My dog has a gum lump and eating less. Should I take him to the vet?

That lump of tissue needs to be checked out by the veterinarian. Dogs do get tumors in the mouth. They can also get severe dental infections which can lead to hyperplasia of the gum tissue. The doctor may need to sedate Bumbie to get a thorough exam and a tissue sample of the lump to determine if this is a tumor or something else. Once the doctor examines Bumbie, they will discuss what the best course of action is. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is a condition called gingival hyperplasia which is just extra gum growth. At your pets next dental cleaning have the vet take a closer look underneath the excess gum. If the gum needs to be shaved away, then the vet can do that at the time of the cleaning to help prevent an accumulation of tartar underneath. Best of luck with your pet moving forward. Take care.

Poor girl. This is unfortunately an oral mass and should be tested by your vet soon to determine if this is cancerous or benign (non-cancerous). Due to Sugar's age and breed there is unfortunately a higher risk of cancer, but we should know for sure after it is tested. It is good that it is the same color as the rest of her skin/gums, so that is promising. I hope that Sugar's test results come back favorable after your vet visit. Best wishes and take care!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think you are talking about something called gingival hyperplasia. If it looks very similar to the one that was removed and tested, it’s probably the same thing. (Though we can never guarantee as some kids of cancer can look similar.) Usually there is nothing to do treatment or prevention-wise except remove them at routine dental cleaning. And I do recommend routine dental cleaning as tartar can build up dramatically under that gum tissue. Best of luck to you and Lilly!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures I see what you are worried about. Possible causes of the mass are: a benign over growth of gum tissue, an epulis, or cancerous growths. Some epulids are: Fibromatous, ossifying, and acanthomatous. Acanthomatous epuli, in particular, are highly invasive to the bone and are usually located on the front part of the lower jaw. It is sadly impossible to tell from just looking at the mass to say what it could be. I recommend you make an appointment with your Vet. Lucky will have to go under anesthesia, have dental X-rays taken of the area and the mass biopsied or removed, if able. I hope this helps! I wish Lucky the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!