Why are my dog's gums turning white? Is it serious or normal?

Oh dear! Pale or white gums can be associated with severe anemia, shock, or heart failure - this is a very concerning sign that warrants immediate veterinary attention. A warm dry nose is a pretty non-specific sign that doesn't really mean anything in particular, and a pale or thinning haircoat can be associated with any kind of long-term illness. It sounds like Bae may be seriously ill, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic tonight to be seen. If this isn't possible, then I would take him to your regular veterinarian first thing in the morning. Your veterinarian can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

White gums in any animal is concerning as it can be a sign of shock or anemia. Based on your attached photos, I would not be alarmed about the color of the gums. They are not pale, they are an adequate pink color. Unless you notice other changes such as weakness or lethargy or vomiting, then I would not worry and just monitor for further changes.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you have provided, I would say that Nova's gums look more pale than I am comfortable with. This could be due to dehydration, hemorrhage, destruction of the red blood cells from an immune mediated process, an infection, cancer, etc. I would recommend having Nova evaluated by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having her blood tested to start to see if she is anemic and to see what other values may be abnormal. The sooner she is seen the better in case this is something severe that needs immediate treatment. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor Chloe! If her tongue and gums look white instead of pink, this is a medical emergency - she needs to be seen by a vet right away. This can be caused by internal bleeding, heart failure, or severe shock. The red spots on her body could be related to a bleeding disorder, or could be unrelated. The emergency vet can do blood work to help determine what's wrong and get her started on appropriate treatment right away.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Chase! How old is he? If his gums are white that is an emergency and he should go back to the vet today! White gums are a sign of shock or anemia. Anemia can be from internal bleeding or destruction of the red blood cells. Shock could be from pancreatitis or a blockage from ingestion of a foreign body. He needs to be re-examined and have blood work and X-rays done. I wish you all the best!

The white or pale gums are a sign of severe anemia. It could be due to a high worm burden or it may have another underlying cause. Vegeta should be seen by your veterinarian to diagnose the underlying cause. Given current circumstances, you may need to drop him off at the clinic then wait for your veterinarian to call you. Supportive care may be indicated until he is feeling better.

Pink salmon color is normal for pets. It is hard to tell based on the photo if there are also white areas there, if they are then that is a sign of potential anemia and therefore Bruno should be seen by your vet and tested. However, if the entire lip/gum area is salmon pink, this is considered to be a normal color and therefore nothing to be alarmed about. When we initially lift up the lip in dogs, some areas that are stretched or pinched can turn white, but then they should go back to normal pink color once the pressure/tugging is alleviated. Anemia is also diagnosed by getting a blood sample from the dog and looking at the red blood cell count. IF a pets gums turn pale white, then that is an indicator that there is anemia, so then it has to be decided what the cause is by evaluating the rest of the bloodwork, along with physical exam findings. Hemolytic anemia will certainly cause a pet to also act ill, such as lethargy, not eating and pale white gums, so that does not fit the description of your pet Bruno. I hope that this helps clarify things and also put your mind at ease. Best wishes with your pet Bruno and I hope that he continues to do well.