - the dog may become unusually aggressive or erratic or extremely affection or fearful. Lethargy or extreme tiredness will often follow this. An aversion to water is common too.

I wish I could be more helpful, but I'm afraid only hands-on evaluation and tests by your vet can really help you know what is going on.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that whatever is causing your dogs' problems is resolved soon.