My dog's gums are dark. Is this normal? What dog toothpaste is best?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sallie’s teeth in the picture look fantastic! The black you are seeing is just pigment of her gums. Bad teeth have an red gum line or are purple looking compared to the other teeth. For dental care I recommend daily brushing, either with a finger or regular tooth brush. Always use a dog toothpaste as dogs cannot have fluoride. Daily brushing is best and is better than the dental chews. A lot of dental disease is based on genetics, so some dogs are more prone to bad teeth than others. Even with daily brushing, Sallie still may require a professional cleaning every 1-2 years. It is recommended for humans to have twice a year cleanings and we brush our teeth everyday. I would keep up the excellent work and have your vet look at her teeth twice yearly to discuss further monitoring. Kisses to Sallie!

This could be normal pigmentation in the gums. You can keep an eye on it now that your are brushing Snoopy's teeth daily. If it begins to grow or change rapidly, then he should be seen by your veterinarian.

The pictures are a little blurry. With what I see in the pictures her gums look normal with a small amount of gingivitis. I would recommend brushing her teeth with a cat approved toothpaste daily to help her gums. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for your post! That black around the gum line is a normal pigment variation. This type of pigmenting of the gums can be normal in some dogs like the Siberian Huskies. It does not indicate a health concern. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Both teeth look normal. The gums above the tooth are pigmented in the second picture, which can be normal. (like a freckle inside the mouth). There is mild tartar calculus on both teeth but the gums look healthy. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are doing a good job with the brushing!

I would recommend getting your vet to check this closely, it appears in the pictures that the lower canine is making contact with the gum and chronic irritation can cause inflammation, scarring and occasionally tumour changes

She is very cute! If she has had the dark spots for 8 years and they haven't changed then it is likely just normal pigmentation. She could be slowing down with age and may have a harder time after exercise, but if it gets worse then she really should be evaluated by a vet for a chest x-ray to make sure she doesn't have heart or lung disease.