Dear Dr. Florez,

I have a 6-wk- old Chihuahua that I just brought home. My 2 year old dog was very anxious to meet the puppy. So much so that she began salivating.

Could you confirm for me that this only an unconditioned response due to excitatory stimulus. My wife thinks Maya wants to eat the puppy because she associates her salivation with dinner time. Could you shed some light on this subject.

Dear Dear Herman,

Salivation increases as a result of excitation of the salivary nuclei in the brain stem. Stimuli that may lead to this are taste and tactile sensation involving the mouth and tongue. The new arrival would create an excitatory response from you older dog. I do not think that your dog wants the puppy for dinner. However, you want to be certain that you never leave both pets together unattended.

If the salivation continues, you may want to have your pet seen by a veterinarian. There are other medical factors that could contribute to excessive salivation and only a veterinarian can determine if you should be concerned.

Best of luck,
Diego Fernando Florez, DVM