My dog has a new bubble on his gums. Is it serious or needs treatment?

Thanks for attaching a picture. If it feels like normal gum tissue (soft, moveable) it is possibly due to contact from the k9 tooth above it (overgrowth of tissue from irritation). Do you see the same thing on the other side? If it is more firm, painful, red, or grew rapidly that would be more concerning and then it should be evaluated by your family vet. If you elect to monitor certainly have your vet take a look at his next annual visit. If the lesion changes (growth, etc.) certainly have your vet take a look at it sooner. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

It sounds like Fluffy could have a cyst. I would have him seen by a vet for this. If it is a cyst, it will need to be drained sterilely, and the vet may need to remove it surgically to prevent it from recurring. I would have him seen by a vet in the next few days for this.

The photo is a little fuzzy so its hard to say. It may be an oral papilloma, which is due to canine papillomavirus. Typically these resolve on their own, but many more may pop up over the next few weeks on his lips and in his mouth. It could also be an inflamed hair follicle or a skin infection. If its not resolving over the next few days to weeks, or if it seems to be getting worse or causing him discomfort, please take him to your vet to be evaluated. Here is an article on canine papilloma virus. http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/oral-papilloma-virus-dogs Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It's hard to tell for sure from the picture but that small area does not look like a major concern to me. It is near impossible to diagnose a growth on just a picture alone so it's probably a good idea to have a veterinarian check out the bump area within the next few weeks (especially if it changes in size, shape or color). A veterinarian will be able to take a needle aspirate of the area and see what kind of cells are there to determine if anything needs to be done about the bump. At minimum I would closely monitor the area and if the shape, size or color changes, take Lucy to be examined. Regards to you and Lucy!

This looks to be a histiocytoma. I don't think he needs a vet visit just yet. Often these will go away on their own. I would only be worried if it doesn't go away in a month or so OR if it grows larger OR if it starts to bother him. Please read this information: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952066 Of course, if you are worried, a vet visit is never a bad idea.

Masses within the mouth, much like other parts of the body, have the potential to be troublesome or of little consequence. Typically, the older the animal the more likely we are looking at something concerning. The most common benign finding often found within the mouth on the gumlines are epulis, which is simply a benign gum tumor. In some instances they require removal in order to facilitate food consumption or provide generalized comfort, but in many cases particularly when they are not growing in size, they can be left alone and can even spontaneously resolve. In other instances, masses in the mouth can be malignant and show up in the form of melanomas or squamous cell carcinomas. If this is the case, complete removal of the mass and the surrounding tissue is always recommended, followed by potentially other ancillary treatments. The only way to know for sure however would be with cytology or removal / biopsy. At six years of age, there is a pretty good chance Phoenix would likely benefit from a dental cleaning and x-rays regardless of the presence of this mass. If placed under anesthesia for this procedure, you can talk with your veterinarian about how you'd like to proceeded regarding potentially removing / biopsying the area. Hope this makes sense.