My dog has red gums. Should I give her cephalexin for dental issues?

Recommendations for dental antibiotics prophylaxis has changed for both people and pets. We no longer start pets on antibiotics unless there is a known infection like an abscess. I don’t recommend to start Luke on any antibiotics before his dental unless the veterinarian sees a valid reason on an exam prior to the dental. Rubbing omega three fatty acids on his gums once a day or a pet tooth paste can help inflammation from gingivitis in a more natural way. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is no home remedy for red gums. You need to take Charlie to a veterinarian to determine the cause of the red gums. There could be something going on internally, like a blood problem, or he could have bad teeth causing gingivitis and dental disease. I would start with a doctor exam to discuss the cause and they may be able to give you treatment options to do at home. Good luck and kisses to Charlie!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sallie’s teeth in the picture look fantastic! The black you are seeing is just pigment of her gums. Bad teeth have an red gum line or are purple looking compared to the other teeth. For dental care I recommend daily brushing, either with a finger or regular tooth brush. Always use a dog toothpaste as dogs cannot have fluoride. Daily brushing is best and is better than the dental chews. A lot of dental disease is based on genetics, so some dogs are more prone to bad teeth than others. Even with daily brushing, Sallie still may require a professional cleaning every 1-2 years. It is recommended for humans to have twice a year cleanings and we brush our teeth everyday. I would keep up the excellent work and have your vet look at her teeth twice yearly to discuss further monitoring. Kisses to Sallie!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know the full extent of this just based on pictures though this does look like significant gingivitis and dental disease. Sometimes this is due to pure inflammation secondary to dental disease and sometimes there may be an infection. I recommend you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck!

Hello, sorry to hear about Vega. What you are seeing seems to be gingivitis which is associated with periodontal disease. To improve this, you can brush your dog's teeth daily and provide dental care products from your local pet stores (dental treats, dental chews, etc). Eventually however, Vega should have an oral exam by your veterinarian to assess if a dental cleaning needs to be performed as well. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It's hard to see well in your picture but the color is lighter than normal. Sometimes if you stretch the lip up too tight it can look paler or whiter. If she is acting normal I am not sure I would read too much in to the color, especially f it more pink the rest of the day. If you are worried I would have her rechecked and ask the Vet to run a PCV/TS which measures her red blood cell count. Most dogs that are anemic are lethargic, weak, have a decreased appetite, and increased breathing. I wish you and MJ the best!

Please do not give your dog aspirin without the direction of your veterinarian as it can cause stomach bleeding and coagulation problems. Looking at the photo this does look like your dog has significant gingivitis and a hands-on exam should reveal whether there is a tooth root abscess. Considering there is a lot of tartar and gingivitis present Maddie will need a dental cleaning under anesthesia anyway and in the course of that the vet will find bad teeth which should be extracted. I do not think Aspirin will take a tooth ache nor will it help in any other aspect. I am happy you scheduled an exam with your veterinarian on Friday.