Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your dog exhibits one or more of these symptoms:
• Bad breath
• Unhealthy looking gums (normal gums are a pinkish color)
• Inflamed gums, or oozing pus
• Facial swelling
• Excessive drooling
• Yellow or brown buildup on the surface of the teeth
• Loose teeth
• Tumors in the gums (not necessarily dental in nature, but may need to be surgically removed if found to be malignant)
• Cysts under the tongue (salivary cysts that require drainage and the removal of the salivary glands
This story appeared in Animal Scene’s April 2015 issue
