My dog's gums are bleeding and raw after hairball removal. Infected?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like Ginger may have broken her tooth. I recommend making an appointment with your vet when they open to take a look at it. Though she isn’t acting painful, it may become painful or infected. There isn’t anything you can do at home and no safe medications you can give for pain. If it is broken, she will likely need to undergo anesthesia to have the tooth removed. The vet that looks at it will be able to help more once a diagnosis is made. Good luck and kisses to Ginger!

That is probably due to the contact between the gum and the canine which is affected by tartar. There is moderate gengivitis as well. A check up and descale and polish of the teeth and an antiseptic mouth gel/solution (one designed specifically for dogs) would be ideal to resolve the condition. I would recommend to ask and discuss it with your local veterinarian. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It is a little unusual to see gum bleeding secondary to allergies in a dog. Gingivitis most often occurs from infection beneath the gumline and a dental cleaning is probably needed, although bleeding gums can occasionally also be a sign of a clotting disorder. The red, inflamed paws sounds more like a seasonal allergy to me, and there is thought that dogs may absorb allergens through their paws when they're outside. If the steroids are finished, you may need to recheck with your vet to discuss a more long term plan for the allergy. Sometimes there is a secondary infection present that needs to be treated, and sometimes a long term allergy medication like Apoquel or Cytopoint or even allergy testing is recommended.

It appears to be some moderate gingivitis and tartar. The tooth underneath the red area may be affected, and may not. It would take an xray of that area to know for sure. I recommend getting her examined by your veterinarian and planning a dental cleaning and oral x-rays.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Galaxy. This looks like an anal gland infection/abscess. It would be best to get Galaxy seen by your vet since these things are badly infected and need oral antibiotics or injectable antibiotics to clear up completely. Often times these dogs need sedation/anesthesia to clean up the area, express the contents of the gland completely, then start antibiotics, pain meds, anti inflammatory meds, topical wound care, e collar to prevent licking, etc. Again, Galaxy is probably in a lot of pain and would benefit greatly from adequate treatment. I would call your local rescue groups or humane societies to see if they can help with her care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could be just an infection though I am suspicious that there is a growth underneath causing this. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. This is severe and no home remedies are expected to improve this. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question. There could several causes of this. I would suspect a toxin that was ingested or a systemic disease that is causing abnormal bleeding into the surrounding tissues of the body. It is difficult to say for sure just based on these clinical signs. If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to help you further.