Why is my dog constantly pawing at its mouth? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to pain or discomfort. This may be related to periodontal disease or even a tumor or an infection such as a tooth root abscess. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to recommend further based on findings. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is hard to say what the cause is without examining your dog first, but making noise whenever you touch the mouth may indicate your dog is experiencing some level of discomfort or pain around his mouth. A dental infection, abscess, fracture, tumor, or other cause may be possibilities. I would advise seeing your veterinarian for a oral exam for a definitive diagnosis. I hope this helps and best of luck!

Pawing at the mouth is definitely concerning that something is really bothering her. With an older chihuahua the most likely reason for this is dental disease. The tooth in the picture does appear somewhat inflamed, but I would be surprised if it was just that one causing her the pain. There may be another diseased tooth, or possibly something stuck in her mouth that is causing her to paw like this. Either way, I think it's a good idea to have a vet check her out. It can be difficult to have a good look in the mouth and the vet will be able to get a better idea of what's going on here. I hope that helps and all is well with Peaches.

Poor Momo! He could have a sore tooth in the back of his mouth causing him to scratch at it, he could have a skin infection of the side of the mouth called a lip fold pyoderma, it could be caused by allergies, or he could have a foreign body stuck in his mouth. I recommend taking Momo into your vet to have his mouth examined, have the cause of the scratching diagnosed, and you vet can determine the appropriate treatment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to mouth pain. This may be due to bone discomfort or perhaps any sort of fracture or trauma. It could also be due to muscle pain. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

There are several things that could cause this to happen: bacterial or fungal infection of the skin, splinter out other foreign body under the skin, itchy nose (allergies), tooth root issues, among a few others. You can try rubbing some hydrocortisone cream into it or rubbing an ice cube on it. He may need to wear an e-collar/cone to stop the behavior. But if it continues for another day or two, I would have Perrin checked out by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Even though he is no longer bleeding, this is likely causing him a great deal of discomfort. There is most likely a wound in the mouth which is why he is drooling. I highly recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what may be wrong so that therapy can be started right away. Best of luck!