My cocker spaniel has a mouth mass. Is it serious if he acts normal?

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.

True epulis are benign masses and only of concern if/when they affect hewing or become damaged during eating. There are a number of other causes of growths in the mouth however and tumor development is possible so they should be monitored closely and removed/biopsied if any doubts or concerns arise. Rapid growth, bleeding, ulceration, pain and loss of teeth are all red flags

This could be an epulis are benign. It also could indicate an oral tumor such as the melanoma or even a squamous cell carcinoma. As it's getting noticeably bigger in a short period of time I recommend your veterinarian examine this mass. It may or may not require a biopsy to know exactly what it is.

This looks like an epulis, a fairly common benign tumor in dogs. It occurs more often in short faced dog breeds. I recommend getting it checked by your vet to determine what kind of growth it is and what needs to be done about it. Your vet will do an exam, lab work, possibly imaging depending on if you vet believes they need it. Based on these results your vet will be better able to tell you what is going on and the best course of treatment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. Judging by the color and the fact that it is in the mouth, it is likely a melanoma, the most common oral tumor in dogs. 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 her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good one!

It could be normal, or it could be an epulis or other mass. I think it could wait until your vet is open for non-emergent cases, but it should probably be biopsied if it doesn't regress in a few weeks.

Hi, While I can’t say with certainty without an exam, I would strongly recommend having this gingival mass evaluated by a veterinarian. In many cases these are benign gingival hyperplasia (just meaning excessive tissue), but other times these masses can be malignant cancer. Therefore, catching it early will make a difference in the potential success of treatment. I hope Kosmo just has some hyper plastic gum tissue! Best of luck.